Chef Takumi
Awamori Mizuwari (泡盛水割り, awamori with water)
Awamori mizuwari is not a trick of the bar. It is three parts awamori, seven parts cold water, and enough patience to let the black-kōji aroma open.
Culinary Explorer
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Umeshu Oyuwari (梅酒のお湯割り, hot umeshu)
Created by
Hot umeshu asks for one decision: three parts plum liqueur to seven parts water, warm enough to open the aroma, never so hot that the alcohol turns sharp.
Beverages
Japanese
Comfort Food
Weeknight
Holiday
2 min
Active Time
3 min cook•5 min total
Yield1 serving
Hot umeshu is a winter drink with very little ceremony hiding inside it. Plum liqueur, hot water, a small cup. That is nearly the whole matter, which is why people sometimes make it more complicated than it is. We don't need to.
Umeshu belongs to Japan's household practice of steeping green ume with rock sugar in strong clear liquor, a seasonal task tied to the June ume harvest. Japan's Liquor Tax Act permits home fruit infusions for personal use when the base alcohol is at least 20 percent, which helps explain the familiar kitchen jar of ume, sugar, and white liquor. Oyuwari means "cut with hot water" and is best known with shōchū, especially in Kyushu drinking culture, but the same method suits umeshu when winter asks for something softer.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
homemade umeshu
Quantity
45ml
aged at least 6 months, or use good bottled umeshu
hot water
Quantity
105ml
about 70 C
steeped ume from the umeshu jar (optional)
Quantity
1
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| homemade umeshuaged at least 6 months, or use good bottled umeshu | 45ml |
| hot waterabout 70 C | 105ml |
| steeped ume from the umeshu jar (optional) | 1 |
Equipment Needed
- •Heatproof yunomi, or any small warmed cup
- •Kettle
- •Jigger or small measuring cup
- •Kitchen thermometer, or a three-minute rest after boiling
Instructions
- 1
Warm the cup
Fill a small heatproof cup with hot water, let it sit for half a minute, then empty it. A warm cup keeps this little drink from cooling at once, which matters because the pleasure here is gentle warmth, not a scalding first sip.
- 2
Add the water
Pour 105ml of hot water, about 70 C, into the warmed cup. Don't use boiling water. Boiling water makes the alcohol jump into your nose and can pull a bitter edge from the plum, which is a dreary thing to do to good umeshu.
No thermometer? Boil the kettle, take it off the heat, and wait about three minutes. The water should still feel plainly hot, but not fierce. - 3
Pour the umeshu
Add 45ml umeshu slowly down the inside of the cup. The liqueur is heavier than the water, so it curls through and mixes mostly by itself. Give it one quiet stir if the color sits unevenly, but don't beat air into it. This is a drink, not a small engineering project.
- 4
Taste and finish
Taste before you garnish. It should be warm, rounded, and lightly tart, with the sugar softening the plum rather than smothering it. Slip in one steeped ume if you like, then serve at once while the surface is still glossy and the aroma is open.
Chef Tips
- •Use real umeshu, not a plum-flavored cocktail base. The label should point to ume, alcohol, and sugar. If the bottle tastes thin when cold, hot water will not improve its manners.
- •The ratio here is three to seven: 45ml umeshu to 105ml hot water. Stronger is allowed at your own table, but this lighter pour lets the plum acid lift and keeps the sugar from becoming heavy.
- •If your homemade umeshu is young, use a little less water. A young jar can taste bright and sharp, while a year-old jar is rounder and takes the heat more gracefully.
- •Don't heat the umeshu in a pot or microwave. Warm the water, then add the liqueur. That protects the aroma and keeps the alcohol from turning harsh.
Advance Preparation
- •Homemade umeshu is best started in June, when green ume are in season. It is drinkable after about 6 months and rounder after a year.
- •Keep finished umeshu in a cool, dark place. Once opened, close it tightly so the fruit aroma stays clear.
- •Warm the cup just before serving. This drink is built in minutes and should not sit around waiting for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 150g)
Calories
75 calories
Total Fat
0 g
Saturated Fat
0 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
0 g
Cholesterol
0 mg
Sodium
0 mg
Total Carbohydrates
10 g
Dietary Fiber
0 g
Sugars
10 g
Protein
0 g
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