Have you ever drunk umeshu (or plum wine) before? Well, this umeshu is a little bit different from the regular umeshu out there.
Umeshu is a Japanese liqueur made from Ume plums, white rock sugar and shochu/liquor. Because it is relatively straightforward to make, a lot of families in Japan make umeshu at home. In fact, I myself have a plum tree at home, so my grandma makes umeshu every year.
"Hachiume" is the umeshu from Hachinohe Sake Brewery in Aomori. It's made from Ume plums, rock sugar and not shochu but "sake".
The plums are soaked into Hassen, which is a brand sake of Hachinohe brewery and aged one and a half year. Since the owner of the brewery values terroir, they only use products produced or grown in Aomori. Such as water, yeast, rice and ume plums. Especially for the Hachiume, they used "Bungoume" from Nambu, the next town from Hachinohe Aomori.
I was very surprised because usually, umeshu is very sweet and thick, which is why it is a popular drink among females in Japan. But Hachiume was different!!
Sour and a bit of sweet taste with aged sake like a caramel and ume plum flavour.
There are lots of ways to drink Hachiume:
・On the rock with rock glass
・Umeshu soda with a cocktail glass
・Hot Hachiume; 1spoon of honey and slice of ginger
・Umeshu mojito; fresh lime and mint leaves
・Umeshu ginger ale with a slice of lime
Umeshu with dry ginger ale and Hot Umeshu are my favourite ways to drink Hachiume.Ｉdon not recommend drinking it at room temperature.
You can also use Hachiume as a seasoning!
On the brewery's Instagram page, they posted the recipe of "Hachiume sauce". I never heard about the sauce made from umeshu, so I wasn't sure about it, but it was pretty good. Since Hachiume has a sour taste, it can be used as lemon syrup.
Quick and easy recipe for Hachiume sauce so good with Hachiume!!
Ingredients: Hachiume, soy sauce, honey
Instructions
- Heat garlic pepper oil in a pan over medium heat.
- Turn down the heat to low and add Hachiume, soy sauce and honey
- When it comes to a boil, remove from heat
Tips
- I used maple syrup instead of honey. It was still good.
- I use this sauce with baked Red snapper. If you like chicken, it will go well too.
Since Hachiume is light and dry but a bit sweet, I recommend pairing it with a light meal. such as salad, chicken, white fish snacks etc…
My pairing ideas with Hachiume:
・Red snapper with Hachiume sauce
・Cream cheese with basil and pepper
Through this experience, my image of umeshu completely changed. I would like to challenge other umeshu made in sake breweries.
Kanpai,
Erika
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Erika 🇯🇵🇳🇬
Based in Yokohama
Learn More About Erika
Hi, I'm Erika, half Japanese and half Nigeria grow up in Japan. The reason why I became interested in sake it's simply because I love it. Not only the taste but also the stories behind it. You can learn about Japanese culture and history through sake. If you have never tested sake before, once you read this blog, I'm sure you will be excited to taste it, and if you already tasted it before, I'm sure you will want to try more different types of sake.
Q#: When and where was the first time you had sake? Was it love at first sight or more of a long slow-burning love story? Do you remember what that first sake was? How was it served?
In Japan, we have a custom of drinking (for children just a sip) sake every year with the family at the new years. I don't know exactly how old I was, but I remember I didn't like it. After I grew up, I worked at a sushi restaurant and had a chance to drink sake. First, I said no because I thought all sake was the same. Then a friend of mine convinced me, and I agreed to taste a bit of drink. I loved it. It was sweet and fruity. Since that day, I learned that there are so many types of sake.
Q#: What led you to make sake your full-time career?
7 years ago, when I went to college in LA, I've made so many friends from different countries, and all of them knew and loved their countries' culture. So I was ashamed because I didn't know about my country's culture as much as other students did. So since that, I decided to learn more about my country's culture, and sake job was the closest way and kind of bridge for me to learn about Japanese culture, and it has been really a good experience. Also, in my opinion, it's the most interesting Japanese culture.
Q#: What do you think is the biggest misconception people outside of Japan have about sake.
I think people don't know there are many kinds of sake like wine or beer. Even in Japan, it is changing, but many people still believe that sake is for "Oldman."
Q#: What do you think are the biggest challenges facing the sake industry right now?
Changing the "image" of sake.
Q#: What advice would you give to people looking to explore the world of sake?
Go to a sake bar and try different kinds of sake as much as you can.
Q#: Do you have sake in your fridge as we speak? What is it?
Six different bottles from Kinoshita brewery.
Q#: To anyone interested in sake right now, what would you like to say to them?
Try brings sake to the next home party. Bring friends when you go buy sake.
Erika
🇯🇵🇳🇬
Based in Yokohama
Learn More About Erika
Hi, I'm Erika, half Japanese and half Nigeria grow up in Japan. The reason why I became interested in sake it's simply because I love it. Not only the taste but also the stories behind it. You can learn about Japanese culture and history through sake. If you have never tested sake before, once you read this blog, I'm sure you will be excited to taste it, and if you already tasted it before, I'm sure you will want to try more different types of sake.
Q#: When and where was the first time you had sake? Was it love at first sight or more of a long slow-burning love story? Do you remember what that first sake was? How was it served?
In Japan, we have a custom of drinking (for children just a sip) sake every year with the family at the new years. I don't know exactly how old I was, but I remember I didn't like it. After I grew up, I worked at a sushi restaurant and had a chance to drink sake. First, I said no because I thought all sake was the same. Then a friend of mine convinced me, and I agreed to taste a bit of drink. I loved it. It was sweet and fruity. Since that day, I learned that there are so many types of sake.
Q#: What led you to make sake your full-time career?
7 years ago, when I went to college in LA, I've made so many friends from different countries, and all of them knew and loved their countries' culture. So I was ashamed because I didn't know about my country's culture as much as other students did. So since that, I decided to learn more about my country's culture, and sake job was the closest way and kind of bridge for me to learn about Japanese culture, and it has been really a good experience. Also, in my opinion, it's the most interesting Japanese culture.
Q#: What do you think is the biggest misconception people outside of Japan have about sake.
I think people don't know there are many kinds of sake like wine or beer. Even in Japan, it is changing, but many people still believe that sake is for "Oldman."
Q#: What do you think are the biggest challenges facing the sake industry right now?
Changing the "image" of sake.
Q#: What advice would you give to people looking to explore the world of sake?
Go to a sake bar and try different kinds of sake as much as you can.
Q#: Do you have sake in your fridge as we speak? What is it?
Six different bottles from Kinoshita brewery.
Q#: To anyone interested in sake right now, what would you like to say to them?
Try brings sake to the next home party. Bring friends when you go buy sake.
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