With all the attention our new Izakaya menu and Shochu Lounge have been receiving lately, a lot of guests have been wondering, well, what on earth shochu is.
You may have heard of it before by another name–soju, as it is known in Korea–or perhaps you have yet to be introduced to this delightful beverage. Popular in Japan, shochu is just starting to make its mark on bars across America. While similar to sake, shochu is distilled rather than brewed, and can be made from a variety of base ingredients, the most common of which is barley–others include rice, sweet potatoes, brown sugar, and chestnuts. Shochu can legally contain up to 45% alcohol, although 25% is standard.
Although shochu has been produced in Japan since at least the 16th century, its notoriety among more stylish sippers is a relatively recent phenomenon. Previously regarded as an old man’s drink, the beverage surged in popularity in 2003 due to some very clever marketing, and has been on fire ever since (literally–the word ”shochu” is written using the Chinese characters for “fiery liquor”!). Health-conscious consumers revere it for its low calorie content (about 15-20 calories per ounce) and reputation for preventing thrombosis, heart attacks and diabetes, while everyone else just appreciates it for, well, its delicious flavor.
Speaking of flavor, you’re probably pretty curious to taste it by this point. Roka Akor’s Shochu Lounge offers shochu in two different traditional forms–mixed in cocktails, or chilled infusions to be sipped and savored. Infusions are made by macerating fruits and herbs in the shochu and come in over forty different flavors, including pineapple, Fuji apple, and honey. Try one before your next meal at Roka or stop by the Shochu Lounge to enjoy a drink with some selections from our new critically acclaimed Izakaya menu!
