What is Shochu and Awamori?

What is Shochu?

1) The main ingredients

Shochu can be made from sweet potato, barley, rice, buckwheat, and sugar cane. Because each of these base ingredients brings its own unique flavor to the final product, Shochu comes in a wide variety of flavors and overtones. 

2) Manufacturing Process

Shochu is distilled liquor, similar to brandy and vodka. Typically shochu contains 20%-45% alcohol by volume, which is weaker than whisky or standard-strength vodka but stronger than wine and sake. 

3) Serving Style

Shochu is enjoyed in more variety of ways than Sake. Because of Shochu's higher alcohol content, it can be served straight, on the rocks, mixed with soda or water of different temperatures and also used as a great cocktail base.

What is Awamori?

1) The main ingredients

Awamori is an alcoholic beverage indigenous and unique to Okinawa, Japan. It is made from long grain indica rice. 

2) Manufacturing Process

Awamori is not a direct product of brewing (like sake) but of distillation (like shōchū). Awamori produced in Japan can easily be between 25-43% of alcohol. However, the percentage can vary from one brand to the next. 

3) Serving Style

The most popular way to drink Awamori is with water and ice. When served in a restaurant in Okinawa, it will nearly always be accompanied by a container of ice and carafe of water. Awamori can also be drunk straight, on the rocks, and in cocktails. .