FAQ
What is Yabai?
Yabai is America's first and only domestic chuhai!
Very cool! Uhm, what is chuhai?
Chuhai is short for shoCHU HIball. In Japan there is no hard seltzer. They've had canned shochu highballs since 1984! Leave it to Japan to have a better version of canned cocktails for nearly 40 years!
What is shochu?
Shochu is a Japanese distilled spirit, much like Korean soju or in our case, vodka. Believe it or not, the shochu market in Japan is over 50% larger than the sake market! Yabai shochu is imported from the countryside of Nagoya, Japan from our 200 year old family owned partner on the Kiso river.
There are two types of shochu, "honkaku" and "korui." Honkaku shochu can be distilled only once. Korui shochu must be distilled multiple times. Yabai shochu is distilled continuously in a rack system. Not 3x or 5x or even 8x like many vodkas. It distilled over and over again until it is as near to tasteless as possible. Alcohol water that can be added to anything you like!
What is Yabai shochu made from?
Yabai shochu starts as 100% Japanese black sugarcane. Here is where it gets a little crazy and is what differentiates Japanese shochu from Korean soju. Instead of using something like yeast to set off the fermentation before distillation, Japanese shochu uses koji mold. Koji is the national mold of Japan and is used in soy sauce, tofu, miso, sake, etc. Yes, Japan has a "national mold."
Yabai shochu also utilizes water from the Kiso river in Nagoya. The granite filtered water is known to be some of the best water on Earth!
Is Yabai gluten free?
Yabai chuhai is gluten free, sugar free, and has zero carbs! Same with our bottled shochu!
The yuzu lemon and grape are so different! What flavors are coming next?
Because chuhai has existed and been refined for 40 years in Japan, there is an endless variety of possibilities. And we at Yabai do our best to put our twist of these varieties, respectfully of course. We have two new flavors we are working on for our 5% line and we will announce them soon. Have an idea? Shoot us an email info@drinkyabai.com
I've been to Japan. When is the STRONG version coming out?!
The first stronger version is already formula complete. We are going through government approvals and expect it to release around Spring 2024. There are some surprises with it and we think it's going to blow minds! It is seriously insanely delicious. Stay tuned...
I have seen Korean soju in restaurants without liquor licenses. Can I serve Yabai in my beer and wine licensed eatery?
Yes! Like Korean soju, Japanese shochu under 24% abv can be served in beer and wine licensees that serve food in CA and NY. This is a great way for a restaurant that only has a beer and wine license to serve spirits! While our bottled shochu is only available on drinkyabai.com, we are working on a cocktail program for interested restaurants in CA and NY which will be rolling out in 2024.
What does "Yabai!" mean?
Kind of...everything? "Yabai" (Yah-bye) is far and away the most popular Japanese slang word and is used almost like an exclamation point. Think we're kidding?
Shipping information
Where do you ship?
All US states other than the following states:
AK, HI, MI, UT
Who will ship my product?
Our orders are fulfilled by licensed 3rd party retailers in the AccelPay network. Retailers use a variety of fulfillment carriers including FedEx, GLS, and UPS.
What is the turnaround time between placing an order and receiving the order?
Typically it will take 4 to 8 days from order date, depending on location. Our retail partners fulfill within 1 - 3 business days and ground shipping is typically 3-5 days.
Do I have to be at home to receive my product?
Yes, someone 21 or older with a valid ID must be available to sign for the products.
Why is signature required for shipments?
By federal law, only individuals of 21 years and older are allowed to buy alcoholic beverages. Because the product is shipped or delivered, the carriers must make sure that the purchaser as well as the recipient, on his/her behalf, is 21 years and older. If no signature can be collected, the carrier will leave a notice for a second or third attempt or further shipping instructions. After that, the shipment will be returned to the sender at cost to the customer.
Can an order that has been shipped be tracked?
Yes, once your order is shipped, you will receive an email with the carrier name, order and tracking number.
How can I get a refund?
You can request a cancellation or refund up until your product has shipped. Once your product has been delivered, we are unfortunately unable to offer any refunds. If you are unhappy with the product or have any other concerns you can always reach out to support@accelpay.io!
What do I do if my product is damaged, I received the wrong product or if my product never was delivered?
If your product was delivered damaged, if you received the wrong product or if you never received your product, please reach out to support@accelpay.io within 7 days of the date the product was delivered/scheduled for delivery and provide proof (i.e. a picture) of what happened. We will replace the product or issue a credit or refund.
Terms & Conditions
DrinkYabai.com is owned and operated by Yabai. Our Site contains links to purchase alcohol products via independent, third-party retailers in the Paiseh, Inc. (“AccelPay”) network. We nor this Site is indirectly or directly involved in any sale of alcohol between you and licensed beverage alcohol retailers.
This Terms & Conditions of Sale section (together with the documents referred to on it) tells you the terms and conditions on which AccelPay facilitates the sale of any of the distilled spirits products (“Products”) listed on our Site to you. Please read these terms and conditions of sale carefully before ordering any Products. You should understand that by ordering any of the Products, you agree to be bound by these terms and conditions of sale. Please understand that if you refuse to accept these terms and conditions of sale, you will not be able to order any Products.
Orders for delivery in USA
If you have ordered one of the Products for delivery to an address in the USA, your order will be handled by licensed, third-party retailers in the AccelPay network, and your transaction will be facilitated through those retailers. AccelPay’s Privacy Policy, Terms of Use, eCommerce and payment terms and any other terms and conditions set forth by AccelPay apply to any purchase you make via AccelPay and are between you and the third-party retailers in the AccelPay network. We do not accept any responsibility for delivery of orders of Products within the USA.
For your reference, please find AccelPay’s Terms of Service, which include information about any orders you make from them, at the following hyperlink: Accelpay Legal | Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions. PLEASE REGULARLY CHECK THE ACCELPAY WEBSITE TO VIEW THE THEN-CURRENT ACCELPAY TERMS.
Refund Policy
If you are an adult over the age of 21, you may make an offer to purchase alcoholic beverages or associated non-alcoholic merchandise (the “Products”) using the Sites from the Licensed Retailers. Prices displayed on the Sites reflect the prices determined by the Licensed Retailers that we partner with. Licensed Retailers may choose to accept or reject any offer to purchase the Products due to lack of availability, inability to verify your age, or any other reason. If your offer to purchase the Products is declined in full or in part for any reason, you will receive a refund for any portions of your order that are declined by the Licensed Retailer.
Licensed Retailers are solely responsible for all activities related to the sale and provision of alcoholic beverages including but not limited to (a) selecting the products to be offered for sale via the Website, (b) setting the purchase price of all products made available for sale via the Site, (c) accepting or rejecting all customer orders, and (d) fulfilling all customer orders, including but not limited to completing any deliveries or shipments of orders either directly or through a third party shipping company, if applicable. AccelPay, Inc. and Yabai shall have no liability to you, any customer, or any other person for lost, unprocessed, or mishandled orders.
Unless otherwise indicated at the time of your purchase, shipping and handling fees are NOT included with your order and such fees will be added on to the price of your purchased products. Shipping dates and/or arrival times given are only estimates. Refunds are at the sole discretion of Yabai, AccelPay, Inc. or its third-party retail partners.
The Products purchased from the Site will be fulfilled by third party partners. As a result, title and risk of loss or damage for such products will pass to you upon our delivery to the carrier.
Packages cannot be sent to PO boxes or local carrier locations. Orders that are placed and addressed to these locations will be rejected and refunded.
All deliveries must be signed for by an individual who is capable of proving that he or she is 21 years of age or older by providing a valid form of identification at the time of delivery. If there is no individual 21 years of age or older to accept the delivery, the delivery will not be able to be completed at that time. After three failed delivery attempts, the package will be returned to the retailer. You will be required to pay an additional re-shipping fee of $25 in order to receive the package. Refunds for packages – and the associated shipping costs – that are returned to the retailers due to failed delivery attempts are at the discretion of the retailer.
We recommend that if there is a possibility an individual 21 years of age or older is not available to sign for your package, you should contact your carrier and request the tracking number be routed to a local location that allows for package pick ups. We reserve the right to refuse delivery for any reason. Packages cannot and will not be left unattended for any reason. Yabai, AccelPay, and its retail partners do not accept responsibility for any packages that are unable to be delivered due to issues with the delivery address that you provide for your order.