Weekend Delight: Exploring the Tastes of Sake and Shochu with Complementary Cuisine
Exploring the World of Sake and Shochu: A Tasting Event in Los Angeles
A unique opportunity is coming up for liquor enthusiasts in Los Angeles. On a special evening, a presentation about sake and shochu is scheduled to take place at a newly-opened Salon on the 5th floor of Hollywood & Highland.
The event promises to be an exciting journey through the world of Japanese beverages, featuring eight prominent breweries from Japan showcasing over 20 different sake and shochu brands. Appetizers will be served, featuring locally sourced uni, providing the perfect pairing for these distinctive drinks.
For those unfamiliar, sake is a Japanese beverage brewed from rice and comes in various flavor profiles, including sweet, dry, crisp, and smooth. It can be enjoyed hot or cold. Shochu, on the other hand, is a traditional Japanese distilled liquor that is uniquely characterized by its distillation method, raw materials, and flavor profile.
Shochu is distilled, meaning the alcohol is concentrated by heating and separating alcohol vapors from the fermented mash. This process gives shochu its distinct taste and higher alcohol content, usually around 25% ABV. In contrast, sake is brewed through fermentation without distillation, similar to beer or wine.
There are two main classifications of shochu: pot-distilled shochu (honkaku shochu) and column-distilled shochu. Honkaku shochu is single-distilled, preserving the flavors of traditional ingredients such as sweet potato, barley, rice, brown sugar, and buckwheat. This type allows a wide variety of flavor profiles depending on the base material. Column-distilled shochu, made by continuous distillation, usually from molasses or mixed grains, results in a more neutral spirit similar to vodka.
The event is open to guests aged 21 or older, and registration for the event is now closed. Despite shochu's relative obscurity in the US, it is deeply appreciated in Japan, making this a rare chance to experience this unique liquor culture. So, mark your calendars for an evening of sake and shochu tasting in the heart of Los Angeles.
Attendees can expect a taste of Japanese lifestyle as they explore the art of sake and shochu during the upcoming tasting event, featuring food-and-drink pairings that highlight locally sourced uni. The evening will offer entertainment through presentations about the distinct brewing and distilling processes of these traditional Japanese beverages.
