If you have perused the Shochu 101 page, there might be some idea of the ingredients that can be used to make shochu, Japan’s national alcohol beverage. This Japanese distilled beverage can be legally made from about 50 different base ingredients. The “standards” listed below are the most commonly found in the US market and we have also included the entire list of unique ingredients that can be used to creerage can be legally made from about 50 different base ingredients. The “standards” listed below are the most commonly found in the US market and we have also included the entire list of unique ingredients that can be used to create shochu.

The Standards

There are over 40 different types of sweet potatoes that are commonly used to make shochu. They can be divided by color: yellow, white, orange, purple and each have characteristics unique their variety.

Sweet Potato (Potatoes)

The main type of barley used for shochu production is two-row barley (also used in making beer and whisky). Two-row barley is the preferred variety due to its large kernels, high starch content, and low protein levels.

Barley

producing shochu with buckwheat began in the 1970's in Miyazaki prefecture and now commonly used in Miyazaki and Nagano prefecture.

Buckwheat

Under Japanese law, brown sugar shochu can only come from the Amami Islands of Kagoshima Prefecture.

Brown Sugar/Kokuto (Sugar)

There are mainly two types of rice used in shochu-making: short grain japonica (like in sake production) rice and long grain indica rice (used for awamori).

Rice

Byproduct from sake-making (therefore made from rice).

Sake Lees

The Unconventional

Assorted bowls filled with different types of nuts, seeds, and grains on a dark wooden surface.

- Acorn
- Azuki Beans
- Chestnut
- Dwarf Chestnut
- Dates
- Ginko Nuts
- Horse Chestnuts
- Peanuts
- Plum Seeds
- Sesame Seeds
- Sunflower
- Water Chestnuts