Inja Shōchū - Home distilling Imo/Sweet potato & other Shōchū by Facter

[Facter]

Inja Shōchū Home distilling Imo Sweet potato & other Shōchū by Facter (2).pdf

(558.36 KiB) Downloaded 964 times

Hi all, long long long time reader but never really a post-er.

For quite some time now, Ive been down the shochu rabbit hole. I exclusively make Shochu, Soju and baijiu spirits ... It's been a hell of a journey, and one that at times made me sit back and go "this is impossible", but I guess they're the spirits I love the most and never gave up.

I give huge kudos to all the people in this forum that have experimented with this style, or rice and aspergillosis based stuff, when I first started out I crawled through here and tried everything I saw. .mostly angel Yellow based stuff, and although they tasted pretty great and I enjoyed them a buttload they just weren't ... "Shochu". So I delved. And delved. And translated. And failed. And failed ...ohh, and failed (hello ninjin/carrot shochu ..ugh). I also had a lot of help along the way, and really want to thank a guy called FissionC in the last year for bouncing a heap of ideas and knowledge around.

I've now made in excess of about 50 batches or shochu, probably two a week, usually 5 fermenters on the go ... and I can safely say that I enjoy drinking my stuff now just as much as that out if the collection of bottles I own, sometimes even more. I've tried so many different styles, and keep honing the ones I love.

So, I wrote a document about it, and it turned into a bit of a monster, but hey, I really wish I had all this info when I first started, so here you go mates

I'm a bit shy? Wary? in posting this here, because so many here are so much better and have so much more distilling experience than me, but I did it for everyone that loves this drink, is curious and who really want.to get an authentic shochu flavour. This document is a beta, so if you spot stuff that's wrong or just feels not right, let me know. If you have questions, just ask. I want feedback, and grilling, and ideas and to add anything that's missing or confusing.

Mainly this was done for the Koji wiki and a version will always love there, but the source of truth document is here - I'm always updated it and correcting it, it's a living document.

Anyways, here's the link to the always most recent version, and ice also attached a PDF that I'll update sometimes -

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ggy ... p=drivesdk

I'm currently working on Soju, baijiu and Vietnamese corn whiskey documents too ... So if this is interesting to you, keep an eye out in the future for those

Excited and nervous to hear your thoughts, kanpai, yo!

[jonnys_spirit]

Would you mind uploading a PDF of that document or posting the info into the thread please?

Some folks may not want to click on an external google docs link that could potentially reveal their personal information.

Appreciate it!
-jonny

[lest1]

Inja Shōchū Home distilling Imo Sweet potato & other Shōchū by Facter.pdf

(558.36 KiB) Downloaded 253 times

[Facter]

Ahhh, apologies! I hadn't even thought of that, only to share the most up to date version of it. Tho rest assured it's a read only link, I have no idea who clicks on it, and if I can I have no idea how to find out haha.

Cheers Lest1 for adding the pdf - it seems that your PDF had cut off half of the Koji whiskey appendix tho? might wanna check and re convert, or I can add one ...okay I updated my original post and added it

[Facter]

Inja Shōchū Home distilling Imo Sweet potato & other Shōchū by Facter (2).pdfHi all, long long long time reader but never really a post-er.

For quite some time now, Ive been down the shochu rabbit hole. I exclusively make Shochu, Soju and baijiu spirits ... It's been a hell of a journey, and one that at times made me sit back and go "this is impossible", but I guess they're the spirits I love the most and never gave up.

I give huge kudos to all the people in this forum that have experimented with this style, or rice and aspergillosis based stuff, when I first started out I crawled through here and tried everything I saw. .mostly angel Yellow based stuff, and although they tasted pretty great and I enjoyed them a buttload they just weren't ... "Shochu". So I delved. And delved. And translated. And failed. And failed ...ohh, and failed (hello ninjin/carrot shochu ..ugh). I also had a lot of help along the way, and really want to thank a guy called FissionC in the last year for bouncing a heap of ideas and knowledge around.

I've now made in excess of about 50 batches or shochu, probably two a week, usually 5 fermenters on the go ... and I can safely say that I enjoy drinking my stuff now just as much as that out if the collection of bottles I own, sometimes even more. I've tried so many different styles, and keep honing the ones I love.

So, I wrote a document about it, and it turned into a bit of a monster, but hey, I really wish I had all this info when I first started, so here you go mates

I'm a bit shy? Wary? in posting this here, because so many here are so much better and have so much more distilling experience than me, but I did it for everyone that loves this drink, is curious and who really want.to get an authentic shochu flavour. This document is a beta, so if you spot stuff that's wrong or just feels not right, let me know. If you have questions, just ask. I want feedback, and grilling, and ideas and to add anything that's missing or confusing.

Mainly this was done for the Koji wiki and a version will always love there, but the source of truth document is here - I'm always updated it and correcting it, it's a living document.

Anyways, here's the link to the always most recent version, and ice also attached a PDF that I'll update sometimes -

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ggy ... p=drivesdk

I'm currently working on Soju, baijiu and Vietnamese corn whiskey documents too ... So if this is interesting to you, keep an eye out in the future for those

Excited and nervous to hear your thoughts, kanpai, yo!

[contrahead]

Excited and nervous to hear your thoughts, kanpai, yo!

Congratulations. It looks like you've put a lot of time and effort into this paper. I have only skimmed through it, but will sit down and examine it more carefully when time permits.

I have a couple suggestions for improvement that might help. But I am in no position to be a critic. I am a novice at the printing and publishing enterprise myself. I find word-processors to be complex and aggravating.

First off, there is a lot of empty space in your text. The intro for example (why is it named “Introduction 2” ?) has tiny fonts, and lots of wasted space. You could compress all that information into one page's worth, by judicious use of font choice and line spacing. Your document contains 32 pages but you could easily reduce that size to 60 or 70%. Less paper, less bulk, more concise.

I notice that the only font you use is a Sans-Serif font named Arial MT. If that is your preference – then fine. But you could mix things up a little, by choosing different fonts for the headings and footnotes and such.

The images in the three Appendices are too small; being locked in a PDF, they do not enlarge or expand as they might in a more dynamic format like HTML. So they need to be enlarged to fill the PDF page.
.

The image attached was yanked out of a chapter intended for a printed book, with the intended dimensions of 5.5” x 8”. (What you get when you print to both sides of a standard sheet (8.5 x 11) of typewriter paper and then fold in half - 4 pages per sheet of paper). The first paragraph uses “Calibri 11” – a Sans Serif font. The second paragraph uses (a regular “Sans” font) New Times Roman 11.

Not saying that this denser text is the best route to choose for your future publications; just presenting alternatives. For me, too much empty space on a page of text, gives the work an “airy” languorous feel.

Keep up the good work!

[MooseMan]

Hi Facter

Wow, you really have put a huge amount of work into this!
I've just downloaded the PDF and I'll be keeping a close eye on any developments, so a big thank you from me!

Or should I say - domo arigato gozaimasu!

I'm not intending to make these type of spirits at the moment, but once my distilling skill improves and my hobby time increases in a few years, I definitely will be and your document will help big time.

I got really into hot sake to accompany Asian food after a work trip to Japan in 2003, so that will be the first thing I want to try making a decent version of.

[nhannath]

Hi Facter.

Great read - Did you ever get anything together for soju ?

Thanks

Neal

[stillkaren]

I did find a guide on how to make classic soju on https://www.hallyuwaves.com/blog/how-to ... olic-drink The guide goes over the ingredients and step-by-step process for making soju at home. It was interesting to read since I have good memories of drinking soju in South Korea. When I visited South Korea a few years ago, my tour guide from https://gowithguide.com/korea brought me to a traditional soju class and Makgeolli tasting in Seoul. It was a really fun experience learning about Korean alcoholic drinks from locals.

[Facter]

Hi all - unfortunately I can't edit the existing post! But I have a new version updated for this for how to make your own shochu, please find it attached.

Re: soju post above..alas that recipe isn't actually soju, it doesn't even have anything (like nuruk) yo convert the rice so it won't even ferment - the good news is that after a long while I am almost ready to post my Soju guide keep an eye out for it soon

[contrahead]

Great job.

I'm gonna go down to the local liquor store this afternoon and look for a bottle of Honkaki Shochu. Like many westerners, I am ignorant (so far) of eastern distilled spirits. If you ask anyone in an oriental supermarket for some koji mold – you are met with a blank stare.

Jumping down to page 9 of you document, I notice that you mention “black” koji. (Which I took to mean - Aspergillus niger, which it is not). Apparently 'Aspergillus' covers well over 800 species of flouring molds – (which are NOT yeasts – but in response to an old argument - make alcohol anyway).
Anyhow Aspergillus niger, is notable for several reasons. It's the black mold one sees sometimes on vegetables like onions. The species has contaminated the ISS (International Space Station) and they haven't figured out how to get rid of it. Also A. niger is one of the fungal species that appears to be attracted to, consuming and metabolizing the radiation still pouring out of the Chernobyl disaster.

I thought that A. niger was responsible for staining some rickhouses. But that black mold is caused by Baudoninia compniacensis. A genus (Baudoninia) created on 2007? for this solitary fungus (but now the genus contains 4 more reclassified members). Named after a French pharmacist in Cognac, France that first noticed it in 1872.

It is astounding to me that so much alcohol vapor should escape its container – as to cause a whiskey fungus blight.

Heading to town for that bottle of Honkaki Shochu now.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baudoinia_compniacensis
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/01/us/w ... essee.html

[Facter]

Hey mate I probably need to add the scientific names in then!

Black koji is actually aspergillus luchuensis it's companion, white Koji, is aspergillus kawachii, and yellow Koji, the type typically used for sake, is oryzae.
.
I'll update the doc to be clearer! If you want Koji, you can get packets of black from thejapanstore (kawashimaya), they can deliver black Koji spore internationally

[contrahead]

Well, I've got a little confession to make. I went to that liquor store last Wednesday, but was disappointed.

This liquor store is one of a chain, of 8 or 9 owned by the same family, in this state. All their stores are large and considered well stocked with options. For example, one can select from 25 – 30 brands of Scotch or Irish whiskeys and maybe 60 American whiskeys (includes traditional bourbons, rye s and new micro-distillery upstarts). Then there is a very broad selection of gins, vodkas, rums, tequilas, wines and beers.

What they don't have is any Shochu; of any kind. Nor do they sell any type of Asian “distilled spirit”. Shamefull. They did have 7 or 8 Japanese sake s or plum wines. I bought a bottle of this for giggles. It's a bit sweet, but not bad. It's similar to a sherry or maderia.

My options are to order by mail, go abroad, or travel to a big ugly city, in order to broaden my pallet on his issue.
https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2021 ... n-spirits/

[contrahead]

viewtopic.php?p=7790495#p7790495
(inserted for future cross reference).

[Facter]

Well, I've got a little confession to make. I went to that liquor store last Wednesday, but was disappointed.

This liquor store is one of a chain, of 8 or 9 owned by the same family, in this state. All their stores are large and considered well stocked with options. For example, one can select from 25 – 30 brands of Scotch or Irish whiskeys and maybe 60 American whiskeys (includes traditional bourbons, rye s and new micro-distillery upstarts). Then there is a very broad selection of gins, vodkas, rums, tequilas, wines and beers.

What they don't have is any Shochu; of any kind. Nor do they sell any type of Asian “distilled spirit”. Shamefull. They did have 7 or 8 Japanese sake s or plum wines. I bought a bottle of this for giggles. It's a bit sweet, but not bad. It's similar to a sherry or maderia.
Koshu+Plum2.jpg

My options are to order by mail, go abroad, or travel to a big ugly city, in order to broaden my pallet on his issue.
https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2021 ... n-spirits/

I get most of mine online, and it is perfectly fine. Here is a list for you of places that are reputable that you can order online from around the world. Im so jealous of other places where they can get so many things I have yet to try haha

USA:

Umami Mart https://umamimart.com/collections/sake- ... its-shochu
Honkaku spirits https://www.shop.honkakuspirits.com/

Europe:
https://dekanta.com/product-category/ex ... ts/shochu/
https://dekanta.com/product-category/ex ... s/awamori/

Australia:


Sake Online https://sakeonline.com.au/collections/shochu
Just Liquor https://justliquor.com.au/70-shochu
Sake Ichiban https://sakeichiban.com.au/collections/shochu
Oak Barrel https://oakbarrel.com.au/sake/shochu/
JFC online https://mel.jfconline.com.au/collections/shochu-1

[quadra]

A related reference with regard to the identification and naming of the " whisky mold " for Contrahead and others:
https://www.wired.com/2011/05/ff-angelsshare/

[contrahead]

A related reference with regard to the identification and naming of the " whisky mold " for Contrahead and others:
https://www.wired.com/2011/05/ff-angelsshare/

Good read. Baudoinia, compniacensis (or Baudoin's fungus from Cognac); except when something new comes along and looks a bit different under a microscope. And it will.

This WIRED article ran about thirteen years ago, and unfortunately most of it's external links are dead. But that's the way the Internet is .. link rot is a continual phenomenon. (The average web page has a lifespan of about 120 weeks). Two millennia ago the Library of Alexandra was a superior repository.

The Library of Alexandria was a very prestigious institution for 3 centuries; before the Romans accidentally burned it down. There were some very bright people walking around that Ptolemaic city back then. It is implied in the story that the alchemist- Maria the Jewess was partially responsible for the design of the common pot still. Recently, researching the topic of steam I have come to appreciate contributions made by several other Hellenistic scholars; like Ctesibius of Alexandria, Heron of Alexandria, Archimedes of Syracuse and Eratosthenes of Cyrene.

.....Ctesibius is still called “the father of pneumatics” today. The mathematician also invented the pressure piston pump, “hydraulis” and improved “clepsydra”.
.....Hero (or Heron) of Alexandria (mathematician, physicist & engineer) left us with the “aeoliple” and a wind driven hydraulis.
.....Archimedes of Syracuse is considered one of, if not the greatest mathematician in history. His rich father in the Greek colony of Syracuse, Sicily – sent Archimedes to Alexandria, to get a formal education. He (describing fulcrums and levers) is the one who said: "Give me a place to stand and I will move the earth". On another occasion (determining if a gold crown was fake) he jumped out of a bathtub and went running down the street naked, yelling “eureka”, (“I’ve found it!”).
.....Eratosthenes of Cyrene (276 -194 BC) calculated the Earth's axial tilt and the circumference of the Earth; both to a remarkable degree of accuracy; by measuring shadows.

When the Library of Alexandria burned down in 48 BC, most but not all of the ancient knowledge was lost. A large percentage of an estimated 400,000 scrolls were forever lost. Still, that 3 centuries of archival accumulation outlast today's typical web-page (120 weeks) or any other form of digital storage. Talk to any archival administrator at a museum like the Smithsonian; ask about the long term viability of digital media storage.