Amami Cuisine
Let’s Enjoy Amami Brown Sugar Shochu!
How would you drink yours tonight?
Let us show you numerous ways to enjoy shochu.
Tasting its aroma and rich flavor
An authentic way to drink Amami Brown Sugar Shochu!
Straight
For those who want to fully experience the taste of shochu, chill the bottle and a glass in the refrigerator before serving. Placing beverages with high alcohol content (40 or higher) in the freezer can also bring out a surprisingly thick taste.
On the rocks
Chief brewers’ recommended savvy way to fully enjoy the sweet sugarcane aroma and the depth of shochu. Also, it has become very popular among women who seek after authentic items. Best tasted when the ice starts to melt.
Split with hot water
The high road to enjoy the aroma and full flavor. Poring 60℃ water in a heat-resistant glass and then adding brown sugar shochu creates a convection current that helps the liquids to blend evenly. The ideal temperature to drink is about 40℃ at which the savory flavors of the mix will stabilize. At that temperature, it is also good for health and the mix emits a full aroma and presents rich taste. People enjoy hot water to spirits with a ratio of 4:6 or 5:5 or whatever your preference dictates. Another recommendation is to heat it before drinking.
On the rocks
Split with hot water
Shochu with water
The most popular way to drink shochu. It gives a clean, light taste. Unlike the way to prepare it with hot water, pour shochu into a glass first and then add water. Adding ice cubes will give it even a crisper taste. People enjoy water to spirits ratios of 4:6 and 5:5, or as you wish. Preparing the mix the night before, rather than immediately before drinking, will make brown sugar shochu even mellower.
Shochu with water
The “twice-up”
A 5:5 ratio known as the high road to drinking Japanese whiskey is also recommended for brown sugar shochu. It is perfect for unprocessed or barrel-brewed shochu with high alcohol content.
Ways to Enjoy Shochu with Beauty and Health in Mind
Anything goes by adding your favorite drink
Coffee and Shochu
Blending coffee and brown sugar shochu. It adds a deep and fresh aroma of coffee and very refreshing to take. Recommended either during or after eating. Coffee without sugar seems to be the best, but again add whatever you like.
Tomato juice
Pour tomato juice into a glass containing brown sugar shochu and ice cubes. Add Tabasco sauce and pepper as an option.
Milk and Shochu
Mix cold milk, brown sugar shochu and ice cubes in a glass. For a mellower taste, sugar can be added. Use soy milk to make it healthier.
Coffee and Shochu
Milk and Shochu
Adding herbs or hot herbs
The practice of drinking brown sugar shochu adding herbs like shiso, celery, ginger, basil and hot herbs is becoming popular. Be sure to try it on the rocks or mixed with water or hot water.
Add paprika or cucumbers
Add slices of red and yellow paprika to your favorite brown sugar shochu. It looks great and you can eat it too. If you prefer sweet flavors, char the paprika first until the surface turns brown-black, and then peel the blacken skin before adding it to your drink.
Also you can try out shochu by adding slices of cucumber and ice cubes. Muddle them to release a fresh aroma before poring shochu in.
Add shiso and chili pepper
Cut shiso in quarters, wash a fresh chili pepper and add the two to your favorite brown sugar shochu. This surprising duo gives a refreshing twist to the food.
Add paprika
With fruits of the season
Seasonal fruits can be added to brown sugar shochu to create unique cocktails.
Brown Sugar Shochu Mojito
Ingredients: 60 ml spirits, 1/2 lime, 10 leaves of peppermint leaves, 1 tsp. sugar, crushed ice, soda
- Place the mint, sugar and soda water in a glass and muddle these ingredients.
- Zest a lime and put half or a quarter of it in a glass and muddle again.
- Add crushed ice.
- Pour shochu and add more crushed ice.
- Add some mint leaves on top.
︎Passion Fruit and Brown Sugar Shochu Daquiri
Remove the seeds from a passion fruit with a spoon. Mix it with 10 ml of lemon juice and 1 – 2 ml of syrup, and then strain before adding to shochu and stir is slightly.
Brown Sugar Shochu Mojito
Tips from a bartender
Katsuhisa Seisho / The fruity aroma of brown sugar shochu is great for cocktails. Enjoy the flavor.
Shiho Nishi / There are so many intuitive ways to enjoy brown sugar shochu.
Pairing Shochu with Foods Will Go a Long Way
Shochu having zero sugar content and its fruity, sweet aroma and refreshing taste, can be paired with all kinds of foods and drunks at any point of the eating scenes.
Photo and captions / HORIZON Editorial Office
