SHOCHU.PRO
The Science of Japan’s Indigenous Single-Distilled Spirits
0 g
Sugar & Carbs
0 mg
Purines (Gout-Safe)
2.1x
Blood Clot Dissolution Activity
Build Your Night: Calorie Comparison
Add everything you typically drink in an evening to calculate your true total vs. swapping to shochu/awamori.
How to Order & Enjoy
Because shochu and awamori are pot-distilled once, their rich grain and botanical aromas shine through across different temperatures and dilutions:
Roku (On the Rocks)
Poured over ice. Ideal for sweet potato (imo) or barley (mugi) varieties to open up subtle earthy notes as it melts.
Shochu Highball (Club Soda)
Topped with crisp sparkling water and a lemon twist. Zero sugar, ultra-refreshing, and the ultimate clean alternative to beer.
Oyuwari (Hot Water)
Mixed with warm water (60:40 spirit to water ratio). Hot water is poured first to create a natural thermal convection that releases volatile aromas.
Mizuwari (Cold Water)
Cut with soft, chilled spring water. Softens the proof to around 12–15% ABV, making it perfect for pairing throughout a full meal.
1. Single Distillation vs. Sugar Removal
Traditional shochu and awamori are pot-distilled exactly once. This retains original ingredient character while ensuring that all fermentable sugars and carbohydrates are completely removed during distillation, yielding a 100% sugar-free, carb-free spirit that tastes like what it’s made from.
2. Zero Additives, By Law
Unlike many commercial spirits and mixers that rely on added sugars, artificial flavorings, or colorings to smooth out their profile, Japanese law strictly forbids any additives in single-distilled honkaku shochu and awamori. It is a completely unadulterated spirit—just distilled grain, water, and traditional fermentation.
3. Fibrinolytic Activity (Blood Clot Dissolution)
Medical research led by Dr. Hiroyuki Sumi demonstrated that aroma compounds in shochu stimulate the body’s secretion of urokinase-like plasminogen activator (u-PA). This enzyme converts plasminogen into plasmin, which actively dissolves intravascular blood clots. In controlled human trials, shochu increased plasma clot-busting activity 2.1x over baseline controls.
Peer-Reviewed References & Citations
- Sumi, H., Hamada, H., Tsushima, H., & Mihara, H. (1988). Urokinase-like plasminogen activator increased in plasma after alcohol drinking. Alcohol & Alcoholism, 23(1), 33–43.
- Sumi, H., & Maruyama, M. (1990). Fibrinolytic and anticoagulative activities of Awamori spirit. Journal of the Brewing Society of Japan, 85(10), 737–742. (Isolates the specific volatile aroma compounds unique to long-fermented Okinawa Awamori).
- Sumi, H., Maruyama, M., Tsushima, H., & Mihara, H. (1985). Urokinase-like plasma fibrinolytic enzyme induced by Shochu drinking. Blood & Vessel, 16(2), 223–226.