The Magic of Making Delicious Plum Wine

It is "making it yourself."

Have you ever faced plums (green plums) head-on?

This is something only those who have pickled plum wine, or made plum jam or pickled plums themselves, can understand.

It is a story about magic.

I, for one.

Cannot help but love plums.

Previously, in an article titled "The Magic of Making Delicious Lemon Sour," I wrote about the reason I started making fruit liquor.

To put it simply.

A relative who loved alcohol passed away, and although I inherited their stock of shochu, the taste wasn't quite to my liking, so I tried pickling some fruit liquor with it, and it was incredibly delicious.

That is the reason.

And so, last time I wrote about how to make (the recipe for) lemon sour base, but as I hinted at the end of that article, this time I intend to write about how to pickle plum wine.

It is a matter of preference, but.

It is even more delicious than lemon sour.

Well then, let's get started right away!

How to make (steep) plum wine

[Ingredients]

By the way, as of now (June 27, 2026), the season for green plums (late May to mid-June) has passed, but we have entered the season for ripe plums (mid-June to early July), so there is no problem if you make it with those instead.
(Using ripe plums will result in a mellower and fruitier finish.)

[Steps]
(*You may skip step ② if you like)

① Wash the plums

Wash the plums in water and remove the stems with a toothpick or bamboo skewer.
Then, gently pat them dry with a cloth or paper towel.

② Admire the plums
(*You may skip this if you like)

Just look at this, will you?

Isn't it cute!?

It's frustrating, but my photography skills are poor, so it doesn't quite come across.

Green plums after being washed and dried are, if I had to compare them to something...

“A baby's bottom”

They are small, juicy, and have a faint fuzz (?).

They are so adorable. Truly precious.

(If you're thinking, 'Wait, that's a bit creepy,' I recommend scrolling down to step 3.)

Honestly, until I made plum wine for the first time last year, I never thought plums could be this cute.

It was a bolt from the blue.

In that moment, plums jumped to the number one spot in my personal ranking of cute fruits.

I finally understand why people in the past used 'Ume' (plum) in their children's names, like 'Umeko,' 'Koume,' or 'Ume.'

Because they're just so cute!!

(Are you okay? It's alright to scroll to step 3 without pushing yourself.)

I'm sure plums were much more common in their daily lives back then.

I believe every household did 'plum work' at the beginning of summer, giving them plenty of opportunities to touch the plums.

There is no other fruit as cute as this.

They must have felt compelled to give that name to their beloved children.

(*These are just my personal thoughts. There are likely many reasons for choosing a name, and I think there are still people who give names that include the character for "plum"!)

3. Sterilize the storage container

You can use alcohol or boiling water for sterilization.
However, if you are sterilizing the jar with boiling water, do not pour it in all at once!
The jar might crack due to a sudden temperature change, so it is better to warm it up first by pouring in some lukewarm water.

*If you are feeling as confused as I was in step 2, you can pour ice water over your head if you like.

4. Add the ingredients to the storage container

Place the plums and rock sugar into the storage container in alternating layers, then pour in the shochu (white liquor).

5. Seal the lid and let it rest in a cool, dark place

Since my home doesn't have a good cool, dark place, I store it in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator.

Aim for a resting period of at least 3 months.
After that, you can let it age for as many years as you like, so feel free to try drinking it whenever you want, whether it's after one year or two!

After letting it rest for about six months to a year, the balance of sweetness, acidity, and aroma will settle nicely.

If you peek at it occasionally, you can see the liquor gradually taking on color.

The magic of making delicious plum wine.

That would be "making it yourself."

The plums themselves cast the magic.

Over a long, long time, they transform the liquor.

Even those green plums that were so cute.

By the time you drink it, they have become seasoned wizards, just like a grandmother.

Oh, I can't wait for the moment I get to drink it...!

By the way, I used up all the "Kanoka" this time.

From next time, I'm thinking of trying to make it with other types of liquor.

If you have any recommended fruit liquors or spirits that you think would be delicious to use, please let me know in the comments section♪

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