Shochu that goes with ginger beer
Bubbles
These are bottles to mix ginger beer into. Some of them taste of it too, and where that is the reason a bottle is here, its line says so.
A spicy one, not a sweet one. The mule format works for every dark shochu, and it is the most forgiving way to serve one.
Best bottles for ginger beer
The strongest matches in the catalogue, across every style. Everything below is the same ranking opened out by what the shochu is made from.
The distilleries themselves now sell imo shochu as a highball. Soda lifts the aroma off the glass instead of burying it.
sweet potato, coffee, earthy, pepper
sweet potato, fruity, earthy, mineral
sweet potato, earthy, crisp, aged
lychee, grape, jasmine, rich
vanilla, cask, rich, crisp
citrus, pear, sweet potato, clean
Soba shochu is usually vacuum distilled and light. That's the profile a highball flatters. The soba highball is a standard order in a soba restaurant, not an experiment.
sweet potato, aged
sweet potato, pineapple, tropical fruit, fruity
sweet potato, banana, vanilla, clean
sweet potato, soft, tea
Grouped by what the shochu is made from, because that is the level the reasoning works at: what this does to an imo shochu is a fact about imo shochu rather than about one bottle. Within each style the strongest matches come first, and bottles we pour are marked rather than promoted. The scores are the same engine that recommends a mixer from a bottle, run the other way round, but the labels are not: a bottle page badges at most twelve strong matches and at most three per family, so that the twelve describe that bottle rather than the same citrus and soda every time. Here there is no cap, so a pairing badged strong on this page can read as a good match on the bottle's own.
Imo shochu
The distilleries themselves now sell imo shochu as a highball. Soda lifts the aroma off the glass instead of burying it.
sweet potato, earthy
sweet potato, coffee, earthy, pepper
sweet potato, fruity, earthy, mineral
sweet potato, earthy, crisp, aged
lychee, grape, jasmine, rich
Show the other 155 ginger beer matches
citrus, pear, sweet potato, clean
sweet potato, pineapple, tropical fruit, fruity
sweet potato, banana, vanilla, clean
sweet potato, soft, tea
sweet potato, umami
sweet potato, light-bodied, long finish
sweet potato, lychee, grape, muscat
sweet potato, tropical fruit, bright, aged
sweet potato, soft, dry, sweet
sweet potato, smooth, aged
sweet potato, fruity, soft
sweet potato, umami
sweet potato, soft, dry, sweet
sweet potato, tea, rich
sweet potato, milky, soft, aged
sweet potato, smooth, toast
sweet potato, rich, smooth, umami
sweet potato, smooth, umami, light-bodied
sweet potato, aged
sweet potato, umami, soft, full-bodied
sweet potato, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, spice, clean, sharp
sweet potato, whisky-like, cask
sweet potato, light-bodied, dry, aged
sweet potato, umami, rich
sweet potato, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, smooth, rich
sweet potato, umami, rich, aged
sweet potato, fruity
sweet potato, umami, soft, clean
sweet potato, smooth, fruity, bright
sweet potato, fruity, umami, rich
sweet potato, pear, grassy, light-bodied
sweet potato, bright
sweet potato, bright
sweet potato, rich, purple sweet potato
sweet potato, whisky-like, aged
sweet potato, crisp
sweet potato, umami, rich, aged
sweet potato, clean, aged
sweet potato, bright
sweet potato, bright
sweet potato, smooth
sweet potato, light-bodied, clean, dry
sweet potato, lychee, chocolate, bright
sweet potato, soft, smooth, rich
sweet potato, smoky, rich, long finish
sweet potato, lychee, white peach, tropical fruit
sweet potato, roasted sweet potato, umami, silky
sweet potato, purple sweet potato, berry, yogurt
sweet potato, crisp, bitter
sweet potato, smooth, rich, sweet
sweet potato, sweet, clean, soft
sweet potato, umami, rich, sweet
sweet potato, umami, rich, sweet
sweet potato, pineapple, maple, mineral
sweet potato, soft, crisp, clean
sweet potato, soft, sweet
sweet potato, umami
sweet potato, rich, clean, sweet
sweet potato, rich, sweet
sweet potato, umami, sweet, rich
sweet potato, fruity, soft, sweet
sweet potato, fruity, silky, smooth
sweet potato, sweet, sherry-like, cask
sweet potato, apple, soft, rich
sweet potato, soft, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, smooth, rich, light-bodied
sweet potato, smooth, sweet
sweet potato, sweet, soft, light-bodied
sweet potato, berry, soft, sweet
sweet potato, sweet
sweet potato, roasted grain
sweet potato, sweet, soft
sweet potato, spice, sweet
sweet potato, light-bodied, clean, sweet
sweet potato, smooth, rich, sweet
sweet potato, shiso, smooth, tea
sweet potato, umami, smooth
sweet potato, melon, banana, sweet
sweet potato, citrus, fruity, mint
sweet potato, funky
sweet potato, smooth, rich, sweet
sweet potato, rich, sweet
sweet potato, roasted sweet potato, rich, clean
sweet potato, sweet, clean, rich
sweet potato, soft, light-bodied, sweet
sweet potato, smooth, clean, aged
sweet potato, sweet, clean, fruity
sweet potato, soft, sweet
sweet potato, smooth, sweet
sweet potato, sweet, smooth, aged
sweet potato, pear, grassy, rich
sweet potato, yogurt, creamy texture
sweet potato, soft, light-bodied, sweet
sweet potato, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, roasted sweet potato, roasted grain, sweet
sweet potato, white peach, grape, berry
sweet potato, vanilla, creamy texture, bright
sweet potato, roasted sweet potato, sweet
sweet potato, smooth, sweet, vanilla
sweet potato, rich, crisp, soft
sweet potato, tea, vanilla, mushroom
sweet potato, rich, soft, aged
sweet potato, soft, sweet
sweet potato, crisp, sweet
sweet potato, rich, full-bodied, sweet
sweet potato, smooth, soft, clean
sweet potato, full-bodied, sweet
sweet potato, smooth, nutty, umami
sweet potato, soft, smooth, aged
sweet potato, smooth
sweet potato, vanilla, toast, spice
sweet potato, sweet, soft, rich
sweet potato, smooth, sweet, long finish
sweet potato, chocolate, sherry-like, cask
sweet potato, tropical fruit, spice, light-bodied
sweet potato, sweet
sweet potato, roasted sweet potato, aged
sweet potato, sweet, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, tropical fruit, pepper, sweet
sweet potato, sweet, rich, full-bodied
muscat, citrus, floral, sweet potato
sweet potato, floral, full-bodied
sweet potato, lychee, floral, fruity
sweet potato, citrus, floral, sweet
sweet potato, floral, fruity, clean
sweet potato, floral, fruity, umami
sweet potato, tropical fruit, floral, smooth
sweet potato, tropical fruit, floral, caramel
sweet potato, citrus, floral, caramel
sweet potato, floral, soft, maple
sweet potato, tropical fruit, floral, caramel
Awamori
The awamori highball is an easy summer drink and the simplest way into the category.
rice, cask, aged
rice, roasted grain, aged
rice, citrus, roasted grain, sweet
rice, citrus, vanilla, chocolate
rice, sweet, rich, full-bodied
rice, citrus, tropical fruit, vanilla
Show the other 102 ginger beer matches
rice, earthy, mushroom, rich
caramel, smoky, rich, earthy
rice, clean, smooth, aged
rice, pear, caramel, rich
rice, whisky-like, cask, aged
rice, smooth, savory, aged
rice, smooth, cereal, sweet
rice, cherry, vanilla, chocolate
rice, umami, clean, light-bodied
rice, bright, aged
rice, clean, bright, aged
rice, citrus, cereal, aged
rice, smooth, rich, sweet
rice, soft, rich, sweet
rice, soft, smooth, rich
rice, smooth, rich, sweet
rice, smooth, aged
rice, soft, rich, sweet
rice, clean, sweet
rice, smooth, sweet
rice, soft, aged
rice, smooth, rich, sweet
rice, light-bodied, sweet
rice, caramel, chocolate, crisp
rice, sweet, smooth, rich
rice, smooth, soft, aged
rice, soft, clean, aged
rice, sweet, crisp, smooth
rice, smooth, sweet
rice, smooth, sweet
rice, smooth, maple, umami
rice, sherry-like, aged
rice, aged
rice, soft, smooth
rice, steamed rice, soft, caramel
rice, sweet, soft, smooth
rice, smooth, sweet, aged
rice, smooth, crisp, aged
rice, smooth, sweet, oily
rice, smooth, sweet, aged
rice, cherry, vanilla, caramel
rice, vanilla, funky, creamy texture
rice, smooth, soft, clean
rice, nutty, dry, aged
rich, smooth, clean, soft
rich, full-bodied, aged, umami
clean, off-dry, soft, light-bodied
umami, rich, full-bodied, cask
aged, caramel, smooth, spice
floral, clean, sharp, aged
Soba shochu
Soba shochu is usually vacuum distilled and light. That's the profile a highball flatters. The soba highball is a standard order in a soba restaurant, not an experiment.
buckwheat, savory, nutty, earthy
buckwheat, barley, rice
buckwheat, smooth, aged
Show the other 4 ginger beer matches
buckwheat, cask, aged
buckwheat, umami
buckwheat, nutty, earthy, vanilla
Mugi shochu
The barley highball is one of the most common ways shochu gets drunk in Japan. Clean spirit, cold soda, nothing in the way.
barley, smoky, soft, cask
barley, earthy, mineral, pepper
barley, chocolate, earthy, smooth
barley, citrus, melon, white peach
barley, rice, umami
Show the other 94 ginger beer matches
barley, earthy, clean, bright
barley, vanilla, chocolate, nutty
barley, clean, off-dry, smooth
barley, bright, clean, light-bodied
barley, sesame, caramel, chocolate
barley, chocolate, umami, smooth
barley, crisp, clean, aged
barley, smooth, crisp, aged
barley, crisp, clean
barley, tropical fruit, light-bodied
barley, soft, light-bodied, clean
barley, smooth, rich, light-bodied
barley, pear, soft, spice
barley, smooth, long finish, aged
barley, rich, crisp
barley, soft, clean
barley, smooth, light-bodied, clean
barley, smooth
barley, umami, rich, sweet
barley, umami, rich, aged
barley, smooth, rich, aged
barley, smooth, rich, aged
barley, smooth, rich, whisky-like
barley, umami, rich, sharp
barley, chocolate, rich, full-bodied
barley, rich, full-bodied, cask
barley, umami, savory, clean
barley, apple, pineapple, creamy texture
barley, vanilla, spice, cask
barley, honey, chocolate, spice
barley, roasted grain
barley, citrus, melon, banana
barley, sesame, grassy, chocolate
barley, smooth, mint, caramel
barley, toast, savory, rich
barley, toast, rich, light-bodied
barley, smooth, crisp, cask
barley, toast, spice, rich
barley, banana, white peach, tea
barley, chocolate, coffee, rich
barley, umami, light-bodied
barley, smooth, dry
barley, white peach, cherry, soft
barley, soft, bright
barley, soft, chocolate, toast
barley, banana, toast
barley, pear, banana, bread
barley, caramel, chocolate, smoky
barley, cask, aged
barley, jasmine, honey, vanilla
barley, toast, light-bodied, sweet
barley, soft, silky, smooth
barley, soft, cask, aged
barley, smooth, crisp, aged
barley, rich, cask, aged
barley, crisp, light-bodied, fruity
barley, toast, cereal, rich
barley, fruity, light-bodied
barley, sweet, clean
barley, vanilla, nutty, toast
barley, cask, aged
barley, banana, berry, bread
barley, dry, cask, aged
barley, melon, banana, floral
barley, caramel, rich, sweet
Shiso, sesame, yuzu and other flavoured shochu
These bottles already have one strong flavour in them. Soda gives it room instead of competing with it.
rice, citrus, crisp
citrus, bright, bitter, crisp
sesame, nutty, toast, off-dry
tropical fruit, rich
Show the other 4 ginger beer matches
coffee, chocolate, brown sugar, rice
shiso, red shiso, herbal, floral
Korui, the continuous-still shochu
Soda and a neutral base is the chuhai, and nothing in the bottle competes with what you put in it.
sweet potato, soft, crisp, clean
rice, soft, crisp, clean
soft, light-bodied, clean, sweet
barley, soft, crisp, clean
Kome shochu
A shochu mule, and it is on menus
rice, vanilla, smooth, cask
rice, vanilla, smooth, sweet
rice, light-bodied, cask
Show the other 63 ginger beer matches
rice, vanilla, smooth, fruity
rice, banana, vanilla, chocolate
rice, citrus, silky, light-bodied
rice, vanilla, cask, aged
rice, melon, vanilla, toast
rice, steamed rice, citrus, pineapple
rice, smooth, aged, cask
rice, citrus, apple, pineapple
rice, pear, jasmine, light-bodied
rice, cask, aged
rice, smooth, light-bodied, sweet
rice, soft, smoky, creamy texture
rice, vanilla, caramel, chocolate
rice, aged, cask, smooth
rice, umami, crisp, sweet
rice, rich, aged
rice, soft, rich, aged
rice, rich, clean, bright
rice, soft, light-bodied, aged
rice, light-bodied, dry, aged
rice, smooth, crisp, aged
rice, rich, bright
rice, smooth, rich
rice, light-bodied, clean
Ginger beer covers delicate perfume
rice, ginjo-like, floral, aged
rice, citrus, dried fruit, floral
rice, floral, smooth, soft
rice, floral, fruity, smooth
Kasutori, chestnut and other bases
Ginger is in this bottle, not just on its nose, so this doubles it rather than introducing it.
Imo shochu mule: ginger beer, lime, over ice
Carbonation carries aroma up out of the glass, so a highball shows an aromatic bottle off rather than diluting the point of it.
chestnut, soft, sweet
Show the other 30 ginger beer matches
smooth, rich, aged
roasted grain, umami, smooth
barley, smooth, honey, vanilla
citrus, plum, sweet, yuzu
chestnut, barley, fruity, rich
smooth, rich, full-bodied, sweet
smooth, rich, cask, aged
funky, crisp, dry
Kokuto shochu
Kokuto shochu and ginger beer is a dark and stormy with the cane aroma in the base and none of its sugar
kokuto, cask, aged
kokuto, smooth, smoky, cask
kokuto, smooth, cask, aged
kokuto, molasses, roasted grain, dry
kokuto, molasses, vanilla, spice
Show the other 16 ginger beer matches
kokuto, vanilla, spice, cask
kokuto, rum-like, chocolate
kokuto, tropical fruit, vanilla, sweet
kokuto, chocolate, nutty, sweet
kokuto, rich, long finish, aged