Direct from the sake brewery! Recommendations for making homemade plum wine using sake
White liquor is often used to make plum wine, but plum wine made with sake is also delicious! On this page, we will introduce how to make plum wine using sake, as recommended by a sake brewery!
▼Table of contents
Homemade plum wine and the law
〇How to make plum wine with sake? Recommended sake
How to make plum wine using sake, directly from the brewery!
Homemade plum wine and the law (Liquor Tax Act)
Excerpt from the National Tax Agency website
Q: Are there any problems with consumers making plum wine at home?
A: The act of making plum wine etc. by soaking plums in shochu etc. is considered to be the manufacture of new alcoholic beverages, as it involves mixing alcoholic beverages with other items, and the resulting mixture is alcoholic beverages. However, there is an exception to this rule, where a consumer mixes alcoholic beverages (limited to those with an alcohol content of 20% or more and that have already been taxed) with items other than those listed below for their own consumption , and this is not considered to be an act of manufacturing.
Furthermore, since this provision applies to alcoholic beverages intended for personal consumption by consumers, it stipulates that such alcoholic beverages must not be sold.
1. Rice, wheat, millet, corn, sorghum, millet, barnyard millet, starch, or the malt of these
2. Grapes (including wild grapes)
3. Amino acids or their salts, vitamins, nucleic acid decomposition products or their salts, organic acids or their salts, inorganic salts, colorings, flavorings, or alcoholic dregs
Legal basis: Liquor Tax Act Article 7, Article 43, Paragraph 11, Enforcement Order of the same Act Article 50, Enforcement Regulations of the same Act Article 13, Paragraph 3 Reference URL: https://www.nta.go.jp/taxes/sake/qa/06/32.htm
As stated, ① it must be made with alcohol content of 20% or more in order for you to drink it yourself .
If you want to make plum wine using sake, we recommend "Emperor of the Night FOREVER"!
Most regular sake has an alcohol content of around 15 to 16 percent, and even undiluted sake is usually around 18 percent. When it comes to sake with an alcohol content of 20 percent or more, the number of options is quite limited.
Meanwhile, this "Emperor of the Night FOREVER" has an alcohol content of 20% ! It's also full-bodied and sweet, making it the perfect bottle for making plum wine!
◎Because it is a sweet sake, it has the natural sweetness of rice and can be made with less rock sugar!
◎This is a full-bodied liquor that is not only sweet but also has a deep flavor and richness, so the synergistic effect of the goodness of the liquor and the deliciousness of the plums makes for a delicious plum liquor!
◎Complete faster than pickling with other alcohols
If you make plum wine with this sake, the juicy plum extract will be added to the delicious flavor of "Emperor of the Night Forever," and you're sure to get a rich and flavorful plum wine!!
How to make plum wine using sake
・Plum … 1.5-2kg
・Rock sugar...about 300g ・Emperor of the Night Forever...1800ml (1 sho)
・A glass bottle that holds 3-4 liters (I used a 3L bottle purchased from Dasso)
・Bamboo skewers (for removing the stems of plums)
・Plum... 950 yen ・Rock sugar... 321 yen ・Glass container... 330 yen ・'Emperor of the Night Forever Special Junmai'... 3,520 yen Total 5,121 yen!!!
Step 1: Preparing the plums
First, wash the plums, dry them thoroughly and remove the stems.
This time we used Nanko plums, but if you are using green plums, soak them in water for 2-3 hours to remove the bitterness.
(If you use fully ripe plums, the flavor will be milder.)
After that, carefully remove the stem using a bamboo skewer, being careful not to damage the flesh.
Step 2: Layer the plums and rock sugar in that order and place them in a container.
Wash the glass container thoroughly, dry it thoroughly, and then wipe the inside with alcohol.
Then, layer the plums and rock sugar in a glass container in that order.
Finally, pour in the "Emperor of the Night Forever"... 1800ml fits perfectly!!
Step 3: Let it marinate for 2-3 months and it's done!
Store in a cool, dark place and let it soak for 2-3 months. Shake the container occasionally to dissolve the rock sugar.
Once it's well soaked, it's done!
Once it's marinated, enjoy it on the rocks or with soda to fully enjoy the flavor of the sake.
