Cold-Water Mix
Whether you are a shochu novice or a shochu connoisseur, mizuwari (water mix) is always a great way to drink shochu. Serving shochu this way is great for those who want a milder drink, but don’t want to compromise the flavor and aroma of the shochu. Though any type of shochu can be used, mugi (wheat) and awamori are the favorites.
As with the other serving styles, preparing a cold-water mix shochu is very simple and straight-foward. Of course, there is the simple way (pouring some shochu in a glass and filling it up under the tap) and there is the proper way.
When preparing a cold-water mix, there is nothing wrong with using tap water, as long as it is soft and lacks the chemicals that many municipalities add. Simply put, it is best to use soft, high quality water, which will help preserve the shochu's true taste.
For optimal flavor, the shochu and water should be at the same temperature at the time of mixing. One option is to leave both the shochu and water at room temperature, and
either serve at room temperature or add ice prior to serving. Keep in mind though, ice means more water so it may be a good idea to reduce the amount of water initially used.
The other option is to place both the water and shochu into a refrigerator.This is a very simple way to ensure that both remain at the same temperature--plus it is an easy way to control serving temperature. The best advice is to always keep a fresh bottle of water stowed away in the fridge; when you intend to drink from a particular bottle of shochu, place it in the refrigerator until it is chilled; then mix and serve.
The amount of shochu will almost always exceed the amount of water in mizuwari shochu. The most common mixture ratio is 3:2 shochu to water. If a milder drink is desired, use a 1:1 mix. Of course, the amount of water used to ultimately depends on consumer preference. Take care not to add too much water to the shochu. The idea of a cold-water mix is to create a beverage that is easy to drink but still retains the aroma and flavor of shochu. If too much water is added, all of the unique characteristics of the shochu will be diluted, in other words, flavorless.
Putting together a cold-water mix shochu is a simple 1, 2 procedure. First, pour shochu into the glass and then add water. It is as easy as that.
