What is Umeshu?

Umeshu is popularly referred to as a plum wine, although that is not strictly correct. It is in fact a type of fruit liqueur made from the ume plum variety from which it gets its name.

It is made by steeping the plums in spirit, usually Shochu, and sugar. It combines the perfect balance of sweet and sour with a nice alcohol kick of course. This style is called Honkaku Umeshu. It can also be made with additives resulting in an inferior style simply called Umeshu so it's definitely worth looking at the label properly!

Due to the fact it is relatively easy to make, there is a lot of homebrewing in Japan and plenty of recipes for you to try yourself.