Sake, shochu, and awamori are Japan’s three traditional alcoholic beverages. In Japanese, they are collectively called kokushu, which literally translates to “national alcoholic beverages”. They have common roots but are quite distinct from one another. Each offers unique flavors and intriguing possibilities for enjoyment, especially when it comes to pairing. All three are also attracting increased attention around the world. If you’re an aficionado of fine alcoholic beverages, you’ll know why when you take a sip.
As indigenous beverages with history dating back hundreds of years, Japan has given them special recognition. Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association (JSS) has created special seals for each of the three beverages so that you can identify them as authentic, high-quality, and made in Japan. Sake, furthermore, also goes by the common term nihonshu, which can only be used to specify sake made in Japan.
Let’s take a look at these three beverages from the perspective of geography first. Awamori is only made on the Okinawan islands and there, at present, about fifty producers. Shochu is made all over Japan, but primarily in the south, namely the major island of Kyushu. Sake is also produced nationwide in Japan, though more shochu is made in Kyushu than sake.
Of these three beverages, shochu and awamori are both distilled. Sake, on the other hand, is brewed, and not so dissimilarly from beer (though a unique process of sake’s brewing is multiple parallel fermentation). It’s inaccurate to refer to sake as rice wine, or, for that matter, shochu and awamori as ‘Japanese vodka’. All three beverages rely on different varieties of kōji-kin, a special mold that works on the ingredients, thus helping yeast convert sugars to alcohol.
So what are the ingredients? Sake’s main ingredient is of course rice. Shochu, on the other hand, can be produced from a variety of ingredients: typically sweet potatoes, barley, or rice, but sometimes black sugar or buckwheat. Awamori is interesting in that it uses Thai rice. Because of these differences, these beverages exhibit distinct flavors and aromas that make them easy to identify from one another, and the range of character may surprise many who are unfamiliar with them.
This great range is what makes these beverages so wonderful to pair with food. Most non-Japanese would assume these should pair with Japanese food, and that’s a safe assumption. However, increasing numbers of chefs–including in Japan–are pairing sake, shochu, and awamori with international cuisines. We highly recommend you explore the possibilities, too. It will be fun and when you find the right match, it will enhance your overall dining experience.
(This post was sponsored by JSS. Please watch their accompanying video below)
