Drink Series Nº 3 – Naka Soto

My grandfather maintained a daily routine, which always involved fixing himself a drink before dinner. However, alcohol was strictly prohibited in Iran, so he had to rely on a bootlegger to discreetly deliver his supplies. During those days, the most common and affordable liquors were locally distilled Eau de Vie, often made from raisins. While he also enjoyed beer, obtaining it was more challenging. When he did manage to have beer in the house, he took pleasure in spiking it with a shot of Eau de Vie. I’m not sure why he did that. Perhaps he sought to amplify the beer's potency, extending its longevity, or maybe it was a habit carried over from his youthful pre-revolution days of bar-hopping. Regardless of the motive, when I finally came of age to partake in his nightly ritual, this quirky cocktail left an indelible mark on my memory.

Decades later, my wife and I found ourselves dining at a modest, off-the-radar izakaya in Tokyo. There, I stumbled upon a random drink with a nostalgically familiar bottle and decided to give it a try. It arrived in a chilled glass, served over a shot of Soju. With the first sip, a flood of memories from my grandfather's spiked beer resurfaced. Thus began my profound fascination with Hoppy, an affordable, low-alcohol beer that emerged after WW2 and was commonly mixed with Soju to create a drink called Naka Soto. Achieving the perfect balance between the Soju and the beer became a ritual in itself, involving the artful ordering of more Naka or Soto.

I made these in the memory of my grandfather.

9"x12" Giclee Print on Moab Entrada® Rag - 100% cotton, acid-free, matte, 290gsm, American made premium paper with a luxurious semi-textured finish.
Signed and numbered in Pencil.
Limited edition (10).
Ships flat.