Umeshu soda glows amber like early-summer sunlight, yet the first sip is pure sweet-tart plum lifted by lively bubbles. True to its name, umeshu is ume steeped in spirit and rock sugar, and the ume is a close cousin of the apricot, which explains its ripe, fruity depth.
Crush the umeboshi in the glass and salty, sour notes slowly reshape every sip, turning one drink into two. Light, refreshing and made for Japanese food like yakitori and tempura, it’s a highball worth pouring tonight.
Recipe & How to Make It
Ingredients
Recipe no.170
- Umeshu (Japanese plum liqueur) — 2 oz (60ml)
- Soda — Full
- Umeboshi (pickled ume) — 1
※ Full = Fill to about 80–90% of the glass.
How to Make It
Chill the umeshu and soda in advance.
Place the umeboshi and umeshu in the glass, then gently press the umeboshi with a bar spoon. (Crush as much or as little as you like.)
Slowly top with soda so it doesn’t foam, then stir gently.
When mixing carbonated drinks, just stir 1–2 times and lift the ice up and down once to blend.
Place a muddler stick in the glass, and it’s ready.
( The muddler lets you crush the umeboshi as you drink and enjoy the changing flavor. )
・Technique ｜ Stir
・Glass ｜ Collins Glass / Tumbler Glass
・ABV ｜ About 4%–5%
・Best Enjoyed ｜ Daytime / Before Dinner
・Style ｜ Highball
History & Characteristics of Umeshu Soda
History & Origin
Umeshu Soda starts with umeshu, Japan’s beloved plum liqueur. The ume fruit arrived from China long ago and was already admired by the Nara-period court, appearing in many poems of the Man’yōshū, Japan’s oldest poetry collection.
By the Muromachi period, Kyoto had merchants selling umeshu, and in the Edo period the book Honchō Shokkan recorded a detailed recipe of ume and sugar steeped in sake. Once shochu became easy to find, steeping ume in it became the standard, since its higher strength draws out more of the fruit’s aroma.
In 1962, a change in Japan’s liquor tax law made homemade fruit liquors legal, so families everywhere began steeping green ume each June. Topping that homemade umeshu with soda simply came naturally. No one can name the year it was born, but I’d call it the most familiar highball in any Japanese home.
Flavor & Characteristics
Umeshu Soda pairs the sweet-tart flavor of umeshu with crisp bubbles. Steeping green ume in shochu and rock sugar slowly draws out both the fruit’s bright acidity and its rich, fruity aroma.
The soda lightens the sweetness, so the first sip opens with juicy plum and finishes clean. Pressing the umeboshi adds salty, sour notes that change the drink as you go.
With a gentle ABV of about 4–5%, it pairs beautifully with Japanese food. I’d crush the umeboshi halfway through to enjoy two drinks in one glass.
Umeshu Soda Tips, Twists, Food Pairings & Video
Tips, Twists & Food Pairings
Tips
- Chill everything first — Cold umeshu, soda and glass keep the ice from melting fast, so the drink stays crisp and the bubbles last longer. I always keep my umeshu in the fridge for this one.
- Common mistake: pouring soda straight onto the drink — Splashing it in or stirring hard knocks the bubbles out and leaves it flat. Pour gently along the ice or a bar spoon, then stir just once or twice.
- Pick your umeboshi with care — Classic salty umeboshi add a sharp, savory edge, while milder honey-style ones keep it sweet and gentle. For a first try, I’d go with a honey-style umeboshi.
Twists
- Ume Ginger — Swap the soda for ginger ale. Ginger’s gentle spice lifts the plum’s sweet-tart flavor, making a warmer, fuller drink that’s great for those new to umeshu.
- Shiso Umeshu Soda — Slap a fresh shiso leaf and drop it in. Shiso’s cool, herbal aroma is a classic partner for ume in Japanese cooking, adding a bright, refreshing finish.
Food Pairings
- Yakitori (salt-seasoned) — The drink’s plum acidity and bubbles cut through the rich chicken fat, while the salt brings out umeshu’s gentle sweetness.
- Tempura or karaage — Bright acidity and crisp soda refresh the palate after each oily bite, much like a squeeze of citrus on fried food.
- Cucumber and shiso salad — Cool cucumber matches the drink’s freshness, and shiso echoes the classic ume-shiso pairing found across Japanese cuisine.
Recipe Video
- Recipe Video｜ Kori to Sake to Channel Home
