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July 26, 2005

Revealing “the secrets of how to drink shouchu”, as told by an expert advisor for pubs that specialize in Japanese liquor.

It has been some time since the “Honkaku Shouchu (real shouchu)”, especially imo (potato) shouchu, boom burst out.
However, just how much knowledge of the desirable way of drinking shouchu has spread?
Actually, the flavor of shouchu varies depending on the temperature and the amount of water mixed, but I doubt people generally know this fact.

That’s why I decided to ask Mr. Takuya Kudo, an expert advisor for Japanese sake pubs, for advice on how to drink shouchu.
He came under the spotlight in his late twenties as the landlord of the pub “Gokokuya Nipponbashi” where sake is served warm, as this was unique in those days. He and I hit it off together and have been getting along well ever since, just like brothers.

Many people seem to think that Japanese sake, especially pure rice sake, is best drunk chilled, but I believe the best way is to drink it warm. When you drink something cold, your taste buds close and can’t taste correctly. However, when you drink something warm, you can taste a range of flavors. For example, you may think that chilled Coca Cola is good, but you will most probably think it oversweet and undrinkable when you drink it at normal temperature. This is because carbonated drinks are best served cold. My opinion is that you should be suspicious of liquors that are best served cold.

“Rice sake is best drunk warm, and so is shouchu. Did you know that?”

To tell the truth, Kudo has had an impressive career, appearing in a famous gourmet magazine as a member of a shouchu tasting party. This time we had the honor of having him taste six types of shouchu from the Kyoya Brewery and initiate us into the various ways of drinking. Now, over to you, Kudo!

“OK, now I will tell you the secret of drinking great potato shouchu. First of all, as a rule of thumb, I don’t recommend that you drink it on the rocks.”

Then why is real shouchu usually served on the rocks in bars?

“It’s the same as with Japanese sake. Cold drinks are smooth to drink and fresh, but you can’t enjoy the fragrance. Imagine canned coffee sold in vending machines. When you drink it hot in the winter, you can sense the sweetness and aroma better than drinking it cold in the summer. On the other hand, you think that cold coffee is fresh and easy to drink in summer, don’t you? In this way, cold drinks tend to lock up the flavor and aroma. That’s why I don’t recommend shouchu on the rocks. Only if you find it hard to get along with the potato flavor, then it may be good….”

Well that explains it…. So, what is the ideal way of drinking?

“This is only my opinion, but the first glass of shouchu should be drunk straight, and “in a very small amount”, to enjoy its unique flavor and aroma. When you drink a lot, you tend to gulp it down and can’t enjoy the flavor.”

I see. So we should pour a small amount of shouchu in a large glass, roll it in the glass to release the aroma, and enjoy it. Ok. So, what’s the next step?

“After you enjoy the taste and flavor of shouchu as it is, mix it with hot water and drink! Actually, this is the most suitable way of drinking potato shouchu. You should boil water using a stove. I don’t recommend boiling water in a microwave, as it ruins the flavor. Basically, the most suitable temperature for shouchu, I believe, is 44 to 48 degrees Celsius. To make this, heat water to boiling, then let it cool down to 60-70 degrees. It isn’t that hot, is it?”

Really!?

“When you get the hot water to a desirable temperature, pour it in the vessel before the shouchu. Then, add the shouchu very, very slowly. The basic ratio of water to shouchu should be 60:40, I mean, in the case of shouchu with an alcoholic content of 25%. When you mix water with shouchu in this ratio, the percentage of alcohol becomes about 16%. It’s best when the temperature is at about 45 degrees.”

So, following Kudo’s instructions, I had a go myself. It’s not as hot as I thought it would be. This is probably because I am used to using very hot water, though… Anyway, I tried shouchu mixed with hot water of 45 degrees, and it was amazing! The rich potato flavor leapt up and hit my taste buds! The flavor was so delicate and rich, something that I’ve never experienced with very hot shouchu. It reminded me of the way in which Japanese green tea is served by cooling down the hot water. I didn’t realize that shouchu is no different!

“Every beverage tastes different depending on the temperature. You should choose a temperature that suits your taste buds the most. It’ll be a waste if you only drink shouchu cold. I want people to develop a good knowledge about the relationship between liquors and temperature.”

I totally understand!
Then, how about shouchu mixed with water?

“Well, if you use water that is not too cold, the shouchu may give off an aroma that is better than when drunk straight, thus making a pleasurable drinking experience. However, the problem is that the taste depends on the water. Bad water, or bad tap water for example, tends to give off a strange smell that affects the shouchu’s aroma. The most ideal solution is to obtain from the brewery the water that it uses to make the liquor you are drinking, but this is difficult. Thus, please use water that is as soft as possible. Cold water and shouchu are hard to blend together, so pour shouchu into the glass first. Then, add soft water and stir. Finally, add ice. Use a little melted ice.”

Oh, I didn’t know that!
I usually put ice in the glass to start with, but I seem to be in the wrong.
I get it!

“As I said earlier, I think shouchu is best mixed with hot water. And if you want really tasty shouchu, I will now outline a more complicated method. First of all, prepare the “warimizu” beforehand. This is shouchu that has been mixed with water and left for about a month at the longest. If this is done, then the alcohol and water molecules will be well blended. You will notice the difference when you compare it to shouchu that has been mixed with water just before being drunk.

Put the warimizu in a liquor bottle and warm it in hot water on a stove to about 45 degrees. This is superb! The taste of Shouchu varies according to the way in which it is drunk. Please give it a go yourselves!”

Did you know that, everyone?
When I tasted shouchu in the various ways that Kudo served it, I felt as if I had seen the light for the first time! The longer the period of warimizu, the milder the flavor; or in a word, the easier it is to drink. So, if you want a strong flavor, a short warimizu period (such as overnight) will probably be desirable.

Now finally, I asked Kudo to taste shouchu from the Kyoya Brewary. We obtained water used to make liquor from the brewery and had a tasting session that went on for about three hours!

“My favorite is the Kanro. When I drank it straight, I could taste the sweet aroma and flavor of potato. When I drank it on the rocks, I got a better sense of the flavor than when drunk straight. I think this is because the proper amount of water blended well with the shouchu to open up its aroma. When mixing shouchu with cold water, don’t use tap water. On the other hand, when using water for making liquor sent from the brewery, it gave off a sweet aroma and taste that made me feel like gulping it. Mixing it with hot water at a rate of 60:40 is superb! I could really taste the good potato flavor. And as for dishes that complement shouchu, I recommend Japanese fried dishes such as “nasu-no-nibitashi (fried eggplant cooked in sauce)” or “agedashi doufu (fried tofu eaten with soup)”

The Super Kanro is good when mixed with hot water. The Kanekyo Kanro has a flavor that is, I think, great with food. Give it a try!”

Well, thank you, Kudo, for giving us some good menus that go well with shouchu.
And for your information, everyone, he is planning to open a pub this year where they will serve Japanese sake, shouchu and good dishes to compliment your drinking experience.
When it’s open, I will let you know in this blog. So please hurry, Kudo!

Posted Admin : July 26, 2005 02:29 PM