The Skinny on Shochu
As ladies who are clearly comfortable anywhere along the alcoholic spectrum, Laura and I enjoy just about anything from super-low- to ultra-high-brow. This is as true today as back when we scored our first bottle of Boone’s Farm, now with some sensible caveats. In looking back, we realized, college photos don’t lie. And while Crazy Horse and Zima may have made a low-budget evening special, it also made us very puffy. Besides, we need to at least project a persona of being past all that, and so today, grown-up lady drinks are the refined solution.
The Shochu Solution
When I found shochu in Tokyo, I knew the Shoperones had a midlife winner, because it’s actually a bit of high-and-low brow all together. While Sake may be popular among western sushi-lovers and the hipster elite, shochu still seems relatively unknown outside Japan. Despite this, shochu is actually the most consumed spirit in Japan. It’s distilled (like vodka or whiskey) rather than fermented (like sake), and has a generally higher alcohol volume than sake, yet lower than scotch or vodka.
From decidedly low-rent beginnings, shochu has been known in the country as the old-timey, grandpa spirit of the post-WWII era. This narrative seems to bode well for the drink’s popularity in the new generation, since the Tokyo hipsters have been responsible for catapulting shochu sales recently. And, while there are some enthusiasts advocating an authentic shochu experience in NYC, it’s still relatively untainted and on the fringes. And once the NYC hipsters catch on with real fervor, (and they have started catching on, see below) it’s only a matter of time before the bearded bartenders of Williamsburg speakeasies will make it horrible to order by name.
I’m glad the Shoperones got the jump on shochu ahead of the top-knots. Because, for the 40-something set who believes in staying fit while also having fun, it is just the right alcoholic accessory we need for spring into summer. (Hint: you can even mix it with warm water or tea in cooler months. Can this drink get any better?)
Yes, we can totally own shochu, and here’s why we should.
Low-carb - Actually ZERO! Sugar is removed during the distilling process.
Low-cal – Approximately 35 calories per 2 oz., compared to 70 calories for vodka, or a staggering 200 calories for gin and tonic.
Subtle Flavor – The taste of shochu can vary from silky and delicate (like a cherry blossom or a Geisha) to chest-poundingly vibrant (like the top of Mt Fuji, or an angry Kabuki actor), while still feeling smooth and perfectly balanced from the first sip to the last. It can be made from sweet potato, barley or rice, or even brown sugar, yet still retain its low-cal and carb benefits. Try all of them and choose for yourself.
Fewer Hangover Symptoms – Sounds too good to be true, but the website of shochu distiller Satsuma Shuzo suggests the absence of sulfites and presence of something called “acetaldehyde” may hold the key to such claims.
Other Amazing Health Benefits – This includes anti-blood clotting properties and low in purines (the nasty uric acid-causing stuff in most alcohol). The Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association suggests moderate consumption could help prevent heart attack, stroke or gout.
How to drink Shochu. Hint: There’s no wrong way.
Hard core. Neat, up or on the rocks. You’re not playing.
Fancied. Mix one-part shochu with two-parts jasmine tea over ice. It’s outrageously fragrant and light. Just heaven.
Tokyo'd. Mix with Japan’s other low-carb, low-cal sleeping giant, Hoppy. I tried it and I loved Hoppy. It’s an effervescent, almost fruity beer, but because of its tragically low-alcohol content, the Shoperones can only endorse it as a mixer.
Substituti-fruti. Anything from Bloody Mary’s to Mojitos. Replace with shochu anywhere you’d use vodka or light rum.
Experimental. Chances are, this isn’t your first drink-mixing rodeo. Think soda water with flavored teas (like the ones the Shoperones hoarded before Teavana closed), mellow fruit juices, or in a pinch, one of your kids’ squeeze packs of Capri Sun or Honest Tea. You do you. The Shoperones will never judge.
Shochu and Jasmine Tea. Just Heaven. Perfect with meat, and life.
We did our Shochu homework. Check it and enjoy, straight up.
The Washington Post writer Jason Wilson covers his experience of shochu.
The Shochu-Diet. Steven Lyman of Kampai.us tracks his weight loss by replacing his typical alcohol with only shochu and lost 15lbs.
Boutique Japan Travel Company talks shochu with Yukari Sakamoto, writer, chef, culinary tour guide and official, ‘shochu advisor,’ which is very much a thing, with all the rigor and examination one might expect to become an expert in Japan.
Forbes writer Larry Olmsted tells you where and how to get started buying shochu at home.
Travel writer, author and entrepreneur Matt Alt highlights Hoppy and other Tokyo drinks for CNN.
Writer Kristie Wang has the line on the NYC hipster joints new to the shochu scene.
