Soju (/ ˈ s oʊ dʒ uː /; from Korean: 소주; 燒酒) is a clear, colorless distilled beverage of Korean origin. As a result, sojus vary in aroma and flavor.Soju is most often drunk straight with food, like wine, but is also used in cocktails, like a spirit. Here’s a breakdown of all the differences among sake, soju, and shochu.Soju is a clear spirit that originated in Korea. Sake is made by fermenting rice, somewhat similar to how wine is made from grapes. Commercial soju is meant to be palatable to the largest number of people possible; it does not shilly-shally around with delicate flavors and aftertastes, focusing instead on an identifiable main flavor usually measured in sweetness level. It has a neutral flavor, likeShochu originated in Japan at least 500 years ago. Most of the soju brands are made in South Korea and made from wheat, barley or rice in content. Sake and Soju are both alcoholic beverages. A key driver in this shochu vs sake shift has been due to the discovery of shochu’s high activation rate for urokinase enzymes, which can reduce the threat of blood clots, thrombosis, and strokes. Soju is a clear, colorless distilled beverage of Korean origin. Consequently, shochu can be stored for long periods of time while sake has a limited shelf life.In the last decade, shochu sales has almost doubled sake sales in Japan. It is a Korean traditional alcoholic beverage that was made from various grains, such as rice, wheat or barley. And how does soju play into things? Sake is made by fermenting rice, somewhat similar to how wine is made from grapes. And how does soju play into things? Shochu is also most commonly made from sweet potato (Shochu is also most often consumed on the rocks, mixed with cold or hot water, or with fresh juice, which lowers the alcohol content even further to about 12 to 15 percent ABV, similar to a glass of wine. Finally, sake is brewed like a beer while shochu is distilled. Sake and Soju are two drinks which are famous in Japan and Korea respectively and have the main difference of ingredients. It was traditionally made with rice but, ever since distilling rice was banned during the Korean War, distillers have used other grains and starches, such as wheat, sweet potatoes, and even tapioca. It was traditionally made with rice but, ever since distilling rice was banned during the Korean War, distillers have used other grains and starches, such as wheat, sweet potatoes, and even tapioca. Sake, on the other hand, usually caps at around 15-16% ABV since the koji doesn’t ferment beyond this.One of the key differences between shochu and sake, and why shochu is logistically an easier product to sell, is aging.
Shochu vs Sake. In the U.S., shochu is all but unknown while sake is mainly paired with sushi and other Japanese cuisine. It is usually consumed neat, and its alcohol content varies from about 16.8% to 53% alcohol by volume (ABV).
Soju is the world's top-selling liquor by volume. This alcoholic beverage is very popular among Koreans as well as people who loves Korean tradition or Korean foods. Also Soju tends to have sugar added back in after fermentation. While sake continues to use rice and has more of a neutral flavor, soju may be made from other starches and that affects the taste. Even top sushi restaurants never mention anything like it in their menus so had assumed that sake was the equivalent of soju in terms of nationality. Sake, also spelled as saké or saki, is often called rice wine. It can also be served cold or warm, though the latter is often reserved for cheaper, less refined sake.Sake quality and cost are all about the level of polish, or the amount the rice grains have been milled before brewing. When someone hears that shochu is a “japanese distilled spirit,” the first thing they usually ask is, “So, what’s the difference between shochu and sake?”It’s an understandable question since most Americans have heard of or tasted sake (referred to as The easy answer is that shochu is distilled, like vodka, while sake is brewed, like beer. It can also be used as a substitute spirit in classic cocktails like theFlavor-wise, sake can range from dry to sweet, measured by theSake is best-served room temperature.
The Differences Between Soju, Shochu, and Sake, Explained- It's no secret that Asian spirits are on the rise. Soju is made by distillation, using alcohol made from sweet potato. When comparing sake with soju, most Americans are far more familiar with the former, a frequent However, aside from their different countries of origin, alcohol contents, and prevalence, these two clear boozy beverages also feature key contrasts in their production processes, flavors, and serving suggestions.The creation of sake is a complex process that starts with harvesting, polishing, washing, soaking, and steaming rice, then introducing a fungus called koji as well as yeast, followed by fermentation, filtering, and usually pasteurizing (via Soju, on the other hand, is not brewed, but "distilled like vodka" at high temperatures, and, though it was traditionally made from rice, can also derive from other starchy ingredients, such as barley, wheat, tapioca, sweet potato, or a combination of these (via Still, Koreans often polish off entire bottles of soju — it's food pairing-friendly (especially, of course, with Sake, by contrast, is flavor-rated by its Sake Meter Value, ranking from -15 to +15 on a scale of dryest to sweetest; though normally clear and noncarbonated, there are also cloudy unfiltered varieties, as well as sparkling options (via © 2020 Mashed.com. The Differences Between Soju, Shochu, and Sake, Explained- It's no secret that Asian spirits are on the rise. If you are a fan of Korean drama, you must have heard of Soju – a very famous drink. What is Soju? The low-alcohol spirit has been distilled in Korea for hundreds of years, usually from rice or other grains. A key driver in this shochu vs sake shift has been due to the discovery of shochu’s high activation rate for urokinase enzymes, which can reduce the threat of blood clots, thrombosis, and strokes.Another reason for its popularity is that shochu has 50% fewer calories than sake and no sugar or carbs.Shochu and sake are both integral components to the dining experience in Japan, but not in the way that most people in the U.S. might think.