Japanese Lemon Sour (Chūhai)
.jpg){kind=link}
Fresh lemon and soda frame shochu in a dry-leaning highball; fruit yield and the chosen shochu affect the result.
Named source specification · 1 reference serve.
Glassware
Technique
Ice
Garnish
Preparation effort
Ingredients & measurements
| Ingredient | mL | US fl oz | Source measure / qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| shochu | 50 | 1.69 | 50 ml shochu |
| soda water (approximately) | 125 | 4.23 | 125 ml soda water (approximately) |
| 1/2 lemon | — | — | 1/2 lemon |
Converted equivalents are rounded for display; use one measurement system consistently. Dashes, spoonfuls, fruit counts and unspecified top-ups remain source measures. A blank equivalent does not mean zero.
How to make it
Squeeze the lemon into an ice-filled glass, add shochu and chilled soda, and lift gently to combine.
Glass: Highball. Ice: Fresh cubes unless otherwise stated. Garnish: Lemon slice, optional.
Flavor & balance
- Sour (Acidic) (dominant): Citrus contributes the principal tart edge; fruit ripeness and juice yield affect balance.
- Earthy / Herbal (supporting): Botanicals, fresh herbs or the base spirit give aromatic plant character; this is not a basic taste.
Assess sweetness, bitterness and tactile drying separately. These flavor expectations are based on recipe structure, not measured tasting scores. Actual products, ice and dilution will change the result.
Preparation & batching
Service complexity: low. Batchability: spirit components only.
- Measure and label the chosen product specification; chill appropriate glassware.
- Prepare and measure fresh fruit components for the service plan; do not assume a fruit count guarantees a juice volume.
Add carbonated ingredients at service; do not shake or store the finished fizzy drink as a still batch. Workload is an editorial assessment; no labor timing or storage validation is claimed.
Spirit & ingredient choices
Recipe notes & variations
Scaled from the source’s two-serving 100 mL shochu, approximately 250 mL soda and one lemon. The source does not settle single versus multiple distillation; neither subtype is claimed as mandatory.
For a Black Flannel variation, change one component at a time and record the selected product, proof, sweetener concentration and dilution. Compare it with this reference before naming or publishing the variation.
Sources & further reading
- Japanese Taste / Ayako Kidokoro — checked 2026-09-18. Recipe identity and published ingredient specification; editorial sensory and workload assessments are not source tasting results.