How To Make Japanese Plum Wine

Japanese Plum Wine Recipe

Im a sucker for a good supermarket display, which is why last week, I found myself captivated by a DIY plum wine display at Mitsuwa, a chain of Japanese markets. Unbeknownst to me, were in the season to make hooch out of unripened, tart green ume, a kind of apricot it turns out.

Id only had commercially-made Japanese plum wine produced with a base of white wine, and it was good chilled. For the Saigon Silk cocktail on page 150 in The Pho Cookbook, we used Takara plum wine. What would homemade be like?

The little fruits are related to apricots but commonly referred to in English as a plum. The fruits are preserved and made into drinks and condiments in East Asia .

As Shizo Tsuji points out in his classic cookbook, ume doesnt usually ripen well, falling off branches during the humid rainy season. For that reason, the green fruits arrive at Japanese markets in an unripen state so cooks can make good use of them. The season for green ume lasts from late May into June. When the fruit turns yellow, the ume are good for pickling and making umeboshi. The Japanese are specific about seasonality to make the best use of ingredients.

I’ve made fruit liqueurs with regular granulated sugar and they were fine. The rock sugar, however, may create a rounder mouthfeel because it’s a semi-refined sugar. It’s the sugar that’s used for making Saigon-style pho and other noodle soup broths. It’s the sweetener for classic Chinese red-cooked dishes.

Method

Something Good To Know

The practice of producing Umeshu at home began in 1962 when the government enforced a strict liquor tax. As people could no longer afford to buy liquor in stores, families began to produce them at home.

Umeshu is gaining more and more popularity abroad, becoming one of the most exported products. Pretty soon, it will be easy to find it available at your favorite Japanese restaurant!

We have all heard of cherry blossoms, but have you ever seen Umes flowers? They last longer and are just as beautiful!

Did you know that Nestlè, to celebrate this liqueur, has made Umeshu-flavored KitKats? They are made in limited quantities, but one of these days, you might find them on some supermarket shelves!

Itadakimasu!

The First Time We Made Plum Wine With Was With Yellow Plums

We also used a champagne yeast instead of wine yeast to try and make it sparkly . The second time we made this plum wine we used Italian plums. The color is far prettier than the yellow wine!

The Italian plums create red wine, the flavor changing depending on the plum balance.

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Off The Beaten Path: Umeshu Variations

I could write another article entirely to cover the various possibilities when it comes to umeshu variations and modifications, but I’ll keep things fairly simple for now. If you’ve got an umeshu variation you’re particularly fond of, I’d love to hear from you in the comments!

Brandy – Made by distilling wine, brandy is a popular base for making all kinds liqueurs and infusions. It is decidedly not neutral tasting, and would lend a distinctive brandy taste to your umeshu. If you do try this, option, be sure to use a relatively low proof brandy .

Rum – Dry, white rum is neutral enough to act very much like vodka, and I see no reason that you couldn’t make umeshu with it. That being said, even dry rum tends to have some sweetness to it that you don’t find in vodka, so you might want to reduce the added sugar a little bit. It’s also going to be fairly high in alcohol content , which I prefer to avoid for umeshu. You could use a rum and sake combination, much like the vodka/sake combination given above. Like brandy, aged rums are considerably more complex, and are likely to alter the flavour of your umeshu quite a bit.

Ume + – If you’re a fan of experimenting with spices, you could certainly consider adding them to your umeshu. Star anise, cinnamon, cardamom, and citrus peel are all interesting accompaniments to ume, though I would caution against overdoing it with anything.

Best Japanese Plum Wine 2021

Have you tried the best Japanese Plum wines? If you call yourself an oenophile and you havent had Japanese plum wine, youre definitely missing out on it a big time!

I love Japanese plum wines that are also known as Umeshu in Japan. The wine is made using unripe and green ume plums, sugar, and alcohol. This beverage is one of the most versatile ones that you can get. It can be used and served in a number of different ways.

You can use the Japanese plum wine in snacks, desserts, cocktails, or in the main course. It is also an excellent drink that goes well with all kinds of food items. The wine has a fruity aroma that tickles your taste buds and makes you want more of it.

It sure is one of the most mouth-watering wines that you will ever have. It is a perfect blend of sweet and sour, making it very arousing. Today, I have brought to you the best Japanese plum wines that you can check out for a relishing experience.

Which is the best Japanese Plum Wine?

I am a wine connoisseur and so, I have tried several different varieties of wine. I love Japanese plum wine, and I can savor it in many different ways. Out of all the varieties that I have tasted, I have found that the best one is Choya non-alcoholic plum wine.

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How To Make Umeshu Plum Wine

Also known as plum wine, this is a sweet and refreshing drink often served on-the-rocks or mixed with soda water. Its fruity taste makes for easy sipping, and is one of my favorite summer beverages! You can find umeshu pretty much everywhere: izakayas, bars, grocery stores, and convenis.

Making Umeshu at home used to be much more popular in the past and each family handed down their own recipe from generation to generation. Sadly, people make less at home now since it is easy to find cheap plum wines in liquor stores. However, home-made Umeshu is so good that there is no comparison to store-bought ones.

More information. Umeshu- Japanese green plum “Ume”. Dip in the water and remove some soils and sorting according to the damage. The most beautiful part goes to Umeboshi or Umeshu , second grade goes to Ume syrup, then third grade goes to Ume jam.

Umeshu Japanese Plum Wine Recipe By Yorokobi Kitchen Recipe In 2021 Wine Recipes Plum Wine Recipes . Plum Wine Umeshu Or Japanese Liqueur Recipe Cooking With Nart Recipe Plum Wine Plum Recipes Japanese Plum . How To Make Plum Wine Plum Wine Recipe Family Food Garden Recipe Plum Wine Yellow Plums Food Garden .

UMESHU. is a very unique Japanese alcoholic beverages. Its sweet and mild flavour is widely loved by any generations. Especially CHOYA is well know as UMESHU producer and the biggest UMESHU maker in the world. CHOYA does not use any artificial additives in any of their products, such as acidulates, flavourings, or colourings.

Umeshu Is Good For Your Health

As ume are rich in citric acid and other antioxidants, they are said to help people recover from fatigue and prevent damage to the body from oxidation. The plums in umeshu are also thought to help with various gastrointestinal issues including constipation and diarrhea. Additionally, umeshu is filled with vitamins and minerals that supposedly help improve skin, hair, and nail quality, leading some women to choose it as a drink for beautification. However, as it is an alcoholic beverage, the negative side effects of overconsumption far outweigh these benefits, so it is best to enjoy it in moderation as with any other alcohol.

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How To Cook Yummy Umeshu

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! Plum Wine or Umeshu is a Japanese liqueur made by steeping fresh Japanese plum in shochu/white liquor and sugar. The sweet and sour flavors with the fruity aroma are very appealing and you can make many kinds of drinks with it!

This umeshu plum wine has a sweet, fruity flavour without a strong alcoholic taste.Best served cold, this is a perfect accompaniment to all types of Japanese cooking.Delivery to UK and EU only.You can cook Umeshu – Japanese plum wine using 3 ingredients and 6 steps. Here is how you cook it.

Umeshu And Ume Syrup Recipe

• Kakao

We are making Ume Syrup and Umeshu also known as plum wine using ume fruits harvested in our garden. It might be difficult to find good green ume, which are often called plums but homemade umeshu has a delectable taste so you should definitely try it when ume are in season.

• Green Ume Fruitsalso known as green plums

• 500g

• Green Ume Fruitsalso known as green plums

• 250g

• Shochu Japanese distilled liquor, also known as “white liquor” in Japan

• Shochu for sterilizing containers

• Glass Jar with Airtight Lid2000ml/8.45 cups for umeshu | 1500ml/6.34 cups for ume syrup

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Best Homemade Japanese Plum Wine

This is my mothers Japanese plum wine recipe. Making plum wine is her annual event in June and this was my first time to make it together. I really enjoyed it and also found out how easy to make it. All my family loves her variety of plum wines preserved every year. They are beautiful clear amber color with full of aroma. I will show you how to make the best homemade Japanese plum wine with her tips.

How To Make The Perfect Plum Wine

by Steen | Aug 21, 2019 | Country Wine, Uncategorised |

Plums are what my son would describe as, One of the juiciest fruits around. There are many different types of plums Goldens, Damsons and Victoria. They all vary in colour and taste to some degree but all will produce a quality tasty beverage.

If you are reading this post in August you are in luck as this is the best time to start planning your Plum Wine as we enter the Plum harvest time. This will make a gorgeous dark red wine with incredible depths of flavour which will be at its best ready for Christmas!

What better fruit to brew this Autumn, than juicy and radiant ripe plums?

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Umeshu Doesn’t Have An Expiration Date

As long as it was prepared carefully, no bacteria were able to enter the jar, and it was stored away from sunlight, umeshu can last for many years! Actually, it is said only to improve over time, just like a fine whiskey or wine. There are even stories of parents who make a batch of umeshu when their child is born and drink it together for the first time when the child reaches the legal drinking age at 20.

What Is Plum Wine

Known as “umeshu” in Japanese culture, Japanese-style plum wine is an authentic Asian liqueur made by steeping Japanese plums in shochu. At Takara Sake, we depicted Japanese centuries old tradition to create brand new and unique aperitif, dessert wine, or dessert sake with natural flavors of renowned plum species cultivated in Japan. We have Takara Plum and Kinsen Plum which are crafted based on California White Wine, while our Koshu Plum is brewed based from our signature Junmai sake. Try them all to find out your favorite.

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S To Make Umeshu Japanese Plum Wine:

What Does Umeshu Taste Like

While umeshu is generally referred to as Japanese plum wine in English, I wouldnt say it tastes like wine at all. Its got a bit of tartness in it from the unripe plums, but overall its on the sweeter side of things. In my opinion, its actually more like a liqueur than a wine. Although you can enjoy umeshu on its own with ice, its also great with soda water and when used to as part of other drinks or cocktails. As much as this might shock the whole Japanese population, I sometimes enjoy mine with Sprite or Lipton lemon iced tea.

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Notes About The Alcoholic Beverage

When it comes to your choice of an alcoholic beverage, ideally, you want to use shochu . However, if you cant find it, you can use a white liquor like flavorless vodka. Ive tried making umeshu with vodka before and it was great. Though in the pictures in this post, I used a Thai rice whiskey which, similar to shochu, is a rice distilled beverage. There are many brands of Thai rice whiskey but most of them are easy to find and inexpensive SO MUCH cheaper than vodka. But whatever white liquor you choose to go with, make sure that its 35%-40% alcohol.

What Is Umeshu Plum Wine And How To Drink It

What is Japanese plum wine, or umeshu ? Plum wine is a bit of a misnomer. It is technically a liqueur made from ume plums, shochu, and sugar. In fact, enjoyed on its own or in cocktails, it is Japans most popular liqueur with over 300 different brands, including premium barrel-aged versions. However, being easy to make, almost every Japanese household has their own family recipe.

Plum wine came to Japan from China roughly 400 years ago. Like many great liqueurs, plum wine began as a cough medicine. But, its true purpose was quickly discovered and has remained popular ever since.

Today well show you how to make your own version out of our vacuum-distilled black sugar shochu. Well then follow up with some easy plum wine cocktail recipes that will guarantee to make umeshu making an annual tradition in your home, too.

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Where To Find Japanese Plums

I know Japanese plum is not a commonly find ingredient at many grocery stores, but its worth the effort! It’s only available in the short period of time around May or early June. So pay attention to the Japanese or Korean grocery stores during this time.

Plum: You need to get tangy, tart and unripe fresh Japanese green plums. Avoid plums with scratches. The unripe plums are not yet edible, but are transformed as they are processed and fermented naturally in the large glass jar.

Why Use Rock Sugar

Rock sugar takes longer than the normal granulated sugar to dissolve, which means it helps to slowly extract the flavors and fragrance of the plums. In a nutshell, it will give your drink a fruitier aroma and a stronger taste of the ume plums than other types of sugar. If you cant find this in your local store, you can get rock sugar on Amazon.

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