FRESH UME - HARVESTED THIS WEEK 20 JAN 2026

Our Ume now available again to order. Fresh harvest of Ume starting to colour up (but still very firm) so very suitable for both Umeshu and Umeboshi. 

North Island orders will ship via NZPost Courier Overnight. South Island orders will ship via PostHaste Courier (2 day delivery). Both will be non-signature deliveries unless you specify (it avoids a delivery delay if you are not there to sign).

All orders will be packed with ice pack to keep them as cool as possible in transit. 

Parcel tracking will be emailed once packed and ready to ship (need your email address for this).

NOTE: Please ensure the freight option you choose matches your delivery address (pull down options). Selecting the incorrect freight option slows us right down sending your order. 

You are ordering in 1kg units.

Thank you so much for your order.

Enjoy making your 2026 edition of Umeshu/Umeboshi/Ume Syrup/Ume Jam.

Make Umeshu with green Ume ...

Decide on the spirt you want to use. It could be a white spirit (gin, vodka) or a malt based spirit (whiskey, brandy), or a rice based spirit (sake, soju, shochu), or a spiced spirit (rum). Generally you are going to choose a spirit that you enjoy from the outset.

Decide on the sweetness level you want your Umeshu to be at. Japanese method is to add equal weight (1:1) Ume to rock Sugar. Thats way too sweet for me, so I reduce the sugar right down to 20-30% of fruit weight. Keep in mind you can always add sugar later, but you cant take out.

Prepare Ume - rinse Ume in cold water. Remove the small black fruit cap with a toothpick. Then dry fruit on a towel or tea towel

In clean dry dishwasher washed 1-2 size jars are the best- add Ume, then rock sugar, then fill to top with the spirit. You’ll likely be using 700 -1litre of spirit. Put lid on and leave for aprox 6-12 months before drinking. Record your ratios so once you start tasting, you can adjust for next season. It's very much personal taste. 

Umeshu will just get better with age. The liquid will darken in colour which is part of the "aging" process. 20 year old Umeshu is usually opened with great ceremony!  The Ume fruit can be left in the Umeshu, you dont need to remove them.

Pic #5 showing my jar of Umeshu made January 2023. 

Make Umeboshi with ripening Ume ...

It is easy to ripen green Ume. Just put them in a wide bowl or tray and let sit at room temperature covered with a tea towel. They will start to ripen (start turning yellow, become softer, juicier and you will smell the sweet ripening ume aroma). This process usually takes around 3-4 days but keep an eye on them every day and decide when to start your Umeboshi process. 

https://www.thespruceeats.com/umeboshi-japanese-sour-salted-plums-3895688

Making delicious sweet Ume syrup with either green or yellow Ume ...

Wash and dry Ume. Remove black cap from fruit.  Place Ume in large jar (weigh the Ume first) then add equal weight rock Sugar. You don't use any water - just the Ume and rock Sugar. Cap jar and leave at RT for 5 days, then into fridge to cold ferment for 3-6 months. The resulting Ume syrup can be used to make a delicious soda, cocktail, drizzle on fruit salads, etc. Koreans like to use hard green Ume to make their syrup. Japanese prefer using the ripening yellow Ume. I've made both and my favorite is the green Ume syrup. It is really flavourful and a bit edgy (in a good way).