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{{Short description|Distilled alcoholic beverage from Japan}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{About|the Japanese liquor|the era of Japanese history|Shōchū (era)|other topics with similar names|燒酒 (disambiguation)}}
{{Italic title|reason=[[:Category:Japanese words and phrases]]}}
{{Infobox beverage
| name = ''Shōchū''
| image = Shochu 001.jpg
| caption = A glass of shōchū
| type = [[Distilled beverage|Spirit]]
| abv = 25–35%
| proof = 50–70
| manufacturer = 
| distributor = 
| origin = Japan
| introduced = 
| discontinued = 
| color = Clear
| flavor = 
| ingredients = Rice, barley, sweet potatoes, buckwheat, [[Aspergillus luchuensis|Aspergillus kawachii]], [[Aspergillus luchuensis]], [[Aspergillus oryzae]], etc.
| variants = 
| related = [[Baijiu]], [[soju]], [[sake]]
| website = 
| region = East Asia
}}
{{Nihongo|'''''Shōchū'''''|焼酎|lead=yes}} is a Japanese [[distilled beverage]]. It is typically [[distillation|distilled]] from  rice, [[barley]], [[sweet potato]]es, [[buckwheat]], or [[brown sugar]], though it is sometimes produced from other ingredients such as [[Castanea crenata|chestnut]], [[sesame seeds]], potatoes, or even [[carrots]].

Typically shōchū contains 25% alcohol by volume,<ref>{{cite book|last1=Pellegrini|first1=Christopher|title=The Shochu Handbook – An Introduction to Japan's Indigenous Distilled Drink|date=July 22, 2014|publisher=Telemachus Press|isbn=978-1940745282|page=17}}</ref> which is weaker than [[baijiu]], [[whiskey]], or [[vodka]], but stronger than [[huangjiu]], [[sake]], or wine. It is not uncommon for multiply distilled shōchū, which is more likely to be used in mixed drinks, to contain up to 35% alcohol by volume.

==Etymology==
The word {{nihongo||[[wikt:焼酎|焼酎]]|shōchū}} is the Japanese rendition of the Chinese ''[[shaojiu]]'' ({{lang|zh|燒酒}}), meaning "burned liquor", which refers to the heating process during distillation.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20170731142823/https://www.suntory.co.jp/customer/faq/001806.html What is the origin of the word shōchū?] Suntory</ref> The Chinese way of writing ''shaojiu'' with the character {{lang|zh|酒}} means sake in modern Japanese, which writes ''shōchū'' using the character {{lang|ja|酎}} instead. Nevertheless, both [[Chinese characters|characters]] mean "liquor".

==Culture==

===Drinking===
[[File:Japanese Joka.JPG|thumb|''[[:ja:千代香|Choka]]'': kettle to make hot ''shōchū'']]

''Shōchū'' should not be confused with [[sake]], a brewed [[rice wine]]. Its taste is usually far less fruity and depends strongly on the nature of the [[starch]] used in the [[distilling]] process. Its flavor is often described as "nutty" or "earthy".{{citation needed|date=May 2020}} 

''Shōchū'' is drunk in many ways according to season or personal taste:

* [[Neat (bartending)|neat]], i.e., on its own with nothing added
* [[Bartending terminology#On the rocks|on the rocks]], i.e., mixed with ice, known as "rokku" in Japanese<ref>Wallin, Lisa, "[https://www.japanesefoodguide.com/shochu-guide/ A Guide to Shochu and How to Drink It]", ''Japanese Food Guide''</ref>
* diluted with room temperature water (水割り ''[[mizuwari]]'') or hot water (お湯割り ''oyuwari''),<ref>Joe, Melinda, "[http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/fg20120511mj.html How I learned to stop worrying and love the shochu] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102021912/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/fg20120511mj.html |date=November 2, 2012 }}", ''[[The Japan Times]]'', 11 May 2012, p. 13</ref>
* mixed with [[oolong]] tea or fruit juice
* as ''[[chūhai]]'' (''shōchū'' [[highball]]), a mixed drink consisting of ''shōchū'', soda water, ice and some flavoring, often lemon, [[grapefruit]], apple or ''[[ume]]'' (East Asian plum)
* mixed very cold with a beer-flavored mixer known as [[Hoppy (drink)|Hoppy]]

''Shōchū'' is widely available in supermarkets, liquor stores, and convenience stores in Japan while canned chuhai drinks are sold in some of Japan's ubiquitous [[vending machine]]s. However, it is more difficult to find ''shōchū'' outside Japan except in urban areas with large enough Japanese populations. Interest in shōchū has begun to grow in North America, particularly in cosmopolitan cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Vancouver, Toronto, and New York. Dedicated shōchū bars have begun to appear in New York and more than 100 brands are now available in the U.S. market.

In [[Kyūshū]], the center of production, ''shōchū'' is far more common than ''sake''. Indeed, there "''sake''" (酒) generally refers to ''shōchū'', and is sometimes consumed mixed with hot water (Oyuwari), especially in cooler months.  First hot water is poured into the glass, then shōchū is gently added. The liquids mix naturally and stirring is unnecessary. Typically, when serving a standard 25% ABV shōchū oyuwari, the amount of shōchū exceeds the amount of hot water and is enjoyed for its aroma. Occasionally, ''shōchū'' and water are mixed, left to stand for a day, and then gently heated. This traditional pre-dilution technique is known as maewari in Japan.

===Boom===
The early 21st century witnessed a consumer boom in shōchū within Japan, and in 2003 domestic shipments surpassed those of sake for the first time.<ref name="japantimes">{{cite news|title=Shochu|first=Masami|last=Ito|newspaper=The Japan Times|url=http://search.japantimes.co.jp/print/features/life2004/fl20040530x1.htm|access-date = 2007-01-01}}</ref>
Shōchū bars appeared serving shōchū exclusively, and premium brands with a focus on particular ingredients, production methods, or aging techniques entered the market. The beverage has undergone a change of image; formerly it was seen as an old fashioned drink, but now has become trendy amongst young drinkers, particularly women.<ref name="japantimes"/>  The boom also had negative effects: It caused a serious shortage of sweet potatoes, a basic ingredient of some popular types of shōchū and, with the emergence of expensive premium brands, pricing scams appeared.<ref name="japantimes"/>

In 2005 the Japanese television drama ''[[Kiken na Aneki]]'' illustrated this change in drinking habits. Its plot centered on the Minagawa family of [[Miyazaki Prefecture]], who were brewers of a sweet potato shōchū called [[Shōchū#Sweet potato shōchū|imojōchū]]. The lead character Hiroko ([[Ito Misaki]]) spends the majority of the series trying to come up with enough money to save the distillery from loan sharks, but in the process becomes involved with corporate distilleries. The larger companies formulate an advertising campaign that results in the imojōchū becoming a popular drink.  In this fictional account, the beverage is marketed to young women when it previously had been mostly consumed by the older male generation.

There are several reasons for shōchū's recent popularity. With increasing health-consciousness, many people see it as healthier than some alternatives. There have been well-publicized claims of medical benefits, including that it can be effective in preventing [[thrombosis]], heart attacks, and diabetes. It is also a versatile drink that is suited to most styles of cuisine.<ref name="japantimes"/><ref name="fukuoka">{{cite web|title=Kyushu's Spirit - Shochu |url=http://www.fukuoka-now.com/features/article_display.php?fn_code=429082 |access-date=2007-01-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060217025854/http://www.fukuoka-now.com/features/article_display.php?fn_code=429082 |archive-date=February 17, 2006 }}</ref>

[[Shigechiyo Izumi]], a Japanese citizen who apparently lived to be 120 (though the claim is disputed), made shōchū part of his daily dietary regimen. This practice was mentioned along with his record in the ''[[Guinness Book of World Records]]''. Because of his intimate passion for shōchū, many have speculated that shōchū is healthy and can actually promote [[longevity]]. This even prompted some local [[Ryūkyū]] shōchū brewers to market a special Longevity Liquor (長寿の酒) shōchū bearing his name on the front label. Despite these claims, Izumi's personal physician strongly advised against drinking shōchū, as his [[kidneys]] were not strong enough to process shōchū in his advanced age. But Izumi went on to say: "Without shōchū there would be no pleasure in life. I would rather die than give up drinking."<ref name="MoscowNews">{{cite web|title=Secrets of the oldest man in the world|publisher=The Moscow News|url=http://english.mn.ru/english/issue.php?2002-18-26|access-date=2007-01-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070310234426/http://english.mn.ru/english/issue.php?2002-18-26|archive-date=2007-03-10|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==History==
[[Image:shochu-rakugaki.jpg|thumb|Shōchū graffiti at Kōriyama Hachiman shrine. [[Furigana]] is shown to the right. It is signed by two carpenters and dated August 11 of the 2nd year of the [[Eiroku]] period, i.e. 1559.<ref name="washimo"/><ref name="akazuka"/>]]

Shōchū production has been historically attested to since the 16th century. When the missionary [[Francis Xavier]] visited [[Kagoshima Prefecture]] in 1549, he recorded that "the Japanese drink arak is made from rice [...] but I have not seen a single drunkard. That is because once inebriated they immediately lie down and go to sleep."<ref name="denen">{{cite web|title=Xavier and the Oldest Record of Shochu |url=http://www.denen-shuzo.co.jp/chisiki/tisiki07.htm |access-date=2006-12-31 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050307194210/http://www.denen-shuzo.co.jp/chisiki/tisiki07.htm |archive-date=March 7, 2005 }}</ref>

The oldest existing direct reference to shōchū in Japan can be found at [[Kōriyama Hachiman shrine]] in [[Ōkuchi, Kagoshima]]. There, two carpenters working on the shrine in 1559 inscribed the following graffiti on a wooden plank in the roof:<ref name="akazuka">{{cite web|title=『焼酎』現存する最古の文字|url=http://www1.ocn.ne.jp/~akatuka/syutendouji/006_0100rakugaki.html|access-date=2007-01-22|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070318143454/http://www1.ocn.ne.jp/~akatuka/syutendouji/006_0100rakugaki.html|archive-date=2007-03-18}}</ref><ref name="Suntry">{{cite web|url=http://www.suntory.co.jp/customer/faq/001805.html|title=History of Shochu|publisher=[[Suntory]]|language=ja}}</ref> "The high priest was so stingy he never once gave us shōchū to drink. What a nuisance!"<ref name="washimo">{{cite web|title=Kōriyama Hachiman Shrine (郡山八幡神社)|url=http://www.washimo-web.jp/Trip/Hachiman/hachiman.htm|access-date = 2007-01-21}} Source of the photo of the graffiti at Kōriyama Hachiman Shrine.</ref><ref name="Suntry"/>

From these early times through to the [[Edo period]] shōchū was produced throughout Japan in the traditional [[#Kasutori shōchū|kasutori]] way, using single pot distillation. During the [[Meiji period]], the [[column still]] was introduced to Japan from Great Britain, making affordable mass production of high-purity multiply distilled shōchū possible during a time of chronic rice shortages. Shōchū made the traditional way was called "old-style shōchū" and that produced using the new multiple-distillation machinery "new-style shōchū."<ref name="satsuma4">{{cite web|first=Sadakiyo|last=Tsukada|title=Satsuma and Shochu|url=http://www.denen-shuzo.co.jp/essay/04satumanoshochu7.htm|access-date = 2006-12-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070630103122/http://www.denen-shuzo.co.jp/essay/04satumanoshochu7.htm |archive-date = 2007-06-30}}</ref>

In the early 20th century, Hajime Katahira (1884–1936), Minosuke Kurose (1882–1967), and Tsunekichi Kurose (1885–1925) in Kasasa Village in Kagoshima Prefecture established the Kurose Toji Guild.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-07-06 |title=The Most Powerful Toji Guild (Ep. 39) - Japan Distilled |url=https://japandistilled.com/kurose-toji-guild/ |access-date=2022-09-29 |language=en-US}}</ref> Through their experience in both Okinawan Awamori and sake production, these men revolutionized traditional shochu production through the introduction of black koji (''A. awamori'') and multi-stage fermentation. Prior to this multistage fermentation process, shochu was made in the donburi style with both koji inoculated grains and the main ingredients added to a single fermentation. Today, almost all authentic shochu is made with a multi-stage fermentation. At its peak, the Kurose Koji Guild boasted more than 500 members who would travel throughout Japan to produce shochu from local agricultural ingredients.<ref name="kurose">{{cite web|title=焼酎造りと麹の技術革新 黒瀬杜氏のはじまりと歩み|publisher=Minami satsuma jiba shōchū suishin kyōgikai|url=https://373nanakura-shochu.com/about-toji/kurose-toji.html|access-date =9 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230311222216/https://373nanakura-shochu.com/about-toji/kurose-toji.html|archive-date =11 March 2023}}</ref>
 
Tamaki Inui (1873–1946), a lecturer at [[University of Tokyo]], succeeded in the first isolating and culturing ''[[aspergillus]]'' such as ''A. kawachii'', ''[[Aspergillus awamori|A. awamori]]'' and a variety of subtaxa of ''A. oryzae''. His contemporary, [[:ja:河内源一郎|Genichirō Kawachi]] (1883–1948), who is said to be the father of modern ''shōchu'' with his development of the Kawachi Drum koji machine as well as the isolation of white koji, also known as ''A. kawachii'', which is named after him. These discoveries results in great progress in producing high quality ''shochu'' in Japan, but the Kawachi Drum machine and other innovations led to the eventual demise of the Kurose Toji Guild, which today has just a handful of active members, but primarily continues to live on in a museum in Kasasa Village. ''Aspergillus'' developed by Kawachi has also been used for ''soju'' and ''makgeolli'' in Korea.<ref name = "kawauchih">{{Cite web |url=https://www.kawauchi.co.jp/about/kawachi_genichiro.html|title=初代 河内源一郎（1883～1948）|access-date=9 April 2023 |archive-date=7 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200507111950/https://www.kawauchi.co.jp/about/kawachi_genichiro.html|publisher=Kawauchi-kin honpo}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.kawauchi.co.jp/products/drink/namamakkori.html |title=元祖 源一郎さんの生マッコリ |access-date=9 April 2023 |archive-date=7 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200507095726/https://www.kawauchi.co.jp/products/drink/namamakkori.html|publisher=Kawauchi-kin honpo}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.okinawatimes.co.jp/articles/-/229860|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404172814/https://www.okinawatimes.co.jp/articles/-/229860|title=黒麹菌の役割 発酵中の雑菌繁殖防ぐ|author=Takeo Koizumi|publisher=[[Okinawa Times]]|date=5 April 2018|archive-date=4 April 2023|access-date=10 April 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=杜氏の里笠沙｜焼酎づくり伝承展示館｜施設のご案内・施設の名称紹介 |url=http://www.toujinosato.co.jp/facility/index.html |access-date=2022-09-29 |website=www.toujinosato.co.jp}}</ref>

==Definition and classification==
Japan's alcohol taxation law, as revised in April 2006, defines two categories of shōchū<ref name="tanoshimi">{{cite web|title=On the legal definition of distilled alcohol|last=Shibatani|first=Tomohiro|url=http://www.japanml.net/japanspirits/howto/define.htm|access-date=2011-12-31}} (in Japanese)</ref><ref name="japansake">{{cite web|title=The definition of honkaku shochu and Awamori|url=http://www.japansake.or.jp/honkaku/about/all/index.html|access-date=2009-11-18}} (in Japanese)</ref>
(also called ''white liquor'').

===Multiply distilled shōchū===
Alcohol distilled more than once with special machinery for that purpose, diluted for sale to an alcohol by volume level of less than 36%, that meets the following conditions:

# Fruit or grain that has been allowed to germinate is not used as a base ingredient in whole or in part (preventing [[brandy]] and [[malt whisky]] from being considered shōchū).
# It is not filtered through charcoal.
# If sugar is used as a base ingredient, in whole or in part, then the result of distillation must be at least 95% alcohol by volume (see discussion under [[#Brown sugar shōchū|brown sugar shōchū]]).
# It is not fortified at distillation time with other than expressly permitted ingredients (eliminates [[liqueur]]s).

Until the 2006 revision the law referred to this category as {{nihongo|'''kōrui shōchū'''|焼酎甲類|shōchū kōrui|"[[Celestial stem|Class A]] shōchū"}}, sometimes abbreviated to "kōshu" (甲焼). ''Kōrui'' (Class A) in the classification of shōchū simply means classification and does not mean that the quality is superior to that of ''Otsurui'' (Class B).

It is generally distilled from a fermented liquid similar to molasses. Repeated distillation forms [[ethyl alcohol]] of high purity which is typically odorless and has a taste of little distinction. Water is then added, and the precise nature of this water has subtle effects on the taste and palatability of the shōchū.

Kōrui shōchū is made from sweet potato, potato, and corn.
It is generally produced in modern large factories. Distillers make Kōrui shōchū by weakening the distilled alcohol.

The specialized distillation equipment, called a [[patent still]] lends it to mass production at low cost, so large corporations produce this kind of shōchū in high volume. In Japan, it retails in plastic bottles, cans, and [[paper cup]] form and is consumed as a cheap alcoholic drink. It forms the base of several [[cocktail]]s and [[liqueur]]s such as [[chūhai]] and [[umeshu]].

[[Image:Woodstill5.jpg|thumb|Single distillation. Wooden pot stills are most often used at smaller distilleries.]]

===Singly distilled shōchū===
Alcohol distilled using other than multiple-distillation machinery, with alcohol by volume of no more than 45%, from one of the following:

# ferment whose primary ingredient is grain or potato and their ''[[Aspergillus oryzae|kōji]]''
# ferment whose primary ingredient is grain kōji
# ferment whose primary ingredient is sake [[Lees (fermentation)|lees]], possibly with rice and/or its kōji (see [[#Kasutori sh.C5.8Dch.C5.AB|kasutori shōchū]])
# ferment whose primary ingredient is sugar (restricted types) and rice kōji (see [[#Brown sugar shōchū|brown sugar shōchū]])
# ferment whose primary ingredient is grain or potato and their kōji along with other ingredients,<ref name="ingredients">The large variety of permissible ingredients includes [[ashitaba]], [[Azuki bean|azuki beans]], [[Jiaogulan|amachazuru]], [[aloe]], [[oolong]] tea, [[ume]] seeds, [[enokitake]], [[otaneninjin]], pumpkin, milk, [[Ginkgo biloba|ginkgo]] nuts, [[kudzu]] powder, [[Sasa (plant)|kumazasa]], [[chestnut]], [[Green pea|green peas]], [[Acorn|acorns]], [[sesame]], [[kombu]], [[saffron]], [[cactus]], [[shiitake]] mushroom, [[shiso]] leaf, [[daikon]] radish, no-fat powdered milk, onion, various seaweeds, [[Horse-chestnut (tree)|horse chestnut]], tomato, [[Date palm|dates]], carrots, [[nori]], [[Capsicum|peppers]], [[water chestnut]], [[Sunflower seed|sunflower seeds]], [[safflower]], [[Actinidia|matatabi]] vine, [[matcha]], [[lily]] root, [[mugwort]], [[Nelumbo nucifera|lotus]] and [[wakame]].</ref> provided the other ingredients form no more than 50% by weight
# other substances with certain restrictions

Until the 2006 revision the law referred to this category as {{nihongo|'''otsurui shōchū'''|焼酎乙類|shōchū otsurui|"[[Celestial stem|Class B]] shōchū"}}, sometimes abbreviated to "otsushu" (乙焼). ''Otsurui'' (Class B) in the classification of shōchū simply means classification and does not mean that the quality is inferior to that of ''Kōrui'' (Class A).

The equipment used for single distillation is called a [[pot still]]. As the shōchū is distilled just once it retains the character of the base ingredient, typically rice, barley, or sweet potato, with a strong taste and aroma. Small-to-medium size enterprises make most brands, with the island of Kyūshū famous as the center of production. Recently however larger corporations have been entering the market.

====Maturation====
Shōchū is shipped after maturation. Maturation techniques vary in storage vessel and location, both of which affect the character of the shōchū. The most commonly used containers for aging shōchū are stainless steel tanks, clay pots, and wooden barrels or casks.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Pellegrini|first1=Christopher|title=The Shochu Handbook - An Introduction to Japan's Indigenous Distilled Drink|date=July 22, 2014|publisher=Telemachus Press|isbn=978-1940745282|pages=37–38}}</ref>

As a result of maturation, the flavor, and aroma of shōchū settle. Maturation generally takes between one and three months. Maturation from three to six months is called ''beginning maturation''. During this period, sharp flavors in the shōchū generally decrease. Shōchū matured from six months to three years usually has a mellow taste.

A shōchū called ''long-term maturation'' is matured for more than three years. But long-term maturation does not always improve the flavor. On the other hand, long-term maturation is particularly effective for ''awamori''. Distillers sometimes mature ''awamori'' for longer than ten years.

=====Locations=====
Shōchū is matured in various places to impart unique flavors, typically where there are minimal variations in temperature and humidity.
These places include tunnels and [[Cave|limestone caverns]].

====Honkaku shōchū====
Until 2006 Japanese postwar tax law classified shōchū into "kōrui" and "otsurui" types. The terms {{nihongo|kō|甲}} and {{nihongo|otsu|乙}} are Chinese [[celestial stems]] typically used for classification, and mean something akin to "Grade A" and "Grade B" respectively.

Fearing a tendency to believe that otsurui shōchū is somehow inferior to kōrui shōchū, the Kyūshū Otsurui Shochu Producers' Association lobbied the Finance Ministry, and in 1962 succeeded in having {{nihongo|'''honkaku shōchū'''|本格焼酎|honkaku shōchū}}, or authentic shōchū, recognized as an alternative name. The name is believed to have been coined in 1957 by Junkichi Enatsu, the president of Kirishima Brewery of [[Miyakonojo|Miyakonojō]], [[Miyazaki Prefecture]].<ref name="sakesake">{{cite web|title=Sake Glossary|url=http://www.sakesake.com/comu/word/S_topic1.html|access-date=2007-01-26}} (Japanese)</ref>

However, since the term was not formally defined naming disputes arose. As a result, on 1 November 2002, the law was clarified and shōchū satisfying any of conditions 1 to 5 of the above definition of singly distilled shōchū can be called honkaku shōchū. Those satisfying the final condition are excluded.

===Shōchū consumption in Japan by categories===
2016 Shōchū consumption in Japan by categories (tax base) is as follows;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nta.go.jp/shiraberu/senmonjoho/sake/tokei/kazeikankei2016/pdf/28-02.pdf|publisher=National Tax Agency Japan|title=Alcohol tax (Domestic)}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nta.go.jp/shiraberu/senmonjoho/sake/tokei/kazeikankei2016/pdf/28-04.pdf|publisher=National Tax Agency Japan|title=Alcohol tax (Import)}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto"
|-
! style="width:2em;" | Category!! Domestic (kl)!! Import (kl)!! Total (kl)
|-
| Multiply distilled || 341,583|| 44,033|| 385,616
|-
| Singly distilled || 479,124|| 409|| 479,533
|-
| '''Total''' || '''820,707'''|| '''44,442'''|| '''865,149'''
|-
|([[Sake]])|| 538,025|| 46|| 538,071
|}

==Moromitori shōchū==
Most singly distilled shōchū is '''moromitori shōchū''' (もろみ取焼酎). This name derives from its production process:<ref name="monitoring">{{cite journal |last1=Endo |first1=Akihito |last2=Okada |first2=Sanae |title=Monitoring the lactic acid bacterial diversity during shochu fermentation by PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis |journal=[[Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering]] |date=March 2005 |volume=99 |issue=3 |pages=216–221 |doi=10.1263/jbb.99.216 |url=http://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jbb/99/3/216/_pdf |access-date=2007-01-02 |publisher=The Society for Biotechnology, Japan |language=English |format=PDF |issn=1389-1723 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081211052246/http://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jbb/99/3/216/_pdf|archive-date=2008-12-11|url-status=dead|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

# Raw material treatment. Usually, rice or barley is steeped in water, then steamed to promote [[starch gelatinization]] and cooled.
# Kōji production. ''kōjikin'', or [[Aspergillus oryzae|koji]] mold spores, are cultivated onto the material to form koji mold which creates enzymes as it grows. The enzymes break starch molecules down into sugar molecules that can be fermented, a process called ''saccharification''.
# Primary fermentation. The koji is mashed by adding both water and yeast and is fermented for seven to nine days in a tank or vat to form unrefined alcohol, called '''moto''' or (first stage) '''moromi'''.
# Secondary fermentation. The steamed main ingredient and water are added to the unrefined alcohol and fermented again to form (second stage) moromi. The ingredient added during this second stage determines the variety of shōchū; for example, if sweet potato is added then it becomes sweet potato shōchū.
# Distillation. Purification of the unrefined moromi alcohol.

===Kōji===
{{Main|Aspergillus oryzae|Aspergillus luchuensis}}
[[Image:KitsuchoUnkai.jpg|thumb|upright|Soba shōchū.  The left hand side of the label promotes it as [[#Honkaku shōchū|honkaku shōchū]] made from black [[#Kōji|kōji]].]]
{{nihongo|Kōji|麹}} mold, a kind of ''[[Aspergillus]]'' fungus, has a profound effect on the final taste of the shōchū. There are three varieties of kōji mold with distinct characteristics.<ref name="nobori">{{cite web|title=In-depth|url=http://www.nobori-sake.com/untiku.html|access-date = 2007-01-24}} (Japanese)</ref><ref name="nymtc">{{cite web|url=http://www.nymtc.com/pl_shochu/shochu_what.html|title=What is Shochu?|access-date=2007-01-24|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928191622/http://www.nymtc.com/pl_shochu/shochu_what.html|archive-date=2007-09-28}}</ref><ref name="sakesake6">{{cite web|title=Other terminology relating to Shochu and Awamori|url=http://www.sakesake.com/comu/word/S_topic6.html|access-date=2007-01-27}} (Japanese)</ref>
* '''Yellow ''kōji'' (''A. oryzae'')'''. Used to produce sake, and at one time all honkaku shōchū. However yellow kōji is extremely sensitive to temperature; its ''moromi'' can easily sour during fermentation. This makes it difficult to use in warmer regions such as Kyūshū, and gradually black and white kōji became more common.  Its strength is that it gives rise to a rich, fruity refreshing taste, so despite the difficulties and great skill required it is still used by some manufacturers. It is popular amongst young people and those who previously had no interest in typically strong sweet potato shōchū, playing a role in its recent revival.  Thus, white and black ''kōji'' are mainly used in the production of ''shōchū'', but only yellow ''kōji'' (''A. oryzae'') is usually used in the production of ''sake''.
* '''White ''kōji'' (''[[Aspergillus luchuensis|A. kawachii]]'')'''. Discovered as a mutation from black ''kōji'' by Genichirō Kawachi in 1918.<ref name="futagami">{{cite web|url=https://academic.oup.com/bbb/article/86/5/574/6541844|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409115821/https://academic.oup.com/bbb/article/86/5/574/6541844|title=The white koji fungus Aspergillus luchuensis mut. kawachii. Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry, Volume 86, Issue 5|author=Taiki Futagami|pages=574–584|publisher= Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Agrochemistry|archive-date=9 April 2023|access-date=9 April 2023}}</ref> This effect was researched and white kōji was successfully grown independently. White kōji is easy to cultivate and its enzymes promote rapid saccharization; as a result, it is used to produce most shōchū today. It gives rise to a drink with a refreshing, gentle, sweet taste.
* '''Black ''kōji'' (''[[Aspergillus luchuensis|A. luchuensis]]'') '''. Mainly used to produce ''shōchū'' and ''[[awamori]]''. In 1901, Tamaki Inui of the [[University of Tokyo]] succeeded in the first isolating and culturing.<ref name="ox050618">{{cite web|url=https://academic.oup.com/dnaresearch/article/23/6/507/2647441|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180605022559/https://academic.oup.com/dnaresearch/article/23/6/507/2647441|title=Genome sequence of Aspergillus luchuensis NBRC 4314|author=Osamu Yamada, Masayuki Machida, Akira Hosoyama, Masatoshi Goto, Toru Takahashi, Taiki Futagami, Youhei Yamagata, etc.|publisher=Oxford University Press|date=20 September 2016|archive-date=5 June 2018|access-date=10 April 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.okinawatimes.co.jp/articles/-/229860|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404172814/https://www.okinawatimes.co.jp/articles/-/229860|title=黒麹菌の役割 発酵中の雑菌繁殖防ぐ|author=Takeo Koizumi|publisher=[[Okinawa Times]]|date=5 April 2018|archive-date=4 April 2023|access-date=10 April 2023}}</ref> In 1910, Genichirō Kawachi succeeded for the first time in culturing var. kawachi, a variety of subtaxa of ''A. awamori''. This improved the efficiency of shochu production.<ref name = "kawauchih"/> It produces plenty of citric acid, which helps to prevent the souring of the moromi. Of all three kōji it most effectively extracts the taste and character of the base ingredients, giving its shōchū a rich aroma with a slightly sweet, mellow taste. Its spores disperse easily, covering production facilities and workers' clothes in a layer of black. Such issues led to it falling out of favor, but due to the development of New Kuro-''kōji'' (NK-''kōji'') in the mid-1980s,<ref name="shochucircle">{{cite web|url=http://www.shochucircle.com| title= Shochu Circle| access-date= 2007-12-11| archive-date= 2007-12-10| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071210230540/http://www.shochucircle.com/| url-status= usurped}}</ref> interest in black kōji resurged amongst honkaku shōchū makers because of the depth and quality of the taste it produced.  Several popular brands now explicitly state they use black kōji on their labels.

===Varieties===
There is a broad variety of moromitori shōchū.  Four locations have achieved protection as [[geographical indication]]s under [[World Trade Organization]] [[Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights|TRIPS]] article 23 and are noted below.<ref name="aippi"/>

====Rice shōchū====
{{nihongo|Rice shōchū|米焼酎|komejōchū}} shares its base ingredient with sake. It has a fairly thick taste, and appears to have originally developed in regions too warm for sake production.<ref name="sakesake"/>

[[Kumamoto Prefecture]] is particularly well known for its production of rice shōchū. Notably {{nihongo|'''Kuma shōchū'''|球磨焼酎}} produced in [[Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto|Hitoyoshi-bonchi]] is protected as a geographical indication.<ref name="aippi"/>

Rice shōchū is also produced in regions famous for their sake, such as [[Niigata Prefecture|Niigata]] and [[Akita Prefecture|Akita]] prefectures.

====Barley shōchū====
{{nihongo|Barley shōchū|麦焼酎|mugishōchū}} is generally less distinctive than rice shōchū and easy to drink. However, if cask-aged the taste can be quite sharp and strongly reminiscent of single-malt whisky.<ref name="nymtc category">{{cite web|title=Shochu by Category|url=http://nymtc.com/pl_shochu/shochu_b-category.html|access-date=2007-01-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928191637/http://nymtc.com/pl_shochu/shochu_b-category.html|archive-date=2007-09-28|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[Ōita Prefecture]], [[Miyazaki Prefecture]], and [[Iki, Nagasaki|Iki]] in [[Nagasaki Prefecture]] are strong production hubs. {{nihongo|'''Iki shōchū'''|壱岐焼酎}} has also been given protection as a geographical indication.<ref name="aippi">{{cite web |title=Relationship between trademarks and geographical indications |url=http://www.aippi.org/reports/q191/q191_japan.pdf |website=aippi.org |publisher=[[International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property]] |access-date=2007-01-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061006160942/http://www.aippi.org/reports/q191/q191_japan.pdf |archive-date=2006-10-06 |language=English |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://shochudistilled.com/2013/05/20/kannoko-mugi-shochu/ |title=Archived copy |access-date=2014-02-03 |archive-date=2017-05-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170513210914/http://shochudistilled.com/2013/05/20/kannoko-mugi-shochu |url-status=dead }}</ref>

====Sweet potato shōchū====
[[Image:Shiranami.jpg|thumb|upright|One brand of Satsuma shōchū]]
[[Image:Shochu2.jpg|thumb|upright|Various brands of sweet potato shōchū]]
{{nihongo|Sweet potato shōchū|芋焼酎|imojōchū}} uses sweet potato, widely cultivated across southern Kyūshū since the [[Edo period]], as its base ingredient. Originally it was almost exclusively produced in [[Kagoshima Prefecture|Kagoshima]] and [[Miyazaki Prefecture|Miyazaki]] prefectures, but nowadays is made across Japan using locally grown [[sweet potatoes]].

It tends to have a strong taste and a distinctive smell; more recently producers have made varieties whose aroma is somewhat suppressed.

Kagoshima's {{nihongo|'''[[Satsuma, Kagoshima|Satsuma]] shōchū'''|薩摩焼酎}} has been given protection under WTO rules as a geographical indication.

The 1956 film ''[[The Teahouse of the August Moon (film)|The Teahouse of the August Moon]]'' portrayed an American-occupied Okinawan village rebuilding its economy with sweet potato shōchū.

The taste of sweet potato shōchū is a bit smoky, evocative of some whiskeys.

====Brown sugar shōchū====
[[Image:Bottled amami kokuto shochu.jpg|thumb|Various bottled Amami kokutō shōchū]]
From the Edo period through to the time of the [[Pacific War]], the [[Amami Islands]] produced drinks such as ''awamori'' and a distilled alcohol based on [[muscovado|brown sugar]]. From the middle of the war through to the American occupation, because of a shortage of rice (the base ingredient of awamori) and an inability to export the sugar-based alcohol to the mainland, a large surplus was produced. In 1953, when the Amami Islands were returned to Japanese sovereignty, the alcohol was not classified as "shōchū" under the 1949 alcohol tax law and therefore would attract a high rate of tax. The [[Ministry of Finance (Japan)|Ministry of Finance]], taking into account the desire of local residents and as part of a strategy to promote the region, gave special recognition to the local alcohol as {{nihongo|brown sugar shōchū|黒糖焼酎|kokutō shōchū}}. This recognition was geographically restricted to the [[Amami Islands]] of [[Kagoshima Prefecture]] and was conditional on the use of rice kōji. This regional restriction remains in place to this day; as can be seen in the legal definition of singly distilled shōchū above.

Typically, brown sugar shōchū contains 30% or 25% [[alcohol by volume]]. Contrary to what might be expected, brown sugar shōchū has a mild and not particularly sweet taste, as it contains no sugar. Nowadays it is produced in 25 breweries in 5 islands: [[Kikaijima]], [[Amami Ōshima]], [[Tokunoshima]], [[Okinoerabujima]] and [[Yoronjima]]. Awamori, however, is no longer made outside [[Okinawa Prefecture]].

Before the war, another alcoholic drink based on brown sugar was made in the [[Ogasawara Islands]]. Its name translates as "sugar alcohol" and could be seen as a form of brown sugar shōchū. Production ceased because of the war, but recently, aiming to revive its popularity, similar alcohol, using no rice kōji, has been introduced. However, as Ogasawara does not qualify for the above special regional exemption, this alcohol is instead classified as rum or spirits.

====Soba shōchū====
[[Soba]], or [[buckwheat]], {{nihongo|shōchū|そば焼酎|sobajōchū}} has origins going back to just 1973 when Unkai Brewery Co., of [[Gokase, Miyazaki]] Prefecture, developed it using soba from the local mountainous region as its base ingredient. Since then shōchū producers across Japan have produced it, sometimes as part of a shōchū blend.

The taste is milder than barley shōchū.

====Awamori====
{{Main|Awamori}}

[[File:Awamori at Miyakojima01s3s4500.jpg|thumb|Bottled ''awamori'' displayed in a shop]]

[[Okinawa Prefecture|Okinawa]] is the home of {{nihongo|awamori|泡盛|awamori}}, which uses rice as its base ingredient. Prior to April 1983, it was labeled otsurui shōchū, but is now properly called "Authentic Awamori".

Awamori is made from Thai long-grained ''indica'' crushed rice, not the usual short-grained ''japonica'' of standard shōchū. The fermentation process employs black koji mold indigenous to Okinawa rather than the standard white variety, and secondary fermentation is not performed.<ref name="chuko-awamori">{{cite web|title=Chuko Distillers Corporation|url=http://www.chuko-awamori.com/english.html|access-date=2007-01-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070103225000/http://www.chuko-awamori.com/english.html |archive-date = 2007-01-03}}</ref><ref name="Suntory Q&A">{{cite web|title=Suntory Shochu Q&A|url=http://www.suntory.co.jp/customer/FAQ/shochu_type.html|access-date=2007-01-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060925101557/http://www.suntory.co.jp/customer/FAQ/shochu_type.html |archive-date = 2006-09-25}}</ref>
Fermentation is done in a way that creates plenty of citric acid, allowing it to be produced all year round despite Okinawa's hot climate.<ref name="whatis">{{cite web|url=http://cocktailtimes.com/dictionary/shochu.shtml|title=What is Shochu?|access-date=2006-12-31}}</ref> After distillation its strength is reduced with water to about 25% alcohol by volume, although some varieties go as high as 65%.

Japanese law classifies awamori as a singly distilled honkaku shōchū despite the different production processes.

With its method of production, awamori could theoretically be made anywhere in Japan, but '''Ryūkyū Awamori''' (琉球泡盛) is a protected geographical indication restricted to Okinawa.<ref>Okinawa Prefectural Government, "Awamori", Okinawa: Cultural Promotion Division, Okinawa Tourism and Cultural Affairs Bureau, 1996.</ref>

====Others====
Japanese law admits a very wide range of unusual base ingredients, such as [[perilla]] leaf, [[sesame]] and [[chestnut]],<ref name="ingredients"/> and shōchū made from most if not all of these exists. For example, there is a milk shōchū brand called ''Makiba-no Yume''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.matsumotoya-sake.com/makiba.html |title=牧場の夢 牛乳焼酎（熊本県、大和一酒造元） |access-date=2005-07-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303204943/http://www.matsumotoya-sake.com/makiba.html |archive-date=2016-03-03 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Others are generic shōchū mixed with a particular fruit juice or extracts.

With its peculiarity, such shōchū is typically intended to catch the eye of visitors to a region and has attracted limited broader appeal. Soba shōchū is a good example of one that has managed to achieve more widespread success.{{citation needed|date=January 2011}}

==Kasutori shōchū==
In contrast to moromitori shōchū, {{nihongo|'''kasutori shōchū'''|粕取り焼酎}} is made by distilling the [[Sake kasu|sake lees]] leftover from the fermentation of sake. It is a form of honkaku shōchū.

It first became popular in the north of Kyūshū, and then spread to other areas, being manufactured during a period when it was not possible to brew refined sake across Japan. It is also widely used in sake production to stop fermentation before it is complete, which can help prevent degradation or give a dry taste. Shōchū made for this purpose is called {{nihongo|'''hashira shōchū'''|柱焼酎}}.

During the [[Edo period]] shōchū lees were used as a fertilizer during the rice-planting season. Many farms, therefore, installed distillation equipment to distill sake lees to produce shōchū lees. Whilst the lees were used in the fields, the distilled alcohol was drunk, or offered to the gods, at the {{nihongo|sanaburi|早苗響}} festival held at the end of the rice-planting season to pray for a bountiful harvest. Kasutori shōchū has therefore also come to be known as '''sanaburi shōchū'''.<ref name="honkaku yougo">
{{cite web|title=Honkaku Shochu Glossary|url=http://www.japanml.net/japanspirits/dic/03sa.htm|access-date = 2011-10-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Drink Kasutori in the Summer, Be Happy|url=http://www.president.co.jp/dan/special/slowfood/008.html|access-date = 2007-01-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061210084327/http://www.president.co.jp/dan/special/slowfood/008.html |archive-date = 2006-12-10}}</ref>

Owing to the recent surge in popularity of shōchū in Japan, an increasing number of manufacturers have been making kasutori shōchū.

Most kasutori shōchū is made in modern ways; shōchū made via older production processes has decreased sharply. People who wish to preserve Japanese culture call shōchū produced the historical way {{nihongo|'''Seichō kasutori shōchū'''|正調粕取焼酎}}—such drinks have been revitalized by their activities.<ref name="Seichō Kasutori">{{cite web|title=Kasutori Shōchū introduction of Kenji|url=http://beefheart.sakura.ne.jp/tankentai/tanteidan/gairon.html|access-date = 2007-05-09}}</ref>

===Slang usage===
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Confusingly kasutori is also a slang term for a separate, inferior form of shōchū. After the [[Pacific War]], in a chaotic society with a shortage of good alcohol, [[moonshine]] shōchū began to circulate. Its source and ingredients were not apparent, and in extreme cases contained toxic [[methyl alcohol]] diluted with water. Such shōchū with ill side-effects became known as ''kasutori'', and the association with poor shōchū lingered, sometimes even affecting the image of "real" respectable kasutori shōchū.

The expressions ''kasutori literature'' and ''kasutori culture'' also came to be associated with the upheavals of the postwar period.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Exploring Japan's Post-War Kasutori Magazines |url=https://www.grimoireofhorror.com/the-yurei/kasutori-magazines/ |access-date=2023-02-23 |website=Grimoire of Horror |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Blended shōchū==
Singly distilled and multiply distilled shōchū can be mixed to form {{nihongo|'''blended shōchū'''|混和焼酎|konwashōchū}}. Formerly it was often mislabeled ''honkaku shōchū'', or had no indication of mixing or relative volumes. Starting in 2005 the industry regulated itself and created the blended shōchū mark, with subcategorization based upon the relative volumes used.

Singly distilled shōchū makes up 50%–95% of the total volume of ''singly distilled blended shōchū''. This category is targeted at those viewing pure singly distilled shōchū as having too strong a smell or taste, aiming to be softer and more easily drinkable.

In ''multiply distilled blended shōchū'' singly distilled shōchū makes up 5%–50% of the total volume. With a focus on price, this tries to combine the cheap mass-production benefits of multiply distilled shōchū whilst introducing some of the distinctive flavor and aroma of the singly distilled form.

==See also==
{{portal|Liquor|Drink}}
*[[Awamori]]—Distilled Okinawan alcoholic drink
*[[Baijiu]]—Distilled Chinese alcoholic drink
*[[Soju]]—Distilled Korean alcoholic drink

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [http://shochu.pro Shochu Pro]
* [http://www.honkakushochu-awamori.jp/english/ Honkaku Shochu and Awamori]
* [http://www.japanml.net/japanspirits/ 本格焼酎の楽しみ] {{in lang|ja}}
* [http://beefheart.sakura.ne.jp/tankentai/tankentai.html 九州焼酎探検隊] {{in lang|ja}}

{{Japanese food and drink}}
{{Alcoholic beverages}}
{{Japan topics}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shochu}}
[[Category:Japanese distilled drinks]]
[[Category:Japanese alcoholic beverages]]