is a Japanese liqueur 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 ...

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. It has a sweet, sour taste, and an alcohol content of 10–15%. Famous brands of ''umeshu'' include Choya, Takara Shuzo 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 cocktails. 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 ...

), and Umeshu Soda (with carbonated water) are popular. It is sometimes mixed with green tea (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 * 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