honkaku shochu

Live Show! Koji Spirits Chat at Charleston Wine & Food Festival (ep. 87)

May 18, 2025 · Leave a Comment

INTRO

In episode 87, Stephen chats koji spirits in Charleston, South Carolina as a guest of Imbibe Magazine‘s editor in Chief, Paul Clarke (listen to episode 69 for more of his thoughts on Japanese spirits) and James Beard Award winning author, bartender, and bar owner, Julia Momose. The trio hosted a live panel discussion of koji spirits to a group of guests, most of whom had never tried shochu, awamori, or koji whiskey before.

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 Lyman and Christopher Pellegrini love speaking to live audience about these beautiful spirits.

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

SHOW NOTES

Charleston Wine & Food Festival

The Charleston Wine & Food Festival is the largest independent wine festival in the United States, with dozens of events featuring hundreds of chefs, restaurants, bartenders, and alcohol brands in Charleston, South Carolina, one of the most interesting cities in America to eat and drink. This year’s festival was March 5-8. Definitely worth checking in 2026 if you have the chance.

koji spirits — Lineup at 2025 Charleston Wine and Food

Imbibe Magazine does daily beverage alcohol seminars throughout the festival and this year Paul Clarke visited Stephen and Julia to come to Charleston to talk koji spirits in a community with very few Japanese restaurants. For most of the guests, they had never tried shochu before, let alone awamori or koji whiskey.

The discussion was lively and educational and the guests asked great questions. Have a listen to learn more.

What did People Try?

The full menu at the koji spirits panel.

Akae Sweet Potato Shochu (25% ABV) Ochiai Distillery in Miyazaki. Rich, lightly filtered classic sweet potato expression.

Mugi Hokka Roasted Barley Shochu (25% ABV) Tensei Distillery in Kagoshima. Notes of coffee, dark chocolate, and toast. Rich and unctuous.

Shigemasu Sake Lees Shochu (30.5% ABV) Takahashi Shoten in Fukuoka. A vacuum distilled beauty with ginjo aroma character for days.

Yokka Koji Awamori (43% ABV) Chuko Distillery in Okinawa. An absolute shape shifter – can be used as a vodka, rum, tequila, or whisky replacement in cocktail applications.

Takamine 8 Year Koji Whiskey (40.3% ABV) Shinozaki Distillery in Fukuoka. The classic 100% barley koji whiskey that was featured in the NY Times in January.

Much more to Learn

This discussion just scratched the surface. Dig into Stephen and Christopher’s books to learn more or listen to back episodes of Japan Distilled.

Kanpai!

Talking Koji Cocktails with Grant Lavrenz (ep. 82)

September 26, 2024 · Leave a Comment

INTRO

In episode 82 our host Stephen Lyman sits down at Khaluna Restaurant in Minneapolis with Grant Lavrenz who is doing amazing things with koji spirits in his cocktail program.

CREDITS

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

Mixing and Editing: Rich Pav (https://uncannyjapan.com/)

HOSTS

Stephen and Christopher have deep respect for bartenders who find new ways to surprise their guests with world class cocktails.

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

SHOW NOTES

Special Guest Grant Lavrenz

After growing up in Iowa, Grant Lavrenz found himself in Minneapolis. His passion for bartending started with home cocktail making and and lead to him being one of the top bartenders in the Twin Cities region. His creativity and mentorship have made him one of the leaders in the koji cocktail movement nationwide whether he knows it or not.

Khaluna

Khaluna is a beautiful Laotian restaurant in central Minneapolis helmed by James Beard-nominated chef Ann Ahmed. These facts alone give Grant a leg up in his freedom to be creative. Very few guests have ever had Laotian food so they are already primed for a new experience. Between the open space, beautiful interior design, and top notch waitstaff, Khaluna has become a prime dining spot in the Twin Cities.

Khaluna’s vibrant food menu provides a perfect backdrop for Grant’s beverage program.

Grant’s bar menu consists of both a list of classic or original cocktails and a highball menu. While he’s creative with both, substituting sweet potato shochu for gin or kokuto sugar shochu for rum, the highball menu is where the gloves really come off. In an effort to reduce kitchen waste, he has created syrups and cordials from unexpected waste products such as jicama. He integrates these into shochu highballs to bring refreshing, low alcohol options to a clientele that has often driven to the restaurant.

Koji Cocktails

While you’ll need to listen to the episode to discover Grant’s philosophy about integrating koji spirits into cocktails, he demonstrated that he’s all in on this nascent category when he devoted an entire weekend bar takeover to cocktails he created with the Honkaku Spirits portfolio.

Speaking of Honkaku Spirits, they are offering, for a limited time, to Japan Distilled listeners a 10% discount and free shipping on a two bottle order from anything available on their online shop.

Stephen can attest, the Jokichi Old Fashioned was the best old fashioned he’s ever had.

Much More to Explore

You can find Grant on Instagram @GrantLavrenz on Instagram. And of course, please stop in and say hello to him at Khaluna Restaurant. He’s not sure yet what the future holds, but right now Khaluna is his home and he loves the people and the community they’ve created. Highly recommend you stop in for a visit when and if you find yourself in the Twin Cities.

Kanpai!

Rice Shochu: Japan’s First Native Spirit (Ep. 12)

May 10, 2021 · 6 Comments

EPISODE INTRO

In the 12th episode of the Japan Distilled podcast, your hosts Christopher Pellegrini and Stephen Lyman take a deeper dive into rice shochu. This begins 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

Stephen and Christopher would both be happy to live in Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto, home to rice shochu, if only it weren’t so far from anywhere you could live without a car.

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

Origins

It is safe to assume that the earliest shochu produced in Japan was made of rice since sake had been made in Japan for hundreds of years prior to the introduction of the pot still. However, since shochu production started with moonshine made by farmers and fishermen, it’s possible another grain was predominant in the early days. The most likely candidate would be millet, which today is animal feed, but was a staple in the peasant diet of Edo Era Japan.

Japanese Rice

Japanese rice cultivation started in Northern Kyushu around 1,000 BCE. Over the intervening 3,000 years, Japanese rice evolved into the modern short-grain rice favored in Japanese cuisine and beverage traditions. This rice tends to be lower in proteins and fats than long-grain varieties cultivated in other parts of Asia, which lends itself to the clean, sweet profile preferred in modern sake.

rice field — Japanese rice near harvest time in a field in Saga Prefecture.

Well over 100 rice varieties are used for sake and shochu production in Japan. These range from standard Japanese table rice to Yamada Nishiki, considered the king of premium sake rice. Yamada Nishiki is a tall rice variety, making it prone to damage during the frequent summer typhoons.

Most shochu uses Japanese food quality rice polished to approximately 85-90% of the original grain size. Just enough to remove the hull, bran, and any unwanted impurities in the surface layer of the grain. That said, some rice shochu does use higher quality rice for premium brands and sometimes at higher polishing rates.

Rice Shochu

Rice shochu differs from other styles of shochu in that it is made with 100% rice. No other ingredients other than water, yeast, and koji mold are included. A single exception might be lactic acid when yellow koji is used to protect the fermentation from other invasive organisms.

Kuma Shochu

Rice shochu produced in the Kuma River Basin in Kumamoto using local spring water and Japanese rice is eligible for the Kuma Shochu WTO designation.

The water comes from the Kuma River, which has been selected as one of the most pristine rivers in Japan many times. The basin is situated in mountain plains just south of the Kyushu Mountain Range.

Kyushu Map — Map of Kyushu. The Kuma River basin is just sousth of the “Kyushu Mts” text on this map. Note the Kuma River running through the area.

Brands Recommended in Order of Appearance

KUMA SHOCHU

HAKUTAKE SHIRO

The Shiro Line from Takahashi Distillery. White label (center) is the best selling rice shochu in Japan.

Hakutake Shiro (center) is Japan’s best-selling rice shochu. Vacuum distilled, easy-drinking, fruity, and light. Kinjo (left) and Ginrei (right) are barrel-aged sake yeast expressions, respectively.

SENGETSU

These 3 expressions from Sengetsu Distillery are available in many export markets. Sengetsu (left) is the main brand. Kawabe (center) is made with a more sake-like process. Mugon (right) is barrel-aged and bottled at 40% alcohol.

TORIKAI

Torikai is the only product made by Torikai Distillery. With a 45-day ginjo style low-temperature fermentation, Torikai is essentially distilled junmai ginjo sake. Umami laden, but with wonderful ginjo yeast aromas.

TOYONAGA KURA

Toyonaga Distillery makes a line of wonderful handmade shochu, the most popular of which is the white-labeled vacuum distilled expression. The black-labeled version of the same name is atmospheric distilled. They also make Jigaden, which we introduce below.

NON-KUMA RICE SHOCHU

AMAKUSA

From Kumamoto, but not from the Kuma River Basin, Amakusa is made on Amakusa Island and this rice shochu saved the former sweet potato shochu distillery from going bankrupt when Hakutake Shiro took over the local market.

HAKKAISAN RICE SHOCHU

Hakkaisan Brewery in frigid Niigata Prefecture makes premium sake, but also sells this popular rice shochu brand in Japan.

YAMASEMI

Yamasemi is from the famed Kuroki Honten/Osuzuyama family of distilleries in Miyazaki. A very light example of an atmospheric distilled rice shochu.

MOTOKO

Motoko is a long-aged rice shochu from Furusawa Distillery in Nichinan, Miyazaki. Bottled at 35% alcohol after being aged in a combination of ceramic pots and enamel tanks for more than 9 years.

MELLOWED KOZURU

Mellowed Kozuru lays claim to being the first barrel-aged shochu and has been in continuous production since 1957. Komasa learned a thing or two about barrel aging through Mellowed Kozuru and is about to release their first Single Malt Whisky from the Kanosuke Distillery, which shares land (but not equipment or ingredients) with the shochu distillery that makes this brand.

Our Favorites

Christopher’s shout out on the show was Musha Gaeshi. What he was drinking during recording was Akatsuki (another favorite of his).

MUSHA GAESHI

Musha Gaeshi is made at the smallest distillery in Hitoyoshi. Atmospheric distilled and completely handmade. Absolutely lush. If you can find the black label (aged 10 years in ceramic), drink it.

AKATSUKI

Made in the mountains of northern Miyazaki, Akatsuki is the only brand from this tiny distillery.

JIGADEN

Stephen’s favorite is Jigaden, a handmade rice shochu produced by Toyonaga Distillery from organic rice grown in their own rice paddy behind the distillery. Unfiltered, so it’s got flavor for days.

SHIRAITSUKI

During the recording, Stephen was sipping on Shiraitsuki, a 30-year-old rice shochu from Sengetsu, makers of Kawabe and Mugon mentioned above. Deep mineral, caramel, and grain flavors. Available at the distillery, but not many other places.

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

Kanpai!

Authentic Honkaku & Otherwise (Ep. 9)

March 30, 2021 · Leave a Comment

EPISODE INTRO

In the 9th episode of the Japan Distilled podcast, your hosts Christopher Pellegrini & Stephen Lyman begin a three episode process of clearing up multiple misconceptions about Japanese shochu. In this episode we explain the differences between honkaku, otsurui, korui, konwa, single distilled, multiply distilled, and white liquor categories of shochu in Japan. Over the past 120 years all of these terms have been used to describe different production styles at various points in time. It is all quite convoluted and based on arcane Japanese tax regulations, but hopefully you will have a clear understanding by the end of this episode.

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.

When talking about shochu, 99.9% of the time we are referring to Honkaku Shochu rather than the other spirits types. If you listen long enough and taste along you will definitely understand why.

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

An industrial column still for continuous distillation (left) and a typical stainless steel pot still used for shochu production (right). Honkaku shochu must be made in a pot still.

Timeline of Shochu Regulatory Categories

1500~1885 shochu unregulated, always made in a pot still.

1885~1910 shochu referred to any distilled spirit even after introduction of the column still.

1910~1949 shochu categorized as old machine (pot still) or new machine (column still).

1949~1971 shochu recategorized. New machine renamed korui (superior) and old machine renamed otsurui (2nd class) – multiply distilled shochu considered superior to pot distilled shochu.

1971~2002 Two new subcategories added to otsurui. “Honkaku” to refer to authentic pot distilled shochu made in a traditional way and “white liquor” to refer to pot distilled shochu that was not made in a traditional way. Korui definition unchanged.

2002~2006 White liquor definition changed back to otsurui (2nd class) to refer to single pot distilled shochu not made in a traditional way. New definition of white liquor is as an alternative way to label korui shochu, forever confusing those who study this stuff.

2006~2021 Honkaku and otsurui styles officially renamed “singly distilled” and korui renamed as “multiply distilled to remove the implied superiority of korui v. otsurui. These designations are not used on labels.

Today Honkaku Shochu will always have 本格焼酎 on the label as this is considered the premium product and the only style to be considered kokushu (national liquor of Japan) along side sake.

The shochu aisle at a liquor store in Fukuoka. Nearly everything (>90%) other than the large plastic jugs on the foreground on the left is Honkaku Shochu.

Further Distinctions

Today, these terms are used to differentiate different types of shochu under Japanese regulation.

Honkaku Shochu traditionally made authentic shochu. Must be made with koji and approved main fermentation ingredients and then distilled in a pot still. Nothing can be added after distillation other than water and time. Must be under 45% alcohol by volume (ABV).

Otsurui Shochu pot distilled shochu either not made from an approved ingredient or with <2% added sugar. Must be under 45% ABV.

Korui Shochu multiply distilled alcohol produced in Japan. Cannot be over 35% ABV. Cannot be barrel aged for over 1 year and if barrel aged, cannot be sold at over 25% ABV.

An assortment of korui, konwa, and honkaku shochu in 2 to 5 liter plastic jugs. The price is the easiest indication of the quality. The Honkaku Shochu どでか芋 on the bottom right is ¥3880 for 4L while the 5L jug next to it is ¥1650.

Konwa Shochu blend of Honkaku or otsurui and korui shochu.

Otsu-ko Konwa Shochu subcategory of konwa shochu in which more than 50% of the blend is pot distilled shochu.

korui and konwa shochu — Both Imo Kanoka (芋かのか left) and Kanoka (center かのか) are ko-otsu shochu with 8% sweet potato and 15-25% barley otsurui shochu added to 92% and 75-85% korui respectively. Takara (right, gold/blue label 寶 is the modern kanji, but Takara Distillery uses that stylized old kanji that does not exist in modern typesetting) is a korui shochu priced at ¥1680 (price tag not visible).

Ko-otsu Konwa Shochu subcategory of konwa shochu in which more than 50% of the blend is mulitiply distilled shochu. Most konwa shochu is made this way.

White Liquor while no longer an official designation, this is another name for korui shochu. It is often sold under this name when being used for home umeshu production.