Oolong Hai

Name: Oolong Hai
Prep time: 2 min
Total time: 2 min
Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients: 60 ml / 2 oz Shochu; 120-180 ml / 4-6 oz, or to top Oolong Tea; 1 wedge Lemon Wedge (optional)

Ingredients Instructions

The Oolong Hai is a quintessential Japanese izakaya drink, beloved for its simplicity and refreshing qualities. It consists of just two main ingredients: shochu, a traditional Japanese distilled spirit, and unsweetened oolong tea, served over ice in a tall glass. This drink is light, crisp, and has a clean, toasty flavor profile that makes it exceptionally food-friendly. It offers a less sweet, more sessionable alternative to many Western highballs.

Preparation

Preparation time: 2 minutes

Preparation time

Difficulty

Drink Classification

The Oolong Hai is classified as a highball cocktail, a simple style of mixed drink composed of an alcoholic base and a larger proportion of a non-alcoholic mixer. It is a staple in the Japanese chūhai category, which are highballs typically made with shochu. This drink is a simple, refreshing cocktail perfect for any time.

Serving

Serve this light, cold drink in a standard highball or Collins glass filled with ice. The final alcohol content is low, making it a very sessionable cocktail.

Serving size

Approximately 250-350 ml / 8-12 oz

Alcohol content

Approximately 4-8% ABV

Alcohol strength

Serving temperature

Cold

Glass type

Highball

Glass treatment

None

Backstory

The Oolong Hai rose to prominence in Japan during the 1980s with the boom of "chūhai" (a portmanteau of shochu and highball). As bars and izakayas looked for simple, quick, and satisfying drinks, the combination of clean-tasting shochu and readily available canned oolong tea became a massive hit. It was marketed as a healthier, lower-calorie option, which contributed to its enduring popularity.

Origin

Japan, circa 1980s. The drink evolved naturally from the izakaya and bar culture as a simple and popular highball variation.

Oolong Hai

The original Japanese name is Oolong Hai (ウーロンハイ), where "Hai" is a shortened form of "Highball". It is also commonly known as Shochu Oolong or Oolong Highball in English-speaking regions. The name directly describes its two main ingredients.

Original name

ウーロンハイ

Alternative names

Shochu Oolong
Oolong Highball

Characteristics overview

The Oolong Hai has a clean, refreshing flavor dominated by the toasty and earthy notes of oolong tea. It has a smooth, thin texture and a crisp finish, making it an incredibly easy-drinking beverage.

Flavor

Earthy, toasty, clean, nutty, subtly sweet, refreshing

Aroma

Toasted tea leaves, subtle grain notes from shochu

Taste balance

Subtly bitter, neutral, slightly sweet

Aftertaste

Clean, short, crisp, refreshing

Fizziness

Still, none

Color appearance

Amber, light brown, clear, transparent

Texture

Thin, smooth, watery

Seasonality

Highly refreshing, perfect for all seasons, especially summer

Flavor intensity & Experience

The flavor profile is light and subtle, with a gentle bitterness from the tea balancing the neutral shochu base. It is a still, not sweet, and low-alcohol drink, prized for its refreshing simplicity.

Sweetness

Saltiness

Sourness

Bitterness

Spiciness

Fruitiness

Creaminess

Carbonation

Ingredients

You only need two primary ingredients for this drink: shochu and cold, unsweetened oolong tea. A lemon wedge for garnish is a popular but optional addition.

Shochu60 ml / 2 oz
A neutral shochu like mugi (barley) shochu works best, but feel free to experiment.
Oolong Tea120-180 ml / 4-6 oz, or to top
Must be chilled and unsweetened. Good quality bottled oolong tea is traditional and convenient.
Lemon Wedge1 wedge(optional)
For garnish and a touch of brightness.

Ice type

Cubed

Mixing equipments

No special equipment is needed; the drink is built directly in the highball glass where it will be served. A long spoon is useful for a quick, gentle stir.

Highball glass for building and serving
Bar spoon for gentle stirring

Instructions

This cocktail is incredibly easy to make by simply building the ingredients in an ice-filled highball glass. Just pour the shochu, top with tea, give it a quick stir, and serve.

1. Fill a highball glass to the top with ice cubes.

2. Pour the shochu over the ice.

3. Top the glass with cold, unsweetened oolong tea.

4. Stir very gently once or twice with a bar spoon to combine.

5. Garnish with a lemon wedge, if desired, and serve immediately.

Garnishing

A simple lemon wedge is the most common garnish, adding a pleasant citrus aroma and the option for a squeeze of juice. Often, it is served without any garnish at all.

Lemon wedge, placed on the rim or dropped into the drink.

Dietary Information

This drink is vegan, dairy-free, and typically gluten-free, provided a pure shochu is used. It does contain alcohol and caffeine from the oolong tea.

✓ Contains alcohol

✕ Caffeine-free

✓ Dairy-free

✓ Egg-free

✓ Soy-free

✓ Nut-free

✓ Gluten-free

✓ Vegan-friendly

✓ Vegetarian-friendly

Nutrition information

This is a very low-calorie, low-carb, and low-sugar cocktail, as both shochu and unsweetened tea contain minimal carbohydrates and sugar. The majority of the calories come from the alcohol itself.

Calories

Averagely 80-120 kcal / 335-502 kJ

Calories level

Carbohydrates

Averagely 0-1 g

Carbohydrate level

Sugar

Averagely 0-1 g

Sugar level

Occasions

This drink is perfect for casual settings, especially when paired with food. It's a go-to choice for a light after-work drink or a refreshing choice during a summer gathering.

Casual Dining
Happy Hour
Summer Afternoon
After Work Drink

Pairing suggestions

The Oolong Hai is a fantastic food-pairing drink due to its clean and unassuming flavor profile. It cuts through the richness of fried foods like karaage and gyoza and complements the savory flavors of grilled meats like yakitori. It is the perfect companion for a wide range of Japanese izakaya-style dishes.

Yakitori (grilled chicken skewers)
Karaage (Japanese fried chicken)
Gyoza (pan-fried dumplings)
Edamame and other salty snacks

Oolong Hai: The Refreshing Spirit of Japan

The Oolong Hai is a simple, refreshing, and popular Japanese highball that embodies the philosophy of elegant simplicity. Made with just shochu and oolong tea, its clean and toasty flavor makes it both incredibly easy to drink and versatile for food pairing. It's a low-calorie, sessionable cocktail perfect for those who prefer a less sweet, more subtle mixed drink. A staple of Japanese casual drinking culture, the Oolong Hai is a must-try for any fan of highballs or Japanese cuisine.