INTRO
In episode 77 our host Stephen Lyman sits down to chat with lawyer turned chef turned lobbyist John McCarthy to discuss the end of the soju label rule for NY and CA. Of course, they also talk shochu, hospitality, and plenty else.
CREDITS
Theme Song: Begin Anywhere by Tomoko Miyata (http://tomokomiyata.net/)
Mixing and Editing: Rich Pav (https://uncannyjapan.com/)
HOSTS
CHRISTOPHER PELLEGRINI Vermont born and bred, long-time Tokyo resident and author of The Shochu Handbook, Christopher learned about delicious fermentations as a beer brewer at Otter Creek (Middlebury, VT). He now spends most of his waking hours convincing strangers that shochu and awamori are unlike anything they’ve ever tried before.
STEPHEN LYMAN discovered Japan’s indigenous spirits at an izakaya in New York City. He was so enthralled that he now lives in Japan and works in a tiny craft shochu distillery every autumn. His first book, The Complete Guide to Japanese Drinks, was nominated for a 2020 James Beard Award.
Stephen and Christopher absolutely dispise the soju label rule that has guided beverage alcohol service in California and NY for far too long. So glad that it’s gone.
If you have any comments or questions about this episode, please reach out to Stephen via Twitter or Instagram @JapanDistilled. We would love to hear from you.
SHOW NOTES
Lawyer Turned Chef Turned Lobbyist
Special Guest John McCarthy
John McCarthy graduated from law school and immediately began working long hours and difficult cases. Over nearly 2 decades of law practice he realized he would rather be doing something else and that was cooking. Trained at the French Culinary Institute, Chef Johnny Mac worked for Wylie Dufrense at the legendary WD50 before setting off on his own when he opened The Crimson Sparrow in Hudson, NY.
The Crimson Sparrow was without a doubt one of the best culinary experiences available in the United States while it was open, but it sadly closed a year before the pandemic. Chef John opened the modern izakaya Oka in Manhattan, which was a great time while it lasted.
During the pandemic John became an officer with the New York Japanese Restaurant Association where he worked tirelessly to provide guidance to Japanese restaurant and bar owners on how to navigate NY’s constantly evolving COVID guidelines for restaurants.
Along side that work he was retained by the Japanese Sake and Shochu Makers to lobby both the NY and CA legislatures to change their soju label rules.
Soju Label Rule (California)
In 1998 Korean lobbyists successfully got a carve out for Korean Soju in the California liquor licensing rules so that soju could be sold with a beer and wine license if <25% ABV. Japanese lobbyists quickly gained approval for Honkaku Shochu labeled as soju to be sold under the same carve out.
As we discussed in Episode 40 about Silly Liquor Laws, this has resulted in 25 years of market confusion, because shochu packaged as soju for the US market has been sold in all 50 states (or at least those that have any shochu at all).
John worked with 2 key legislators (one for Torrance and one for Little Tokyo) to get this rule changed. Today shochu <25% ABV can be sold as shochu rather than soju under California’s label rule. The soju label rule is dead and gone at long last.
Soju Label Rule (New York)
Korean lobbyists followed their success in CA to get NY to pass a similar rule. Japanese lobbyists were not able to follow through in this state until John McCarthy joined the fight. John actually had this law overturned before California by working with a state representative with offices across from the former Crimson Sparrow location. The NY soju label law is also relegated to the dustbin of history.
Much More to Explore
John can be found on Instagram @chefjdmc3 or you can see his other talent – painting – @sparrow_suzume_art.
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