Staff Answer
Aug 28, 2020 - 12:38 PM
Greetings Severin!
Welcome to the forum and thank you for sharing your observations and your question. I too have sampled some syrupy-sweet "plum wine" in the past.
The alcohol in Ume-shu is not typically derived from the fermentation of the fruit, so it is not a "wine" as such. Typically the plums are soaked in the alcohol base and then, after a time, the Ume-shu is decanted.
Ume-shu has a significant following in that it is very approachable from a flavor standpoint. As a liqueur, it can be used as an aperitif, digestif, on the rocks, or as a mixer. It also has a bit of history, being referred to in Japanese texts as far back as 1697. In those times it was used for medicinal effects. In 1962 it became legal to make at home in Japan and as such, there are likely many distinct family recipes.
As far as designations, some Ume-shu is marketed as "Honkaku Umeshu." This is to acknowledge the lack of flavor additives or artificial coloring. However, sugar is still permitted as a sweetener of Honkaku Umeshu.
So there are different kinds of commercially available Ume-shu, and what makes them different is the ingredients and the source of those ingredients (where the base alcohol is derived from).
Some Ume-shu is made by Shochu makers. It is often made with black sugar shochu (kokuto-shochu) as the base. Other Ume-shu is made by sake breweries, and uses sake as a base. Whole plums, or just plum juice may be used. I have even had Ume-shu with shiso added, which was quite nice.
As far as designations, some Ume-shu is marketed as "Honkaku Umeshu." This is to acknowledge the lack of flavor additives or artificial coloring. However, sugar is still permitted as a sweetener of Honkaku Umeshu.
Tippsy sells many varieties of Ume-shu, which you can locate here.
Hopefully the products, wherever you find them, should have some clues on the label indicating the ingredients or the process and therefore, the quality.
Thanks again for your question, and should you purchase some Ume-shu from Tippsy, please let us all know what you think!
I've got my eyes on the one from Nanbu Bijin in Iwate, made with Wakayama Plums and all-koji sake. Yum!
If you're still curious, Choya is a huge producer of Ume-shu and has more information here.
Thanks again and kanpai!
- Domenic
Welcome to the forum and thank you for sharing your observations and your question. I too have sampled some syrupy-sweet "plum wine" in the past.
The alcohol in Ume-shu is not typically derived from the fermentation of the fruit, so it is not a "wine" as such. Typically the plums are soaked in the alcohol base and then, after a time, the Ume-shu is decanted.
Ume-shu has a significant following in that it is very approachable from a flavor standpoint. As a liqueur, it can be used as an aperitif, digestif, on the rocks, or as a mixer. It also has a bit of history, being referred to in Japanese texts as far back as 1697. In those times it was used for medicinal effects. In 1962 it became legal to make at home in Japan and as such, there are likely many distinct family recipes.
As far as designations, some Ume-shu is marketed as "Honkaku Umeshu." This is to acknowledge the lack of flavor additives or artificial coloring. However, sugar is still permitted as a sweetener of Honkaku Umeshu.
So there are different kinds of commercially available Ume-shu, and what makes them different is the ingredients and the source of those ingredients (where the base alcohol is derived from).
Some Ume-shu is made by Shochu makers. It is often made with black sugar shochu (kokuto-shochu) as the base. Other Ume-shu is made by sake breweries, and uses sake as a base. Whole plums, or just plum juice may be used. I have even had Ume-shu with shiso added, which was quite nice.
As far as designations, some Ume-shu is marketed as "Honkaku Umeshu." This is to acknowledge the lack of flavor additives or artificial coloring. However, sugar is still permitted as a sweetener of Honkaku Umeshu.
Tippsy sells many varieties of Ume-shu, which you can locate here.
Hopefully the products, wherever you find them, should have some clues on the label indicating the ingredients or the process and therefore, the quality.
Thanks again for your question, and should you purchase some Ume-shu from Tippsy, please let us all know what you think!
I've got my eyes on the one from Nanbu Bijin in Iwate, made with Wakayama Plums and all-koji sake. Yum!
If you're still curious, Choya is a huge producer of Ume-shu and has more information here.
Thanks again and kanpai!
- Domenic
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