Recipe: Perfect Umeshu (Japanese Plum Wine)

Delicious, fresh and tasty.

Umeshu (Japanese Plum Wine). Not only can you drink the wine, but you can also eat the plums, use them as a garnish or even part of desserts! Umeshu (梅酒) is a Japanese liqueur made by steeping ume fruits (while still unripe and green) in liquor (焼酎, shōchū) and sugar. Famous brands of umeshu include Choya, Takara Shuzo and Matsuyuki.

Umeshu (Japanese Plum Wine) Inspired by the Japanese drama - Midnight Diner. Umeshu, or plum wine, is a popular sweet drink inside and outside Japan. This tasty drink is a great aperitif and also wonderful as a dessert wine after While the ingredients sound common, each is actually a special kind. You can have Umeshu (Japanese Plum Wine) using 3 ingredients and 6 steps. Here is how you achieve it.

Ingredients of Umeshu (Japanese Plum Wine)

  1. Prepare 500 g of Japanese green ume plums (You can buy from Mitsuwa and Nijiya, Marukai if you are in the United States. Only available for a short window in the early Summer.).
  2. Prepare 500 g of Rock sugar.
  3. It's 1000 g of White liqueur (Best to use 24%~35% liqueur).

The plums for Umeshu need to be Japanese green plums which are very. This video will show you how to make Umeshu, Japanese plum wine at home! I share her tips for homemade Umesh! Making plum wine is her annual event in June and this was my first time to make it together.

Umeshu (Japanese Plum Wine) step by step

  1. Wash and sterilize your jar with boiled water, and dry off the jar..
  2. Wash the plums and remove the stems. The stems are small and deep, so use a toothpick..
  3. Dry off the plums and leave it on clean cloth for a half day..
  4. Put a layer of ume plums in the jar, then a layer of rock sugar. Repeat until all the sugar and plums are used up, and pour the white liqueur into the jar until it just covers the topmost layer of plums..
  5. Put the lid on the jar securely and store the plums in cool, dark place. Shake the jar everyday until rock sugar dissolves..
  6. After 6 months, the Umeshu is ready to drink. Enjoy!.

I really enjoyed it and also found out how easy to make it. It is a very enjoyable drink which you can easily make on your own! Umeshu also has many health benefits, which gives you another reason to try it! Here's a great selection of bars to enjoy the distinctive Japanese plum wine in Tokyo. Umeshu is a Japanese wine/liqueur made by stewing ume plums in sugar and alcohol.