We present you 10 popular Japanese cocktails served in japanese bars izakaya ! These cocktails are also consumed during some events such as the new year in Japan or during Japanese festivals called “matsuri”.
- 1- Japanese Whisky Highball “Haibōru” ハイボール
- 2- ChuHai チューハイ
- 3- Matcha-hai or matcha Higball 抹茶ハイ
- 4. Sake Bomb
- 5. Tamagozake 卵酒
- 6. The Kamikaze 神風
- 7. Calpis Sour Chuhai
- 8. Umetini
- 9. Umeshu Mojito
- 10. Red eye
1- Japanese highball whisky “Haibōru” ハイボール
Highballs are basically spirits mixed with soda and can be found all over the world. But what makes the Japanese highball unique is its use of japanese whisky and the way Japanese bartenders prepare this cocktail.
Indeed, it involves very rigorous steps that have almost been elevated to an art form.
The best bartenders use a cube of raw ice that they carve with a precision that demonstrates great mastery. The gesture is sure and the performance truly impressive.
Ingredients:
Whisky Japanese
Sparkling Water
ICE BLOCK
Lemon Zest
2- ChuHai チューハイ
Chuhai is a Japanese cocktail with little alcohol but very popular in izakaya. It is a combination of the words“shochu” and“highball“.
Indeed, this Japanese cocktail is originally made with shochu (a Japanese liquor made from rice, barley, sweet potatoes, buckwheat or brown sugar) and carbonated water.
In Chuhai you will always have the same amount of shochu and fruit juice.
Nowadays, shochu is sometimes replaced by vodka to make a stronger cocktail, and combinations usually include various types of carbonated water flavored with lemon juice, lemonade or syrups yuzu or syrups.
Ingredients:
Shochu
Fruit juice
Sparkling Water
Ice
3- Matcha-hai or matcha Higball 抹茶ハイ
The matcha hai or matcha highball is the perfect union between two drinks that the Japanese love: matcha green tea and Japanese whiskey.
This delicious cocktail was inevitable! It’s an original and very refreshing drink.
Ingredients:
Whisky Japanese
fresh lemon juice
Sparkling Water
Honey
Green Tea
matcha
4. Sake Bomb
Sake bomb is believed to have originated from American soldiers occupying Japan in the 1940s. The drink has since become ubiquitous in bars and parties, probably because it’s fun!
Indeed, you have to put a small glass of sake on top of a beer pint balanced on japanese chopsticks.
Then you have to tap the table with your fist to make the small glass of sake fall into the beer. You have to drink it immediately.
Before drinking, we shout : 1,2,3 saké bomb ! In Japanese it would be: “ichi, ni, san, saké bomb!
The ingredients:
Sake
Japanese Beer
5. The Tamagozake 卵酒
Tamagozake is a cocktail that would translate to“egg sake“. It is a sweet, warm and rather creamy cocktail. To make this cocktail, raw egg yolks are beaten with sugar, then added to hot sake.
In Japan, tamagozake was traditionally used as a remedy for the common cold, and although there is no medical evidence of its effectiveness, at least it kept consumers warm at night.
Compared to other cocktails on this list, tamagozake is a very nutritious Japanese cocktail.
Ingredients:
Hot Sake
Eggs
Sugar
6. The Kamikaze 神風
Kamikaze, which means divine wind in Japanese, is made with equal parts vodka, triple sec (orange liqueur) and freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice.
It is often served as an aperitif, straight from a cocktail glass, usually with a slice of lemon.
Ingredients:
Vodka
Triple sec
Lemon juice
and lemon slice
7. Calpis Sour Chuhai
Calpis Sour Chuhai is a variation of the regular chu-hai. It is a cocktail for those who like the milky drink of the brand Calpis. It is basically shochu with Calpis, a popular Japanese soft drink.
Ingredients:
Calpis
Shochu
Ice
8. Umetini
A Japanese touch to the classic martini. This cocktail uses umeshu, a Japanese plum liqueur. Theumeshu is a sweet and sour spirit that is an excellent substitute for the vermouth with which martinis are usually made.
Ingredients:
Umeshu
Gin
Cranberry Juice
(optional)
Ume
(optional)
9. Umeshu Mojito
The umeshu mojito is a fruity and tropical explosion that will delight your taste buds. L’umeshu adds a fruity taste to the cocktail.
This Japanese variant of the mojito is really refreshing. With Yuzu it’s even better!
Ingredients:
Umeshu
mint leaves
Sugar
brown
Lemon wedges
Water
carbonated
Ice
10. Red eye
The red eye is a cocktail made with beer, tomato juice and salt, surprisingly common in Japanese bars and izakaya.
This is a light drink, perfect for a sunny lunch. If you’re looking for something with more punch, you can also add a shot of vodka.
Ingredients:
Light Japanese beer
Tomato Juice
Refrigerated
Vodka
(optional)
Salt
Whisky highball, Chu-hai and matcha-hai also exist in can version, you can find them in Japan in supermarkets and also in beverage dispensers.
Of all these cocktails, our preference goes to the umeshu mojito with Yuzu. It’s fresh, fragrant and not too strong! And yours?
