Sparkly Pear Chuhai: Easy New Year’s Cocktail Recipe

This year, why not try something new and switch up your traditional glass of champagne on New Year’s Eve?

Sparkly Pear Chuhai is a festive and seasonal highball cocktail, perfect for ringing in the New Year. Made with Asian pears, sparkling water, and shochu, this easy-to-prepare drink offers a refreshing twist on the classic bar staple.

This blog post will provide you with tips and guide you through the simple recipe!

If you love easy, simple cocktails, try our Sujeonggwa Shochu Punch or 3-Ingredient Yogurt Soju!

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Table of Contents

What is a Chuhai?

The term “chuhai” is a shorthand for “shochu highball.” Chuhai is a type of Japanese highball drink.

Highballs, made with whiskey or brandy and sparkling soda, are hugely popular in Western drinking culture. They eventually made their way to Japan, where the Japanese created Chuhai using their own distilled spirit, shochu.

Chuhai became the iconic drink of izakaya, casual pub-style restaurants where people enjoy gathering after work.

These days, you can find canned chuhai offerings in a variety of flavors like lemon, yuzu, peach, or grapefruit at affordable prices in Japanese markets and convenience stores.

Why you would love Pear Chuhai

• Simple recipe and very drinkable – This simple pear chuhai recipe is incredibly easy to make and delightfully drinkable.
  
  You’ll be pleased to discover how effortlessly this pear chuhai comes together and how quickly it disappears – you may even find yourself mixing up a second round before the night is through!
• Great for hosting – Pear Chuhai is the ultimate crowd-pleaser. And as a host, you want to make setup as easy as possible. Since chuhai is a sparkling drink, they are best served individually.
  
  We recommend setting up a chuhai station for your guests to serve themselves, allowing you to focus your hosting efforts elsewhere.
• Enjoy it anywhere – Thanks to the short list of ingredients, it’s easy to pack up this chuhai and take it with you anywhere.
  
  We’ve enjoyed sipping it while watching the sunset on the beach, during a picnic lunch by the pond, while camping under the stars, or even just in our hotel room on vacation.
• Elegant yet affordable – This pear chuhai is a more sophisticated take on the casual chuhai cocktail.
  
  By incorporating seasonal Asian pears and edible gold glitter, we’ve elevated it to be perfect for a New Year’s celebration or elegant soiree. And the best part is that the ingredients are all budget-friendly!

What to Serve with Pear Chuhai

Pear Chuhai pairs easily with a variety of dishes. In the izakaya style, pair it with grilled meats, steamed or fried tofu, crispy fried vegetables, or savory noodle dishes.

For a first course, consider pairing the Pear Chuhai with Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice, Kinilaw na Talaba (Filipino Oyster Ceviche), or Fried Enoki Mushrooms with Sriracha Mayo.

Or serve it with barbequed meats like Samgyeopsal-gui (Korean BBQ Pork Belly), or Saba Shioyaki, a simple grilled mackerel.

Shopping Guide for Pear Chuhai Ingredients

To ensure you have all the necessary ingredients and know where to find them, we’ve put together this helpful shopping guide.

Shochu

You can find shochu at Asian markets, with the best selection typically at Japanese markets.

There are lots of different types and flavors of shochu, so if you’re new to it, here’s what to look for on the shelves: Go for a light-colored shochu with labels that say “mugi,” which means it’s made from barley. This style of shochu has a light, smooth taste that’s perfect for beginners.

The prices range from around $10 to $30, and a great option is Iichiko Silhouette, which is about $20.

Pear Juice

Asian markets typically carry a wide variety of pear juices, ranging in sweetness and concentrate.

We recommend selecting pear juices with a thick, rich texture and minimal added sugar, as these tend to work best for this cocktail.

The ice and sparkling water will dilute the juice, so a more concentrated pear juice is ideal.

Alternatively, you can purchase fresh pears, blend and strain them (optional), then adjust the cocktail’s sweetness to your personal preference.

Sparkling Water

Sparkling water is readily available at most grocery stores.

However, if you have the chance, we highly recommend trying the Japanese sparkling water pictured. It’s our go-to ingredient for all our cocktails.

What sets it apart is the fine, persistent carbonation that provides a delightful, fizzy mouthfeel. Unlike many American sparkling water brands, this Japanese variety retains its carbonation remarkably well.

We can store an open bottle in the refrigerator for over a week, and it remains refreshingly bubbly. If you’re an avid maker of sparkling drinks, this Japanese sparkling water is the one to use.

Edible Gold Dust

Edible gold dust is pretty easy to find these days. Check your local department store or craft shop, usually in the baking section. Just make sure thesays it’s safe to eat. We got ours from Amazon.

Ingredients

• ice
• 2 oz shochu
• 2 oz pear juice
• sparkling water
• edible gold dust
• asian pear sliced for garnish

Note 1. A chuhai ratio is typically 1 part shochu: 1 part juice : 2-3 parts sparkling water or soda. The alcohol percentage is low at around 4-7%. For a stronger cocktail, simply increase the amount of shochu used.

Recipe

1. Fill a highball glass with ice, shochu, and pear juice.

2. Top it off with sparkling water.

3. Mix in edible gold dust and garnish with a slice of asian pear.

Final Thoughts

Elevate your New Year’s celebrations with this glittery shochu highball! Crafted with the refreshing Asian pear, this easy-to-prepare cocktail offers a simple alternative to the traditional champagne toast. Indulge in its seasonal flavor and elegance to welcome the new year in style!

Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this recipe, please give a star rating and review on the recipe card below + share your creations on Instagram and tag us @itsforkandspoon!

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References & Further Reading

https://www.drinkmagazine.asia/2022/10/20/chuhai-japan-rtd-shochu/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C5%ABhai

https://boutiquejapan.com/shochu/

https://www.jetro.go.jp/en/discovershochu/shochu101.html

https://guide.michelin.com/th/en/article/features/the-history-of-highballs-and-why-highballs-in-japanese-izakaya-are-more-fun-with-thai-spirit