Maesil-ju facts for kids
_2.jpg) |
|
| 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 (Hangul: 매실주; Hanja: 梅實酒) is a special Korean drink. It is also called plum wine or plum liquor. This drink is made by soaking maesil (which are plums) in alcohol. People believe Maesil-ju has been around since the Goryeo Dynasty. That was a long time ago, from 918 to 1392!
Contents
What is Maesil-ju Made From?
Maesil-ju is made using maesil plums. The best plums to use are ripe hwangmae. These are yellow plums that smell nice and are firm.
Different Kinds of Plums
You can also use unripe cheongmae plums. These are green plums that are firmer and do not smell as strong. It is important to avoid plums that are bruised or too ripe. They can make the drink cloudy.
Important Safety Tip
You should also avoid any damaged plums. Plum seeds have a natural substance in them. When these seeds touch alcohol, they can create a tiny amount of a substance called prussic acid. But don't worry! This substance goes away after the drink ages for about a year. Ripe plums have much less of this substance to begin with.
How Much of Each Ingredient?
Usually, people use about 3 liters of soju (a type of Korean alcohol) for every 1 kilogram of plums. They also add about 100 to 150 grams of sugar. You can use a little more honey instead of sugar if you like. If you use stronger soju (30% alcohol), you might use 2 liters of soju and 1 liter of water. You can also use any other plain, unflavored alcohol.
How to Make Maesil-ju
_(cropped).jpg)
Making Maesil-ju is quite simple.
- First, wash the plums in cold water.
- Then, let them dry on a tray for a whole day.
- Next, put the dried plums and soju into a clean glass or clay jar.
- Let them soak for about 100 days. This is called infusing.
- After 100 days, take out the plums by straining the liquid.
- Then, add sugar to the plum wine.
You can drink the Maesil-ju right away. But if you let it age for three to six more months, it will taste much richer and better!
Popular Maesil-ju Brands
There are many popular Maesil-ju products you might find. Some well-known brands include Mae hwa soo, Matchsoon, and Seoljungmae.
See also
In Spanish: Maesil-ju para niños
