What to drink in an izakaya?

ビール·Beer (bi-ru) しょうちゅう·Shochu (sho-u-chu-u) にほんしゅ·Japanese liquor (ni-ho-n-shu) うめしゅ·Plum wine (u-me -shu) ハイボール·Cocktail Highball "サワー" Sa-wa Izakaya is very popular with everyone in Japan, especially young people who like to go to izakayas to drink a glass of wine and chat with friends. This is almost It is a daily routine for Japanese people during holidays or after get off work. So, what should we drink if we come to an izakaya in Japan? Let’s take a look!

ビール·Beer (bi-ru)

"とりあえずビール!", "Anyway, let's have a glass of beer first!" This sentence is probably the most common and straightforward opening statement in an izakaya. When you don't know what to drink, let's have a glass of beer first! Japanese beer The taste is light and the alcohol content is not very high. It should be perfect as an "opening wine".

Japan’s five major beer brands are Kirin, Asahi, Sapporo, Suntory, and Yebisu. Izakaya often provide draft beer, which is domestic draft beer. Beer that has not been heated and sterilized will retain more nutrients, but the storage time is shorter, so it is also the freshest and tastes better, so it is also the most popular. popular.

After a glass of beer, you can start playing each other. There are so many varieties of alcoholic beverages in izakayas. Although I cannot list them all, I can introduce some major categories to you.

しょうちゅう·Shochu (sho-u-chu-u)

Shochu? Japanese shochu is different from brewed Japanese sake. It is a type of distilled liquor with an alcohol content of 25 It is about 100% alcohol, relatively mild, and tastes like liquor, but not as high in alcohol content.

There are many raw materials for Japanese shochu, the more common ones are taro shochu, barley shochu, rice shochu, brown sugar shochu, buckwheat shochu, etc. There are many ways to drink soju, and everyone’s preferences can be seen here.

The most popular way to drink soju is "water cutting", which means mixing soju with ice water. It will definitely give you a different and fresh taste. Others include "おyucutari", which is mixed with hot water and is more popular in winter. "そば soup cut り", this is a way of drinking that only Japanese people understand. The shochu is mixed with the soup on top, and the taste is surprisingly mild.

にほんしゅ·Japanese Sake (ni-ho-n-shu)

You may not see sake as a category on the menu of an izakaya. If you want to drink sake, look for "Japanese Sake" "That's right. Sake, as we often call it, is the largest category of Japanese wine. It is generally brewed from rice and comes from "turbid wine". Rice wine is originally turbid. After filtering, sake is produced, with a degree of about 15 degrees.

The Japanese sakes provided by ordinary izakayas generally include ginjo, junmai sake and honmaizhu. Some high-end izakayas also offer junmai ginjo, daiginjo and junmai daiginjo.

"Ginjo" is the higher quality among them. It is produced by low-temperature fermentation and has high requirements for rice whiteness; "Junmai Sake" has the next highest requirements, while "Honzozo" requires A small amount of ordinary alcohol will be mixed in, and the price is relatively cheap.

Ginjo and Daiginjo-level sake with a relatively delicate taste should not be heated, because this will evaporate the aroma of the wine; while junmai sake with a strong taste can bring out the aroma after being slightly heated. It's perfect with sashimi and grilled fish with a lighter taste.

うめしゅ·Plum wine (u-me-shu)

Plum wine is also a very special existence among Japanese wines. It is made of green plums (and plum juice), sake, It is made by burning and mixing, which is considered a kind of fruit wine. There are many types of plum wine with many flavors, such as brown sugar, black tea, green tea, etc. The taste and sweetness of each brand are also different.

Generally speaking, if the alcohol content of plum wine is not very high, you will choose to drink it directly with ice cubes (ロック). If the alcohol content is relatively high, many people will mix it with ice water (water cutter), and some people like the carbonated taste. People will choose to add soda water (ソーダcutり) to enhance the taste.

ハイボール·Cocktail Highball

There is also a cocktail that is particularly popular in izakayas, called the Highball (Highball) whiskey cocktail. The name comes from the cup that holds the wine.

In fact, the method is not complicated. Just add soda water or other carbonated drinks to the whiskey. The sour and refreshing taste will instantly capture your heart. It is a universal match for izakayas.

The most famous one among Highball is the Kakuba ハイボール which uses Suntory square bottle whiskey as the base liquor. Of course, whiskey mixed with oolong tea and whiskey mixed with green tea are common in bars. They are also popular in Japanese izakayas. Their refreshing taste has captured the hearts of many people.

There are also whiskey and ginger ale with a more Japanese feel, whiskey and peach soda, whiskey and barley tea... Each izakaya has a different exclusive wine list, so it is recommended to explore it!

「サワー」Sa-wa

Sa-wa generally refers to soju + soda water + juice. It tastes a bit like alcoholic fruit soda, with a sweet taste and a stimulating texture. , and a small amount of alcohol seem to be tailor-made for girls, it can be regarded as a kind of cocktail.

The very popular Suntory Tipsy series and the similar domestic RIO series are actually sawa.

Due to the carbonated drink-like taste of sawa, sawa and fried chicken may go better together in Japan!

If you are traveling here in Japan or going to an izakaya, you might as well learn from the editor’s suggestions! Let’s see if you like any of these drinks!