🍶 Asian spirit traditions
Baijiu, soju, shochu and awamori: distillates from rice, sorghum and sweet potato; class A shochu is under 36% vol.
Asian spirit traditions include baijiu from China, soju from Korea, and shochu and awamori from Japan. These are distillates of rice, sorghum, barley or sweet potato, usually made with koji or nuruk. Japanese law distinguishes continuously distilled shochu (under 36% ABV) from single-distilled shochu (up to 45% ABV).
Baijiu is made by solid-state fermentation of grains, mainly sorghum, with daqu, a saccharifying starter; fermentation lasts 60–90 days in clay pits. Awamori is made from rice koji of the black mould Aspergillus luchuensis, and the mash is distilled in a pot still. Black koji produces a lot of citric acid, which protects the fermentation in Okinawa's warm, humid climate.
Baijiu has four main aroma types: strong (about 70% of production), light, sauce and rice. In Korea soju comes both distilled and diluted: in 2021 the diluted kind took 40.1% of the alcohol market. In Goa, cashew feni has been an Indian GI since 2009, a double distillation of cashew apple juice.
Awamori is the GI “Ryukyu”: fermentation, distillation and bottling all take place in Okinawa. A spirit aged at least three years is called “kusu”; it is kept in jars and bottles, not in barrels.
Why it matters to you. “Soju” can be either a distillate or a diluted spirit; class A and class B shochu are different drinks; “Ryukyu” or “Awamori” is a protected name of Okinawa. Baijiu strength varies, so check the figure on the label. WHO: no safe level of alcohol exists.
Other sections of this topic: Milk-based and rare distillates; Vodka and grain spirits; Rum and sugarcane spirits; Anise spirits; Ukrainian spirit traditions; Agave: tequila and mezcal; Whisky; How spirits are made. All sections are gathered on the “Spirits” page.
Facts
| Alcohol (% vol.) | shochu: continuous distillation under 36%, single distillation up to 45% ABV |
|---|---|
| Raw material | sorghum, rice, barley, sweet potato; starter: daqu, koji, nuruk |
| Minimum maturation | “kusu”: awamori aged 3 years or more |
| Country | China, Korea, Japan, India (Goa) |
| Registered | GI “Ryukyu” (awamori); Feni: GI since 2009 |
What it includes
How it connects to Spirits
🍶 Asian spirit traditions → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Next step
- 🍷 Alcoholic fermentation, 🍷 Yeast
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving, 🍷 Alcohol dependence
- Traditions
- 🧑🤝🧑 Japanese, 🧑🤝🧑 Indians
- Part of
- 🥃 Spirits
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Chacha, 🥃 Grape rakia, 🧑🤝🧑 Mongols
Frequently asked questions
What is baijiu?
A Chinese spirit made by solid-state fermentation of grains (mainly sorghum) with daqu, followed by distillation. The main aroma types are strong, light, sauce and rice.
How does shochu differ from awamori?
Awamori is the protected name “Ryukyu” (Okinawa): only rice koji of the black mould Aspergillus luchuensis, distilled in a pot still. Under Japanese law shochu can be continuously distilled (under 36% ABV) or single-distilled (up to 45% ABV).
Is it true that soju is rice vodka?
Not always. In Korea soju is both a distilled and a diluted drink; the distilled kind is made from glutinous and ordinary rice, barley, wheat, sorghum, maize or sweet potato, while the diluted kind dominates the market.
How many aroma types does baijiu have?
A review in Food Chemistry: X (2023) names four main types: strong, light, sauce and rice; the strong type makes up about 70% of production.
Is it true that awamori is aged in barrels like whisky?
No. Under the NTA specification “Ryukyu” is kept in jars and bottles; a spirit aged at least three years is called “kusu”.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Alcoholic fermentation — Yeast eats the sugar in the must and releases alcohol and carbon dioxide.
- 🍷 Yeast — Microscopic fungi that turn sugar into alcohol and gas.
- 🥃 Grape rakia — Balkan grape spirit: Bulgarian grozdova from wine, loza and lozovača, komovica from pomace; from 37.5% vol., grozdova from 40%.
- 🧑🤝🧑 Indians — The people of India in South Asia, the world’s largest milk producer; dahi, ghee and paneer are everyday foods, and a mixture of milk, yoghurt and ghee is offered to the gods in Hindu rituals.
Similar
🥛 Milk-based and rare distillates · 🥃 Ukrainian spirit traditions · 🌾 Vodka and grain spirits · 🌱 Caraway spirits and aquavit · 🍯 Honey spirit drinks · 🌿 Bitters and bitter spirits
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- National Tax Agency of Japan: product specification of the GI “Ryukyu” (awamori)
- Liquor Tax Act (酒税法), Japan, Art. 3 items 9–10 (continuous- and single-distilled shochu)
- Food Chemistry: X (2023): review of the flavour of baijiu and other distilled liquors (PMC10739939)
- Frontiers in Microbiology (2018): microbial community of strong-flavor baijiu, review (PMC5900010)
- Foods (2024): aroma of soju, baijiu and shochu compared (PMC11545747)
- University of Warwick CSGR: Rangnekar, Protecting Feni (slides on the Feni GI, Goa)