How do you drink shochu?

On the rocks, cut with hot or cold water, or in a highball with soda. Japanese bars often serve it mixed with water.

Is shochu like vodka?

Not really. Good shochu is usually distilled once, so it keeps the taste of its sweet potato, barley or rice. Vodka is distilled to taste as neutral as possible.

Soju vs shochu: what's the difference?

Soju and shochu are cousins, Korean and Japanese spirits distilled from rice, barley or sweet potato; shochu usually tastes of what it's made from, while green-bottle soju is cleaner and sweeter.

Soju

Easy

Boozy

Tart

Sweet

Not bitter

Bracing

Clean, smooth and faintly sweet, built for shots.

What does Soju taste like?

Shochu

Easy

Boozy

Tart

Sweet

Not bitter

Bracing

Dry and characterful, tasting of sweet potato, barley or rice.

What does Shochu taste like?

The real difference

Both are distilled from things like rice, barley and sweet potato. Shochu, especially the single-distilled honkaku kind, keeps the taste of its base: earthy sweet potato, toasty barley. Mass-market soju is diluted to around 16 to 20% and often lightly sweetened, so it's smoother and more neutral. Shochu is usually around 25%.

Side by side

SojuShochu

FromKoreaJapan

AlcoholUsually 16 to 20%Usually about 25%

TastesClean, slightly sweetEarthy, nutty, depends on the base

ServedIce cold shots, with beer, flavoredOn the rocks, with water, in highballs

Which to order

Order soju if you want something easy and clean to share in shots.
Order shochu if you want a dry, flavorful spirit to sip over ice.

Quick questions

How do you drink shochu?: On the rocks, cut with hot or cold water, or in a highball with soda. Japanese bars often serve it mixed with water.
Is shochu like vodka?: Not really. Good shochu is usually distilled once, so it keeps the taste of its sweet potato, barley or rice. Vodka is distilled to taste as neutral as possible.