I am not very knowledgeable when it comes to Japanese spirits. The only alcoholic Japanese drink that I am familiar with is sake, and that is because it is sold all over the city in many restaurants. Shochu is actually a Japanese spirit that is distilled from barley, sweet potatoes, buckwheat or rice. Sometimes it is produced from other ingredients like chestnut, sesame seeds, and carrots. It is great to drink and have fun but it’s even better when you can talk to some of the people that are knowledgeable about the process of making it. They are able to explain exactly what goes into making certain spirits and how much work it takes.
SIP Japan, in conjunction with The Gander, located at 15 West 18th Street, hosted the Shochu Immersion: A Day of Education and Tasting. The event started off with a seminar. Shochu, The History and Diversity of Japan’s Unique Spirit was led by Level II Sake Specialist Brian Matthys. After the seminar, audience members had a chance to speak with Brian and some of the other guests, while also enjoying original cocktails by Brian Matthys, Leo DeGroff, Esteban Ordonez and Auriela Nossa.
Being that it was my first time tasting Shochu, the spirit itself is very appealing. Shochu has a sort of earthy and nutty taste to it. While most Americans associate sake with being Japan’s primary and most popular spirit, Shochu has been more popular and profitable than sake in the past decade or so. Vodka is similar to Shochu in that it is clear and can be made from different raw materials. However, making shochu is much more complex than making vodka. So next time you go to a Japanese restaurant, instead of drinking sake be a little more adventurous and ask if they have shochu available, you won’t regret it!
If you want to attend events like this and learn more about Shochu, make sure to follow SIP Japan online and visit their website. They have events throughout the year where guests can attend, learn more about Japan’s most popular spirit, and even try it.
Twisted Talk: Do you know anything about Shochu? Do you prefer it to sake? Discuss below!
