Sake drinking method is more delicate, Japanese people are very particular about drinking sake, traditionally it is cold sake from March 3 to September 9 of the lunar calendar; in autumn and winter, when the weather is colder, it is served hot: the sake is put into boiling water with the bottle, and gradually heated up, there are the sake that is warm enough not to be scalding hot, slightly hot, hot just right, and the hot sake. The temperature of the non-scalding sake is about 40℃, while the hot sake is 55℃, which is conveniently controlled by a hot sake thermometer.

Shochu is drunk by mixing it with hot water or made into cocktails with ice cubes, soda water, and so on. Most shochu cocktails are sweet except for oolong tea with shochu, and many people like to add a dried plum when drinking shochu with hot water.

Difference 2: Difference in alcohol content

Sake is relatively low in alcohol content, and according to Japanese tax law, the alcohol content of sake cannot exceed 22%. Generally common sake is basically between 12% and 18%. Because the specific gravity of alcohol is less than that of distilled water, the more alcohol there is, the less specific gravity the sake has, and the higher the degree of its sake. Sake with a lighter, sweeter flavor, on the other hand, contains less alcohol, so the lower the sake degree.

The alcohol content of shochu is limited to 36 degrees for Type A shochu and 45 degrees for Type B shochu, according to Japan's tax law. However, with the exception of Awamori, general shochu products concentrate on a level of about 27-34 degrees.

Difference 3: Difference in brewing process

Sake is a liquor made by fermentation and filtration of rice under the action of sake brews, and is transparent in color and has a low alcohol content. Japanese sake is categorized according to the different ratios of refined rice, brown rice and curdled rice used, as well as the length of fermentation. The best category of sake is Daiginjo, which uses more than 50% brown rice and is fermented for a long time.

Shochu can be further divided into honshu (Type B shochu) and Type A shochu. Type B shochu is made entirely from grain, generally using a single variety of starch such as sweet potato, potato, chestnut, barley, buckwheat, etc. It is fermented twice and distilled and then diluted appropriately to make a clear shochu. Compared to sake, it has a stronger flavor and lower sugar content.