Type | Plum wine |
---|---|
Country of origin | Korea |
Alcohol by volume | 10-35% |
Ingredients | Maesil (plums) |
Korean name | |
Hangul | 매실주 |
---|---|
Hanja | 梅實酒 |
Revised Romanization | maesil-ju |
McCune–Reischauer | maesil-chu |
IPA | [mɛ.ɕil.t͈ɕu] |
Maesil-ju ( Korean: 매실주; Hanja: 梅實酒), also called plum wine, plum liquor, or plum liqueur, is an alcoholic drink infused with maesil (plums).The exact origins of Maesil-ju are unknown, but it is thought to date back to the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392) [1]. [2] [3] [4] [5]
Maesil-ju is made with maesil (매실; 梅實; "plums"), preferably ripe hwangmae (황매; 黃梅; "yellow plums"), which are yellowish in color, fragrant and firm. [6] [7] [8] Unripe cheongmae (청매; 靑梅; "green plums")—firmer and less fragrant—can also be used. [8] [9] Bruised or over-ripened plums may make the wine cloudy. [8] Damaged fruits should be avoided, as direct contact of plum seeds with alcohol may produce a small amount of prussic acid, due to the amygdalin in plum seeds. [10] However, toxicity vanishes after a year of maturation. [10] Ripe plums have much lower amygdalin content.[ citation needed]
Typically, 3 litres (0.66 imp gal; 0.79 US gal) of soju (of 20% ABV) and 100–150 grams (3.5–5.3 oz) of sugar is used per 1 kilogram (2.2 lb) of plums. [8] Sugar can be substituted with slightly more honey, and soju of 20% ABV can be substituted by 2 litres (0.44 imp gal; 0.53 US gal) soju (or any other unflavored spirit) of 30% ABV and 1 litre (0.22 imp gal; 0.26 US gal) of water. [8]
Plums are washed in cold water and dried on a tray for a day. [8] Dried plums and soju are added to a sterilized glass or earthenware jug and infused for about 100 days. [8] The fruits are then removed by sieving, and sugar is added to the plum wine. [8] The wine can be consumed immediately, but three to six months of maturation will greatly enrich the wine's flavour. [8]
Popular maesil-ju products include Mae hwa soo, [11] Matchsoon, [12] and Seoljungmae. [13]
Type | Plum wine |
---|---|
Country of origin | Korea |
Alcohol by volume | 10-35% |
Ingredients | Maesil (plums) |
Korean name | |
Hangul | 매실주 |
---|---|
Hanja | 梅實酒 |
Revised Romanization | maesil-ju |
McCune–Reischauer | maesil-chu |
IPA | [mɛ.ɕil.t͈ɕu] |
Maesil-ju ( Korean: 매실주; Hanja: 梅實酒), also called plum wine, plum liquor, or plum liqueur, is an alcoholic drink infused with maesil (plums).The exact origins of Maesil-ju are unknown, but it is thought to date back to the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392) [1]. [2] [3] [4] [5]
Maesil-ju is made with maesil (매실; 梅實; "plums"), preferably ripe hwangmae (황매; 黃梅; "yellow plums"), which are yellowish in color, fragrant and firm. [6] [7] [8] Unripe cheongmae (청매; 靑梅; "green plums")—firmer and less fragrant—can also be used. [8] [9] Bruised or over-ripened plums may make the wine cloudy. [8] Damaged fruits should be avoided, as direct contact of plum seeds with alcohol may produce a small amount of prussic acid, due to the amygdalin in plum seeds. [10] However, toxicity vanishes after a year of maturation. [10] Ripe plums have much lower amygdalin content.[ citation needed]
Typically, 3 litres (0.66 imp gal; 0.79 US gal) of soju (of 20% ABV) and 100–150 grams (3.5–5.3 oz) of sugar is used per 1 kilogram (2.2 lb) of plums. [8] Sugar can be substituted with slightly more honey, and soju of 20% ABV can be substituted by 2 litres (0.44 imp gal; 0.53 US gal) soju (or any other unflavored spirit) of 30% ABV and 1 litre (0.22 imp gal; 0.26 US gal) of water. [8]
Plums are washed in cold water and dried on a tray for a day. [8] Dried plums and soju are added to a sterilized glass or earthenware jug and infused for about 100 days. [8] The fruits are then removed by sieving, and sugar is added to the plum wine. [8] The wine can be consumed immediately, but three to six months of maturation will greatly enrich the wine's flavour. [8]
Popular maesil-ju products include Mae hwa soo, [11] Matchsoon, [12] and Seoljungmae. [13]