Podcast

EPISODE INTRO

In the 14th episode of the Japan Distilled podcast, your hosts Christopher Pellegrini and Stephen Lyman take a deep dive into sweet potato shochu. This continues a multi-part series breaking down the various subcategories of honkaku shochu, which are classified by ingredient type in the main fermentation.

CREDITS

Theme Song: Begin Anywhere by Tomoko Miyata (http://tomokomiyata.net/)

Mixing and Editing: Rich Pav (https://www.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 are both enormous sweet potato shochu fans and probably drink more of it than all other styles combined.

If you have any comments or questions about this episode of Japan Distilled, please reach out to Stephen or Christopher via Twitter. We would love to hear from you. 

LINKS

Maya Aley’s excellent summary of sweet potatoes in Japan.

SHOW NOTES

Sweet Potato Shochu Origins

Sweet potatoes are not native to Japan. They aren’t even native to Asia. In fact, they were brought to Asia by Portuguese traders who sold them to the Chinese, who sold them to the Ryukyu Kingdom (Okinawa), who sold them to Riemon Maeda, a Japanese fisherman, who brought the spuds back to his home in the Satsuma Domain in 1703.

It is no surprise that the name of the fisherman who brought sweet potatoes to Japan is remembered more than 300 years later when virtually all other Japanese commoners of the time are completely lost to history. In 1732, a massive grain crop failure resulted in mass starvation throughout Kyushu. But not in Satsuma. There, the lives of thousands of citizens were saved thanks to the abundant sweet potatoes that grew very well in the rocky, volcanic ash-laden soil. Riemon Maeda was given credit.

Japanese Sweet Potatoes

In most American supermarkets, you might find 1 or 2 varieties of sweet potatoes for sale. At Whole Foods, there might even be 3 or 4. In Japan, there are over 500 varieties of sweet potato cultivated, and more than 50 of those are used for shochu production in southern Kyushu. Rice doesn’t grow very well south of the Hitoyoshi Basin, which we described in the rice shochu episode. Therefore, plenty of farmland in Southern Kyushu (or Minami Kyushu as the region is known in Japanese) is devoted to sweet potatoes.

Harvest occurs in the late summer to early winter, depending on the variety. Distilleries usually begin production in August or early September (smaller distilleries have a hard time sourcing early harvest potatoes, so they tend to start later) and are usually winding down in December or January unless they are aging the potatoes before distillation, in which case production can continue through early spring. A few of the largest distilleries have developed methods for freezing steamed sweet potatoes, which allows them to distill all year long.

The most common sweet potato used in shochu production is kogane sengan. These large, white-fleshed potatoes have been cultivated specifically for shochu. They are not usually consumed but are favored for shochu production due to their high crop yield per acre, high starch content (more alcohol potential), and the aromas and flavors they impart to the spirit.

Purple, red, and orange sweet potatoes, which are much closer to the sweet potatoes Americans can expect to find in their grocery stores, are used to make more premium sweet potato shochu since these are considered food items so prices are higher due to market competition. These are often referred to as satsuma imo (imo being the Japanese word for potato) throughout Japan. For many Japanese, the smell of a roasted satsuma imo evokes childhood memories of the pushcart salesman walking through their neighborhood sing-songing “yakiimo” over and over again (yaki being the Japanese word for grilled as is used in yakitori [grilled chicken] or yakiniku [grilled meat]).

Murasaki imo, or purple potatoes are often called Okinawa Imo as they are most often associated with Okinawan cuisine, but they are used in shochu production as well.

Sweet Potato Shochu

As with barley shochu, sweet potato shochu can begin with a rice koji or barley koji fermentation, but they are also occasionally made with sweet potato koji. By production volume, a vast majority of sweet potato shochu begins life as a rice koji fermentation. We would hazard to guess that this represents more than 99% of the market, though both Japanese short-grain rice or Southeast Asian style long-grain is used depending on the flavor goals of the distillery (and their price sensitivity since short-grain rice can sell for many times more than long-grain rice in Japan).

Sweet potatoes are added to the main fermentation. These potatoes are washed and trimmed before being either steamed or roasted before being added to the main fermentation. The skins are rarely removed as that is where much of the flavor lives. Steamed sweet potato-produced shochu represent a vast majority of the market.

With approximately 80 shochu distilleries in Kagoshima Prefecture (plus 28 in the Amami Islands making kokuto sugar shochu, but we will save that for the next episode) and another 40 or so distilleries in Miyazaki Prefecture, a huge majority of sweet potato shochu is made in Southern Kyushu.

Shochu made in Kagoshima from locally grown sweet potatoes qualifies for the WTO Geographic Indication of Satsuma Shochu, just as Kumamoto made rice shochu qualifies as Kuma Shochu and Iki Island made barley shochu can qualify as Iki Shochu.

Mentioned Sweet Potato Shochu Brands

IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE ON THE SHOW

KURO KIRISHIMA, AKA KIRISHIMA

The black labeled Kuro Kirishima is by far the best-selling shochu in Japan. It’s made in Miyazaki Prefecture with black koji but is resolutely inoffensive. The red labeled Aka Kirishima is considered more premium and is often given as a gift. Made with red sweet potatoes.

SATSUMA SHIRANAMI

The OG in the minds of many Japanese people, Satsuma Shiranami was the first shochu brand to go national in the country. It has since been eclipsed by Kirishima. As you might have guessed by the name, this qualifies as Satsuma Shochu. The iconic wave label is instantly recognizable on bars throughout Japan.

YASUDA, FLAMINGO ORANGE

These new fruity styles have been gaining in popularity. Komasa has also been making these styles using different kinds of yeast.

IKKOMON, BENIIKKO

The Ikkomon series is made with sweet potato koji. Tasting through these will give drinkers the sense of what the potato brings to the spirit without rice included. The blue and red labels are widely available in overseas markets. Sadly, the purple label is not.

THE HOZAN SERIES

An alternative tasting exploration is to try 3 different shochu made with 3 different koji types: black, white, and yellow. The Hozan Series helpfully color codes the labels. The yellow koji Tomi no Hozan is the best-selling yellow koji sweet potato shochu in Japan.

TENSHI NO YUWAKU

This barrel-aged full proof (40%) shochu is a beautiful spirit (in beautiful packaging) from Nishi Distillery, makers of the Hozan line. At 40% ABV this is higher than most sweet potato shochu, which usually starts life at 36-38% alcohol.

MAHOKO

Not aged in oak, but 16 years old at bottling, Mahoko is a handmade sweet potato shochu from Furusawa Distillery in Miyazaki. At 35% ABV it is only slightly diluted as the angel’s share has reduced the stored genshu to under 36% ABV. Newly available only in the U.S.

TOJI JUNPEI

Another handmade shochu from Miyazaki is Toji Junpei, made by a toji (master brewer-distiller) fittingly named Junpei. Available in the US market despite this being a tiny distillery.

YAMATO ZAKURA

Yamato Zakura is the smallest shochu distillery in Kagoshima and makes only white koji expressions. The main brand is the brand that Stephen helps make every fall.

ROKU DAIME YURI

The shochu Stephen was sipping on during the episode. Very hard to find anywhere in Japan. Made on Koshiki Island, home to only 2 distilleries. Won best of the best in a blind tasting in Dancyu Magazine, beating out all of the more famous brands.

MANZEN, MANZENAN, MANAZURU

Christopher was sipping on Manazuru during the show. These shochu are all made by Manzen Distillery. The main brand, Manzen, uses black koji while Manzenan uses yellow and Manazuru uses white. Manazuru is made just one time per year, so it is extremely hard to find leading Christopher to hunt it on auction all the time.

Rumor has it Christopher’s booze closet floor looks a little bit like this.

If we missed anything, please let us know, but this should keep you busy for a while.

Kanpai!

EPISODE INTRO

In the 13th episode of the Japan Distilled podcast, your hosts Christopher Pellegrini and Stephen Lyman take a deeper dive into barley shochu. This continues a multi-part series breaking down the various subcategories of honkaku shochu, which are classified by ingredient type in the main fermentation.

CREDITS

Theme Song: Begin Anywhere by Tomoko Miyata (http://tomokomiyata.net/)

Mixing and Editing: Rich Pav (https://www.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 were both introduced to the world of authentic Japanese honkaku shochu through barley shochu. Stephen remembers his first brand (iichiko), Christopher, alas, does not.

If you have any comments or questions about this episode of Japan Distilled, please reach out to Stephen or Christopher via Twitter. We would love to hear from you. 

SHOW NOTES

Barley Shochu Origins

While the earliest shochu was almost assuredly made of rice, barley shochu likely appeared quite soon afterward. Farmers and fishermen in Kyushu were growing rice, barley, millet, wheat, and other grains, but since rice was the taxable commodity during the Edo era, the farmers would have had an incentive to use other grains for their spirits.

Japanese Barley

Japanese barely is almost always 2-row or 6-row barley with 2-row barley being most common for shochu production. Most barley grown in Japan is used for beer, barley tea, and food production, but some of it does find its way into pot stills for shochu and whisky making. Barley is typically harvested in May and rice is planted int he same fields shortly afterward. As such, shochu made from fresh barley is produced in the summer months.

However, most barley consumed in Japan is imported. The most common import countries are Australia, Canada, and the US. Australian barley is often considered the most suitable for shochu production, though the reason remains a mystery.

Unlike whisky and beer production, the barley used in shochu is polished before use. As with rice polishing for shochu production, the barley is usually polished to between 85-90% of the original weight. This pearled barley is most similar to what is used in European barley soups.

Barley Shochu

Barley shochu can begin with either a rice koji fermentation or a barley koji fermentation. By production volume, 100% barley shochu (made with barley koji) is most common. However, it is believed that the earliest barley shochu were made with a rice koji starter fermentation.

Iki Shochu

Barley shochu produced on tiny Iki Island (just 20km – 12 miles end to end) qualifies for the WTO recognized Iki Shochu designation. However, this shochu must be made using 1/3 rice koji in the starter fermentation with 2/3 barley added to the primary fermentation. There is no requirement to use Iki-grown barley, but an Iki water source must be used. Just 7 distilleries on Iki Island produce this style.

However, most barley shochu is actually produced in northern Kyushu (Saga, Fukuokka, and Oita prefectures) with Oita Prefecture leading annual production volume due to being the home of two very large producers, Sanwa Shurui (who makes the best selling iichiko) and Nikkiado (who makes their eponymous brand).

These two distilleries in particular broke out in the 1970s and 1980s due to their innovative use of vacuum distillation (Nikkaido) and blending (Sanwa Shurui).

Recommended Barley Shochu Brands

IKI SHOCHU

CHINGU

The Chingu brand from Iki is made by hand and is available in both atmospheric (brown bottle) and vacuum (green bottle) expressions. The atmospheric Chingu drinks full bodied while the vacuum is light and expresses very well with soda.

YAMANOMORI

Available in foreign markets, Yamanomori is a full-bodied atmospheric distilled Iki shochu. Only very lightly filtered for a long finish.

IKI SUPER GOLD

Iki Super Gold from Genkai Distillery is a very popular brand nationally in Japan. Barrel aged, but still compliant with the color restrictions now in place for shochu. Vacuum distilled and just 22% ABV, it is a very light, easy-drinking barley shochu.

OITA BARLEY SHOCHU

NIKAIDO

Nikaido’s US export brand is Kitchomu, which comes in a ceramic jar rather than glass bottle. This brand is vacuum distilled (and very hard to find a picture of online – if anyone has one, please send it our way!). Nikaido made a name for themselves by innovating in the world of 100% barley shochu and vacuum distillation.

IICHIKO

The iichiko line comes in a variety of expressions from Sanwa Shurui. They took Nikaido’s vacuum distilled concept and perfected it through blending.All are 100% barley and represent a blend of different base distillates. Their most recent release, Saiten, is designed for bartenders.

FUKUOKA BARLEY SHOCHU

TSUKUSHI

Tsukushi is a 100% barley shochu from Nishiyoshida Distillery in Fukuoka. The white label expression is lighter while the black label is more full-bodied.Their sister brands Ark Jakuunbaku and Kintaro are unfiltered and made from roasted barley respectively. Pretty much everything Nishiyoshida makes is worth trying.

SAGA BARLEY SHOCHU

MIZU

Mizu shochu is an export brand from Munemasa Distillery in Saga Prefecture. Only 12 shochu distilleries operate in the prefecture and Munemasa is easily the msot prolific. Unlike most shochu, Mizu clocks in at 35% ABV so it will hold up as a cocktail base. As a result of the tireless efforts of the brand’s founder, Mizu is now one of the most popular shochu brands available in the US.

MIYAZAKI BARLEY SHOCHU

HYAKUNEN NO KODOKU

If any brand challenges Kanehachi for the title of the most famous brand of barley shochu in Japan, Hyakunen no Kodoku may be the top competitor. A 40% ABV barrel aged barley shochu, it is rich with strong vanilla and oak flavors. Beautiful packaging as well. The name translates as “100 years of solitude” as the distillery owner was a fan of the magical realist novel of the same title.

Our Favorites

Christopher and Stephen pretty strongly agree that their favorite barley shochu are both from small distilleries in Oita.

KANEHACHI

Kanehachi is likely the most famous barley shochu in Japan, at least among 25% expressions. Atmospheric distilled, rich, lush, and very hard to find.

TAIMEI

Taimei is a 100% handmade barley shochu from tiny Fujii Distillery in the mountains of Oita.

If we missed anything, please let us know, but this should keep you busy for a while.

Kanpai!

EPISODE INTRO

In the 11th episode of the Japan Distilled podcast, your hosts Christopher Pellegrini & Stephen Lyman tackle their most controversial topic yet: shochu vs. soju. One made in Japan (shochu) and one made in Korea (soju). A previous shochu vs. soju post on kanpai.us ended up garnering the most visits and more comments than usual, many defending soju. Well, we are here to set the record straight.

CREDITS

Theme Song: Begin Anywhere by Tomoko Miyata (http://tomokomiyata.net/)

Mixing and Editing: Rich Pav (https://www.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 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.

We are both certified sake and shochu professionals. Christopher lived in South Korea and is intimately familiar with this similarly named drink. Stephen usually regrets trying it one more time.

If you have any comments or questions about this episode of Japan Distilled, please reach out to Stephen or Christopher via Twitter. We would love to hear from you. 

SHOW NOTES

Back when we started promoting shochu and awamori overseas in the late-aughts to early 20-teens, when we would ask, “Have you ever tried shochu?” 9 times out of 10, the answer was, “Yes, at a Korean restaurant.”

Shochu and soju sound very similar to western ears and even more confusingly, they actually mean the same thing in their respective languages: burned liquor.

This, of course, refers to the traditional use of fire in distillation, which is absent from most brewed beverage traditions, which were developed before distilled spirits became a thing.

The concern regarding naming was further confused by Korean American lobbying efforts in the US, which was successful in getting “soju” classified as a low proof beverage, allowing it to be sold on a “soft liquor” (beer, wine, sake) rather than “hard liquor” (spirits) license in several US states, most notably California.

Japanese shochu makers, seeing an opportunity (California is a huge market on its own), started slapping soju on shochu export labels. Enter: consumer confusion.

Shochu vs. Soju Basics

Shochu Rules

Region: can be made anywhere in Japan, but rice from Kumamoto, barley from Iki Island, sweet potato from Kagsohima, and kokuto sugar from Amami Island are protected.

Ingredients: rice, barley, sweet potato, buckwheat, kokuto sugar, and approximately 45 other grains, tubers, vegetables, and aromatics allowed. Non-approved ingredients prohibited for honkaku (authentic) designation.

Fermentation: koji starter fermentation required.

Distillation: pot distillation required.

Additives: water and time. No other additives permitted for authentic designation. Small amounts of sugar allowed, but must be disclosed for otsurui (single distilled) shochu.

Soju Rules

Region: can be made anywhere in Korea, but Andong soju can only be made in Andong City. This is marketed as a traditional soju, though there are no rules around production.

Ingredients: anything goes.

Fermentation: anything goes.

Distillation: anything goes.

Additives: common. Typically natural or chemical sweeteners, acids, other flavorings.

As you can see, these are very different products in their production philosophy.

Key Similarities

1. Distilled
2. Relatively low ABV among spirits so goes well with food
3. Made in Asia
4. Sound similar

Q: In the head to head battle of shochu vs. soju, who wins?

A: Depends on what you are eating.

Kanpai!

**Errata: Stephen and Christopher’s weekly “Shochu’sday” livestream has migrated from Instagram to the Japan Distilled accounts on Facebook and YouTube. Please check those accounts for upcoming broadcasts.