Shochu and soju are not the same. Not even close. Japanese shochu and Korean soju are so different that they shouldn’t be mentioned in the same sentence. By conflating them, you insult two cultures at the same time. Efficient.
This is one of the most common points of confusion, so I wanted to get it out of the way early. Many people worldwide think these two vastly different spirit traditions are one and the same, just with rhyming names.
Shochu and soju rules of engagement
Let me start by qualifying everything that follows. I’m referring to green bottle soju, representing over 99% of global soju sales. This is the type that is usually consumed in Korea (both South and North), and the style that is taking the world by storm with its fruity flavors, affordable shelf price, and breathtaking hangovers.
As usual, I’ll be drawing contrasts by referencing basic details about honkaku shochu, the traditional style beloved by residents of Japan.
Korean soju (green bottle) is a sweetened industrial spirit. This means it’s column-distilled until nearly pure ethanol (96% ABV), diluted to bottling proof (usually 16-18% ABV), and addled with artificial sweeteners. The bottles are served chilled using shot glasses. Few rules restrict ingredients and production processes, and large soju manufacturers are rather tight-lipped about the whole affair. Soju is cheap to produce and consume.
Japanese shochu is the world’s most diverse spirit. It is made from approved ingredients (and their koji) following relatively strict process rules. It can only be made using a pot still, meaning it tastes like what it’s made from. Column stills are never allowed, by the way, and neither are additives of any sort. It is labor-intensive to produce, much more expensive than soju, and sipped rather than shot.
Japanese shochu and Korean soju serve very different gustatory purposes
Soju is generally consumed at pace with shot glasses or dropped into a glass of beer. It is an excellent palate cleanser for Korean food, but its raison d’etre is mostly thrifty inebriation.
Shochu is a much more complex animal that appeals to people who like to sip their drinks rather than gulp them, enjoy the interplay of flavors, and dislike hangovers.
Listen to this Japan Distilled podcast episode for a deeper dive into the differences between these clearly stratified spirits traditions.
Kanpai!
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