Shochu that goes with hyuganatsu

Citrus

A Miyazaki citrus eaten with the white pith left on, which is sweet rather than bitter. Gentler and more floral than lemon, so it flavours a drink without taking it over.

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 and anything poured at our bar come first. The ranking is the same engine that recommends a mixer from a bottle, run the other way round.

Imo shochu

Citrus acid is what cuts sweet potato's weight, which is why Kagoshima bars pour imo shochu with grapefruit and yuzu before anything else.

Kozuru Kuro Potato ShochuImo (sweet potato) · KagoshimaStart with Ginger beer, Hyuganatsu Satoh KuroImo (sweet potato) · KagoshimaStart with Ginger beer, Hyuganatsu Kagemusha Potato ShochuImo (sweet potato) · OitaStart with Lemon soda (ramune, Sanpellegrino), Hyuganatsu Kiccho HouzanImo (sweet potato) · KagoshimaStart with Soda water, Hyuganatsu Nakamura Gyokuro Kuro Sweet Potato ShochuImo (sweet potato) · MiyazakiStart with Lemon soda (ramune, Sanpellegrino), Hyuganatsu Nami Hana Batch #25 Big Island Sweet Potato ShochuImo (sweet potato)Start with Lemon soda (ramune, Sanpellegrino), Hyuganatsu

55 more, all of them in Imo shochu

Kome shochu

Rice sweetness wants acid the way sake does, and yuzu over rice is the oldest flavour pairing in the Japanese kitchen.

Toyonaga "Okukuma"Kome (rice) · KumamotoStart with Oolong tea, Hyuganatsu Dassai ShochuPouredKome (rice) · YamaguchiStart with Tonic water, Yuzu Kiuchi Rice Shochu ClassicPouredKome (rice) · IbarakiStart with Oolong tea, Black tea (Earl Grey)Kiuchi Rice Shochu GinkaPouredKome (rice) · IbarakiStart with Jasmine tea, Yuzu 24-DO Kinjo ShiroKome (rice) · KumamotoStart with Oolong tea, Black tea (Earl Grey)Brooklyn Kura Kasutori ShochuKome (rice)Start with Jasmine tea, Yuzu

27 more, all of them in Kome shochu

Awamori

Black koji leaves citric acid in the mash, so awamori already leans citrus before anything is added.

Zuisen "Hakuryu" Kusu AwamoriAwamori · OkinawaStart with Ginger beer, Daidai (bitter orange)Seifuku Coffee LiqueurPouredAwamori · Okinawa (Ishigaki)Start with Ginger ale, Hyuganatsu Zanpa BlackAwamori · OkinawaStart with Soda water, Green tea (sencha)Zanpa White AwamoriAwamori · OkinawaStart with Soda water, Green tea (sencha)Seifuku Vintage AwamoriPouredAwamori · Okinawa (Ishigaki)Start with Ginger ale, Daidai (bitter orange)Zuisen Hiryu AwamoriPouredAwamori · Okinawa (Naha)Start with Ginger ale, Blood orange

25 more, all of them in Awamori

Mugi shochu

The lemon sour is the single most ordered shochu drink in Japan, and barley is what it is usually built on.

Kirishima Melt Barley 720mlMugi (barley) · MiyazakiStart with Mugicha (barley tea), Coffee (cold brew)Nikaido Oita Mugi ShochuPouredMugi (barley) · Oita (Hiji)Start with Jasmine tea, Green tea (sencha)Yanagita Koma Barley ShochuPouredMugi (barley) · Miyazaki (Miyakonojo)Start with Jasmine tea, Green tea (sencha)Chingu Black Iki Barley ShochuMugi (barley) · NagasakiStart with Oolong tea, Genmaicha Chingu White Iki Barley ShochuMugi (barley) · NagasakiStart with Oolong tea, Genmaicha Genkai "Iki"Mugi (barley) · NagasakiStart with Oolong tea, Genmaicha

49 more, all of them in Mugi shochu

Kokuto shochu

Cane sugar spirit and lime is the daiquiri, and kokuto shochu is a cane spirit at two thirds the proof.

Jougo ShochuKokuto (brown sugar) · KagoshimaStart with Ginger beer, Daidai (bitter orange)Nankai Gold ShochuPouredKokuto (brown sugar) · Kagoshima (Amami Oshima)Start with Ginger beer, Lime KanaKokuto (brown sugar) · KagoshimaStart with Ginger beer, Cinnamon Nankai Kokuto ShochuKokuto (brown sugar)Start with Jasmine tea, Cardamom SelephantKokuto (brown sugar) · KagoshimaStart with Jasmine tea, Cardamom Tida Asahi Kokuto ShochuKokuto (brown sugar) · KagoshimaStart with Ginger beer, Ginger

6 more, all of them in Kokuto shochu

Shiso, sesame, tea and other single-botanical shochu

Acid frames a single strong flavour and keeps it from turning syrupy.

Awano Kaori Sudachi ShochuPouredShochu · TokushimaStart with Lemon soda (ramune, Sanpellegrino), Yuzu Beniotome Sesame ShochuPouredSesame shochu · Fukuoka (Kurume)Start with Lemon soda (ramune, Sanpellegrino), Hyuganatsu Gyokuro Excellent Green ShochuPouredShochu · FukuokaStart with Kombucha, Pickled ginger (gari)Rihei Ginger ShochuPouredShochu · MiyazakiStart with Ginger ale, Grapefruit Tantakatan Shiso ShochuPouredShiso shochu · Hokkaido (Asahikawa)Start with Tonic water, Blood orange

23 more, all of them in Shiso, sesame, tea and other single-botanical shochu

Soba shochu

Buckwheat is nutty and low in acid, so citrus is doing structural work rather than adding a flavour.

Towari Soba ShochuPouredSoba (buckwheat) · KyotoStart with Ginger beer, Toasted sesame Soba Unkai ShochuPouredSoba (buckwheat) · Miyazaki (Gokase)Start with Ginger beer, Hojicha

1 more, all of them in Soba shochu