How to drink shochu: the no-fuss guide to our koji spirits
- Aug 21, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 21
A simple guide about How to Drink Shochu: serves, mixers, garnishes & pairings
You don’t need a home bar or a PhD in fermentation to enjoy our Koji Spirits by Reed & Co Distillery. Start with simple serves and go from there. Below are our favourite ways to drink each one — plus quick mixers, garnishes, and a couple of fast cocktail builds.
If you're new to shochu and want to learn more about it, read our guide to What is Shochu? and discover how it's made, how it differs from sake and why it's becoming one of Australia's most exciting spirits.
Rice Shochu
Style: Honkaku-style Rice Shochu
Buy: Rice Shochu
What it Tastes Like
Rice Shochu offers a light, fruit-led profile with gentle floral notes.
How to Drink It
Highball (Chuhai style): Mix 45 ml Rice Shochu with cold soda in a tall glass over ice. Garnish with a lemon or yuzu slice. Try this Grapefruit Chuhai recipe.
On a Single Cube: This method is clean and cooling, perfect before dinner.
Warm Water Split (Oyuwari): Top a measure of shochu with hot water to soften the edges on cool nights.
Garnishes That Work
Lemon or yuzu peel, cucumber ribbon.
Food Pairings
Enjoy with sashimi, lightly salted snacks, or fresh salads.
Barley Shochu
Style: Honkaku-style barley shochu (limited release)
Buy: Barley Shochu
What it Tastes Like
Barley Shochu is silky and subtle, featuring melon, hints of coconut, vanilla, and cacao, with a long, soft finish.
How to Drink It
Neat or on a Single Cube: Ideal for slow sipping and enjoying the aroma.
Barley Shochu Highball: Combine 45 ml with soda over ice; garnish with grapefruit or lemon.
Passionfruit Chūhai: Follow our Passionfruit Chūhai recipe.
Old Fashioned (Riff): Try the Barley Shochu Old Fashioned recipe.
Garnishes That Work
Grapefruit peel, lemon wheel.
Food Pairings
Pairs well with grilled chicken, charcoal vegetables, and nutty desserts.
Chilli Koji
Base: Honkaku-style Barley Shochu infused with guajillo & chipotle chillies
Buy: Chilli Koji
What it Tastes Like
Chilli Koji offers warm, rich spice with a touch of smoke. It has sweet citrus and chocolate up front, followed by caramel, ginger, and gentle chilli heat, finishing with light vanilla.
How to Drink It
Highball with Ginger Beer: Mix 45 ml Chilli Koji with ginger beer over ice, adding a lime wedge for the house serve.
With Cola: A crowd-pleaser; add orange peel or mint for extra flair.
“Stormy Night” (Dark & Stormy Riff): Make it via our Chilli Koji Stormy Night recipe.
Garnishes That Work
Lime wedge, orange peel, mint, shiso.
Food Pairings
Enjoy with charcoal skewers, fried chicken, or braised meats.
Yuzushu
What it is: Rice Shochu blended with local yuzu zest & juice
Buy: Yuzushu
What it Tastes Like
Yuzushu is tart and refreshing, with balanced citrus sweetness.
How to Drink It
Over Ice: A bright aperitif option.
Yuzushu Chūhai: Mix 75 ml Yuzushu with 100 ml soda over ice; garnish with lemon. See full recipe here.
Yuzu Sour Combine Yuzushu with NEO gin and citrus for a fragrant sour.
Garnishes That Work
Lemon wheel, yuzu peel, fresh thyme.
Food Pairings
Pairs well with tempura, ceviche, and citrus-friendly desserts.
Yuzu Chuhai (RTD)
What it is: Bar-quality premixed Chuhai cocktail with local yuzu, Rice Shochu, and soda in a can
Buy: Yuzu Chuhai
What it Tastes Like
Yuzu Chuhai is a crisp, spritzy citrus highball—refreshing and sessionable.
How to Drink It
Ice-Cold from the Can: Enjoy it chilled.
Pour Over Ice: Serve in a highball glass for a refreshing experience.
Garnishes That Work
Add a lemon or yuzu wheel; a pinch of sea salt enhances the flavor.
Food Pairings
Perfect with karaage, salt-and-pepper squid, or hot chips.
Quick cheat-sheet
MIXERS
Rice Shochu: Soda, tonic, or hot water in winter
Barley Shochu: Soda, grapefruit, or passionfruit + soda
Chilli Koji: Ginger beer + lime, cola
Yuzushu: Soda, or simply over ice
Yuzu Chūhai: It’s ready to pour
Go-To Garnishes
Lemon or yuzu peel, grapefruit wheel, lime wedge, orange peel, mint, or shiso
Simple Bar Rules
Use big ice and fresh soda for longer serves.
Express citrus oils over the glass for aroma without sweetness.
In warm weather, go long with soda; in cool weather, try gentle hot-water splits with shochu.
Common questions about drinking shochu
Can you drink shochu neat?
Yes. Shochu can be enjoyed neat, particularly styles such as barley shochu that have a soft aroma and layered flavour. Serve it at room temperature or slightly chilled.
Should shochu be served cold?
Shochu can be served cold, over ice, at room temperature or with warm water. Lighter styles work well chilled or with soda, while richer styles can be enjoyable with warm water in cooler weather.
What is the best mixer for shochu?
Soda water is one of the easiest mixers for shochu. Depending on the style, tonic, grapefruit, ginger beer, cola or hot water can also work well.
Can you drink shochu with ice?
Yes. Shochu can be poured over a large ice cube or served in a tall glass with ice and soda. Using larger ice helps keep the drink cold without diluting it too quickly.
What food goes well with shochu?
Shochu works with a wide range of food. Rice shochu suits sashimi and salads, barley shochu pairs well with grilled dishes, and chilli-infused shochu works especially well with fried chicken, skewers and braised meats.
THIRSTY FOR MORE?
Want to try these styles side by side? Book a Spirit Tasting at Reed & Co. Distillery in Bright and discover the different flavours of Australian shochu.
Explore the full Koji Spirits range here, or book dinner at Koji Bird and try them in the wild!
