Homemade Green Plum Wine (Qing Mei Jiu)

Why people make this wine

Fresh green plums are a seasonal ingredient, available in spring at Asian grocers and Chinese herb shops. The process is simple: plums, sugar, rice wine, and patience. Traditional Chinese food therapy considers green plum wine a gentle tonic for the digestive system, associated with supporting the body’s absorption of nutrients and bolstering immunity. Beyond drinking it, the same wine is applied externally as a topical rub for the relief of sciatica — massaged into the affected area until the skin feels gently warm. Commercially made Japanese umeshu (such as Choya) can be used as a ready-made substitute if fresh green plums are out of season.