Trust Me, You Want This Mold in Your Drink
Japanese Shochu, made with koji, is one of the best spirits for low-alcohol cocktails.
I tried to resist all the puns with mold in the headline, including “Shochu, breaking the mold of high-alcohol spirits” and “Shochu, built from a different mold….”
So, forgive me when I use one last pun: When they made shochu, they broke the mold.
Shochu gets a lot of different comparisons, some near (such as Soju, a Korean spirit) and some far (such as vodka, a spirit made mostly in the U.S., Europe, and Eastern Europe). But you can’t make shochu just anywhere. The quality standards and methods of production are unique. Honkaku Shochu—authentic Shochu—is only made in Japan.
(There is one American producer I wrote about in 2019, who works closely with Japanese standards.)
And, yes, it uses mold, or koji. A mold that saccharifies, or breaks down grains, and kickstarts the process of fermentation. That does a lot of heavy lifting for the spirit, but it’s also part of what makes shochu such a great spirit for low-alcohol cocktails.
Moldy Spirits
If mold worries you, let me say that we eat mold and mold-aided products all the time. On purpose. At least I do.
Blue cheese, anyone?
How about dried sausages?
Soy sauce uses it in the process. So does vinegar.
Japanese drinks expert, Stephen Lyman, author of The Complete Guide to Japanese Drinks and co-host of the Japan Distilled Podcast, says, “For a long time I was hesitant to talk about a ‘mold’ when it comes to making drinks, but yeast is a mold and we all love bread and beer so it shouldn't bother anyone.”
But this mold is not just an affect, Lyman adds, “Koji not only converts starches to sugars, but also creates amino and fatty acids that give the final spirits umami and mouthfeel.”
This helps to make shochu such an effective cocktail base for low-alcohol cocktails, coming in generally around 25% alcohol by volume (ABV). Though it can be as high as 45% ABV. When we reduce the ABV, it can also reduce the texture and weight. But shochu retains much of that texture. Part of that is the mold but part of that is also the distillation process.
Lyman explains the difference between shochu and vodka but also what adds flavor and richness to sochu, “…[B]y law [Shochu] can only be single distilled once in a pot still and cannot be stored at over 44.99% alcohol. Vodka on the other hand is supposed to be nearly pure ethanol before being proofed down to a survivable ABV. Shochu tastes like what it's made from while vodka tastes of ethanol and little else.”
Shochu is made from over 50 government approved ingredients. Julia Momose, partner and creative director for Kumiko/Kikkō, wrote in a sidebar for my book, Mindful Mixology: A Comprehensive Guide to No- and Low Alcohol Cocktails, “Rice, sweet potato, barley, and buckwheat are some common types of shochu, but keep your eye out for date, chestnut, or even milk shochu.” She is also the author of The Way of the Cocktail: Japanese Traditions, Techniques, and Recipes with Emma Janzen.
Lyman’s says, “It's so hard to pick a favorite, but I find myself seeking out sweet potato shochu most often.” He explains that there are actually 50 varieties of sweet potato for shochu production in Japan, which explains why sweet potato shochu has a diverse array of flavors but also why it accounts for nearly half of domestic sales in Japan.
Shochu in Cocktails
These various styles and ingredients can make some creative low-alcohol cocktails and riffs on classics. Lyman’s favorite is the Colorful Alaska created by Brian Evans, partner and director of bars for Sunday Hospitality, which Lyman says is “…a riff on the classic gin-based Alaska cocktail made with Colorful sweet potato shochu. 3 to 3.5 parts shochu, 1 part yellow chartreuse, orange bitters, and a lemon twist.”
With that said, Momose cautions its not generally a substitute for other spirits in classic cocktails, “… the lower proof is not intended to be pasted into classic cocktail templates in place of another spirit.” Instead she encourages would-be shochu mixologists to do the research and experiment, “Get a couple of bottles and explore the nuances of the various styles. Sip it on its own, with water, or and at various temperatures.”
One of my favorite shochu cocktails, and a very commonly served drink in Japan—found in everything from vending machines to restaurants—is the chu-hi. The word chu-hi is a portmanteau of the words shochu and highball and is usually served with shochu, fruit juice, and soda water.
This, of course, is just one of the many shochu cocktails that exist or that could be made. And bartenders are busy at it. According to Lyman, “Today when you mention shochu to a bartender, their eyes light up with curiosity. We are still a ways away from general consumer awareness of this category, but I have a strong sense that it’s coming very soon.”
Grapefruit Chu-Hi 9% ABV
One Serving/ Highballl Glass
1 ½ oz. Shochu
½ oz. Pink Grapefruit Oleo*
4 oz. Soda Water
Dash Acid Phosphate (Optional)
Combine ingredients in a highball and stir. Add ice and top with soda. Garnish with pink grapefruit peel.
*Pink Grapefruit Oleo:
1 Pink Grapefruit
1 cup sugar
Wash and peel grapefruit, avoiding as much pith as possible. Place grapefruit peels and sugar in a mason jar or Tupperware container and pulverize. Seal and leave overnight. Stir and add a small amount of grapefruit juice to dissolve the remaining crystals.
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Derek Brown is an author, NASM-certified wellness coach, and founder of Positive Damage, Inc.