is a Japanese

liqueur A liqueur (; ; ) is an alcoholic drink composed of spirits (often rectified spirit) and additional flavorings such as sugar, fruits, herbs, and spices. Often served with or after dessert, they are typically heavily sweetened and un-aged beyond ...

made by

steeping Steeping is the soaking of an organic solid, such as leaves, in a liquid (usually water) to extract flavours or to soften it. The specific process of teas being prepared for drinking by leaving the leaves in heated water to release the flavour a ...

ume ''Prunus mume'' is an East Asian and Southeast Asian tree species classified in the ''Armeniaca'' section of the genus ''Prunus'' subgenus ''Prunus''. Its common names include Chinese plum, Japanese plum, and Japanese apricot. The flower, long ...

'' plums (while still unripe and green) in and

sugar Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose, fructose, and galactose. Compound sugars, also called disaccharides or double ...

. It has a sweet, sour taste, and an

alcohol Alcohol most commonly refers to: * Alcohol (chemistry), an organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom * Alcohol (drug), an intoxicant found in alcoholic drinks Alcohol may also refer to: Chemicals * Ethanol, one of sev ...

content of 10–15%. Famous brands of ''umeshu'' include Choya,

Takara Shuzo is a Japanese company based in Kyoto. The company is mainly involved in the production of beverages, food, printing and medical supplies. Divisions Takara Bio Clontech Laboratories was acquired from BD Biosciences in 2005. In 2007, Clontech wa ...

and Matsuyuki. Varieties are available with whole ''ume'' fruits contained in the bottle, and some people make their own ''umeshu'' at home. Japanese restaurants serve many different varieties of ''umeshu'' and also make

cocktail A cocktail is an alcoholic mixed drink. Most commonly, cocktails are either a combination of spirits, or one or more spirits mixed with other ingredients such as tonic water, fruit juice, flavored syrup, or cream. Cocktails vary widely across ...

s. Umeshu on the Rocks (pronounced ''umeshu rokku''), Umeshu Sour (pronounced ''umeshu sawa''), Umeshu Tonic (with

tonic water Tonic water (or Indian tonic water) is a carbonated soft drink in which quinine is dissolved. Originally used as a prophylactic against malaria, tonic water usually has a significantly lower quinine content and is consumed for its distinctive b ...

), and Umeshu Soda (with

carbonated water Carbonated water (also known as soda water, sparkling water, fizzy water, club soda, water with gas, in many places as mineral water, or especially in the United States as seltzer or seltzer water) is water containing dissolved carbon dioxide gas, ...

) are popular. It is sometimes mixed with

green tea Green tea is a type of tea that is made from '' Camellia sinensis'' leaves and buds that have not undergone the same withering and oxidation process which is used to make oolong teas and black teas. Green tea originated in China, and since the ...

(o-cha-wari) or warm water (o-yu-wari). ''Umeshu'' can be served at different temperatures; chilled or with ice, room temperature, or even hot in the winter. Umeshu can be made either from real plum fruit, or using additive flavours and perfumes to emulate the taste of plums. Umeshu which is made from exclusively plum fruit (without additives) will be labelled as Honkaku Umeshu and will typically be made only from ume fruit, sugar, and alcohol.

Homemade umeshu

* Main ingredients include: **

Ume ''Prunus mume'' is an East Asian and Southeast Asian tree species classified in the ''Armeniaca'' section of the genus ''Prunus'' subgenus ''Prunus''. Its common names include Chinese plum, Japanese plum, and Japanese apricot. The flower, long ...

fruits ** Sugar (rock) **

Shōchū is a Japanese distilled beverage. It is typically distilled from rice, barley, sweet potatoes, buckwheat, or brown sugar, though it is sometimes produced from other ingredients such as chestnut, sesame seeds, potatoes, or even carrots. Ty ...

* Traditional recipe: ** Ume fruit 1 kg ** Sugar 500g–1 kg (rock/cubes) ** Shōchū 1.8l * After three months in a cold and dark place, it is ready to be consumed (although it is better to wait at least six months) Umeshu should be allowed to ripen for at least nine months.

References

External links

* * *
A recipe for umeshu

Umeshuthai
Rice wine Fruit liqueurs Japanese liqueurs Plum dishes {{Japan-cuisine-stub

Homemade umeshu

See also

References

External links