5 Most Popular Japanese Cocktails
1. Sake Bomb
MAIN INGREDIENTS
- Sake
- Beer
Sake Bomb is a Japanese cocktail that is prepared by dropping a shot glass filled with sake into a glass of beer. Traditionally, the sake shot is balanced on two chopsticks which are placed on top of the glass of beer. The consumers should slam the table with their fists, causing the shot to drop into the beer, and the cocktail is then drunk immediately.
Although the origins of Sake Bomb are quite murky and the drink is often associated with Japan, it is also believed that the drink was actually invented by American soldiers who were occupying Japan after World War II, and that is the reason why the cocktail is much more popular in America than it is in Japan.
2. Oyuwari
MAIN INGREDIENTS
- Shochu or Japanese Whisky
Oyuwari is a traditional Japanese combination of a strong spirit and hot water. The water is usually heated in a teapot and then added to a glass with the spirit. When preparing the drink, the water should ideally be around 80ºC/175°F.
The ratio can vary, but the most common is 6:4 (six parts spirit to four parts hot water). Oyuwari stems from the ancient tradition of drinking shōchū, though many contemporary versions use whiskey. This drink is usually associated with colder seasons.
3. Tamagozake
MAIN INGREDIENTS
- Sake
- Eggs
- Sugar
The Japanese mixed drink known as Tamagozake is made with a combination of heated sake, raw egg yolks, and sugar. The name of this sweet and creamy cocktail can be translated as Egg Sake. In order to prepare the drink, raw egg yolks are whisked with sugar, then added to hot sake.
In Japan, Tamagozake is traditionally used as a remedy for the common cold, and although there is no medical proof of its efficiency, at least it keeps the consumers warm at night.
4. Chuhai
MAIN INGREDIENTS
- Shochu or Vodka
- Lemon lime soda
Chūhai is a mixed Japanese drink with fairly low alcohol content. In its original form, it was made with soda water and shōchū—Japanese spirit distilled from various ingredients such as barley, sweet potatoes, rice, or buckwheat.
Nowadays, shōchū is sometimes replaced with vodka, and the combinations usually include various types of fruit-flavored soda water, fruit juices, or syrups. The name chūhai originated as a portmanteau of the words shōchū and highball, and it is believed that the drink first appeared in izakayas in Tokyo.
5. Highball (Japan)
MAIN INGREDIENTS
- Japanese Whisky
- Soda water
- Lemon
Haibōru or Japanese highball combines Japanese whisky and soda water, and though it may sound simple, the preparation of this cocktail entails tedious steps that have been elevated almost to an art form. The best versions would use a perfectly carved cube of ice that is first stirred until frost appears on the glass.
Any excess water should be removed, and another block of ice is added before the whisky is slowly poured in the glass. The finishing touch is another block of ice, and the cocktail is then topped off with soda water. Optionally, a lemon wedge can be used as a garnish.
(sources from https://www.tasteatlas.com/most-popular-cocktails-in-japan)