chuhai

Chūhai, short for shōchū highball, is a Japanese alcoholic beverage made by diluting shōchū with carbonated water and adding fruit flavors. In contemporary markets, chūhai is most commonly encountered as ready-to-drink canned or bottled drinks.

Base and flavors: The base spirit is usually shōchū, a distilled spirit from barley, sweet potato, rice, or other ingredients. Flavorings cover a wide range: citrus flavors such as lemon, lime, grapefruit, yuzu, and orange; plus peach, grape, ume, melon, and other fruits. Some varieties use less sweeteners or sugar-free formulations.

Alcohol content and serving: ABV typically ranges from about 3% to 9%. Most mainstream cans are around 3–5% and are designed to be consumed cold as a casual beverage, often with meals or in social settings.

History and regulation: The style emerged in Japan in the mid- to late 20th century as a convenient way to enjoy shōchū with soda water. The name chūhai is commonly described as a contraction of shōchū and highball, reflecting its roots as a shōchū-based highball. Since the 1980s, mass-produced chūhai became a staple of the Japanese beverage market and has since spread to other markets through import and export.

Variations: In addition to standard citrus flavors, some brands offer non-citrus or regional flavors; there are also sugar-reduced versions and premium chūhai products.