Lemon Sour (Remon Sawa)
The izakaya's default drink: bone-dry, fizzy, and puckery. It cuts through fried everything.
Why It Works
Kōrui shochu is clean and neutral, so the lemon does all the talking. The drink stays bone-dry, which makes it an ideal partner for salty, fatty izakaya food like karaage, karikari cheese, and grilled tofu. Keeping every component ice-cold and adding the soda last, then barely stirring, holds on to the carbonation that gives the drink its sharp, refreshing bite. Frozen lemon slices chill the drink as they melt instead of watering it down, and release more oil and juice the longer they sit.
Ingredients
- 45 ml kōrui (continuous-distilled) shochu, or 60 ml for a stronger pour. Vodka works as a substitute.
- 30 ml fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- 0–10 ml simple syrup, to taste (traditionally very dry)
- 120–150 ml very cold soda water, highly carbonated
- Lots of ice, ideally clear, large cubes or spears
- Optional: 1 frozen lemon slice or a squeezed lemon half dropped into the glass
- Optional batch shortcut: 1 whole lemon, sliced and frozen (for a "namashibori" or frozen-lemon style)
Instructions
- Chill everything: the glass, the shochu, and especially the soda. Cold ingredients keep the bubbles.
- Fill the glass to the top with ice. Stir the ice for a few seconds to chill the glass, then pour off any meltwater.
- Add the shochu, lemon juice, and syrup (if using). Stir 10–15 times to chill.
- Top up with soda water, pouring gently down the side of the glass or along a bar spoon so it doesn't foam off.
- Lift the ice once from the bottom with a bar spoon to mix. Don't stir hard or you'll lose the fizz.
- Garnish with a lemon wheel or drop in a frozen lemon slice. Serve immediately.
Tasting Journal
Where I had it: Motsuyaki Sakaba Tonbou (もつ焼き酒場 豚坊) near Ameyoko in Ueno, Tokyo, September 2026. It's listed on the drinks menu as れもん酎ハイ (lemon chuhai, ¥500) and served in a frosty house-logo jokki packed with ice and chunky lemon wedges.