Soju Alcohol Guide: 6 Popular Soju Cocktails

Soju (also called shochu) is a clear, distilled Korean liquor made from rice or other starches like sweet potato or tapioca. Though it means “burnt liquor”—in reference to the high-heat distillation during the production process—soju has a mild flavor similar to vodka, making it easy to incorporate into cocktails or drink on its own. Premium soju has a lighter taste and sometimes a higher alcohol content than less-premium soju. Soju ranges in alcohol content depending on its ingredients and fermentation time, with variations similar to wine (at about fifteen percent alcohol by volume, or ABV) and hard liquor (at about fifty percent ABV).

Often sold in a green bottle and served in a shot glass, mild-tasting soju is a cornerstone of drinking culture in South Korea. Diners at Korean food restaurants often share a bottle of soju at their tables, with guests serving one another as they enjoy the meal.

While many compare its flavor to vodka, soju has a lower alcohol content and sweeter taste. However, this Korean alcoholic beverage’s flavor often depends on the type of starch used to make the batch. For instance, rice soju will taste dry, and sweet potato soju will be sweeter. Regardless of its ingredients, the neutral flavor of this alcoholic drink makes it a popular palate cleanser between courses at dinner parties or Korean restaurants.

Initially rice-based, soju rose to popularity in the thirteenth century, when the Mongols brought distilling practices to Korea. Other starches, like sweet potato and barley, have since become popular bases for sojus, but the production process remains the same regardless of the ingredients.

• Prepare the starch. Rice was the original base of traditional soju, but the South Korean government outlawed its use in liquor production in the 1960s (around the time of the Korean War) due to rice shortages. Rice became legal for soju-making again in the 1990s, but since the shortages, distilleries have begun to use sweet potato and tapioca to make soju and rice. Once the distillers harvest the starch, they mash it up to release its sugars, preparing it for fermentation.
• Ferment the mash. Next, the mashed-up starch ferments for ten to fifteen days, transforming the mash's sugar and yeast into alcohol.
• Distill the alcohol. With the starch mixture sufficiently fermented, distillers cook it at a very high temperature to distill the alcohol from other liquids and gasses.
• Add flavors and bottle. Soju distillers add flavors and water to dilute the final product and make it ready to drink. Dilution is especially common with less-premium soju brands.

Korean soju and Japanese sake are mild-tasting, rice-based beverages served at room temperature. Despite these similarities, they have several differences, including:

• Country of origin: Soju is a Korean beverage, and sake originated in Japan.
• Production process: The production process for soju involves distilling fermented grains into a spirit. Conversely, the brewing process for sake simply involves fermenting grains of rice without the extra step of distilling. Sake has a lower alcohol content than soju because it does not undergo distillation.
• Ingredients: Producers make rice wine like sake from fermented rice grains, and while classic soju is also a rice-based liquor, many distillers use sweet potato, tapioca, barley, and wheat in their alcohol mash.
• Taste: Sake has a far more dry taste than soju, which is often a little sweeter.

Due to its neutral taste, soju is easy to incorporate into an array of popular cocktails. Try making one of these popular soju cocktails if you want to start drinking soju but don’t know where to start.

1. 1. Soju Mule: Mix up an Asian-inspired twist on a Moscow Mule by swapping the typical vodka in this ginger beer–based soju cocktail. Add homemade pickled ginger to your soju-based Moscow Mule as a garnish.
2. 2. Soju Mojito: Muddle some mint and citrus (try yuzu juice as a substitute for lime juice), and swap the typical mild white rum for soju to make a Korean Mojito.
3. 3. Soju Greyhound: Swap the vodka in a classic Greyhound for soju because this mildly sweet spirit pairs perfectly with tangy, slightly bitter grapefruit juice.
4. 4. Somaek: Often served in Korean bars, this beer cocktail combines soju and beer, similar to a sake bomb. The name is a combination of “soju” and “maekju” (the Korean word for “beer”).
5. 5. Subak Soju: With a name that translates to “watermelon soju,” this flavorful cocktail features watermelon juice, lemon-lime soda, and soju. Many restaurants serve this cocktail in a hollowed-out watermelon.
6. 6. Yogurt Soju cocktail: Contrary to the name, this cocktail doesn’t contain yogurt: It is a mixture of a sweet Japanese yogurt-based probiotic drink and soju.

Learn more about mixology from award-winning bartenders Lynnette Marrero and Ryan Chetiyawardana. Refine your palate, explore the world of spirits, and shake up the perfect cocktail for your next gathering with the MasterClass Annual Membership.