Rice Drinks

Rice drink is one of those quietly brilliant Asian refreshments that Britain has barely discovered: a gently sweet, milky-pale drink made from rice, served cold and drunk like juice. This collection stocks the ones worth knowing, led by Korea's famous breakfast staple.

Woongjin's Sun Shine in the Morning is the classic: lightly sweet, with a clean rice flavour somewhere between rice pudding and barley water, and far more refreshing than that description sounds. It is the drink Korean families keep in the fridge for breakfast and for children — hence the name — and the 500ml and 1.5 litre bottles cover solo and family fridges respectively. The sweet rice drink alongside it leans into the dessert end, close to the sikhye tradition served after meals.

A rice drink is best served properly cold, ideally over ice, and it pairs surprisingly well with spicy food — the gentle sweetness takes the edge off heat better than water ever manages. It is also naturally caffeine-free, which makes it a handy evening option.

Everything is delivered UK-wide from our Manchester store, with free delivery on orders over £75. If you have never tried one, start with the small bottle — though experience suggests you will be back for the large one.