You may have tried umeshu with all kinds of bases—brandy, shochu, sake, whisky, even home-infused varieties—but have you ever imagined a plum wine made with beer as the base? Normally, beer’s low alcohol content makes it unsuitable for soaking plums: not only would it fail to extract enough flavor, but the plums would likely go moldy during the infusion process. In other words, making beer-based umeshu is “mission impossible.” However, Miyashita Shuzo—a brewery from Okayama—decided to take on this challenge.

Their approach? They distill their signature “Doppo” beer to create a high-proof beer spirit, then age it in oak barrels until it develops a smooth, mellow character. This matured beer spirit is then used to steep locally-grown Okayama plums, and finally, a touch of ginjo sake is blended in to further refine and balance the flavor. Such a complex process—so what does it taste like? Let’s find out!

The color is pale yellow and crystal clear. On the nose, your first impression is “elegance”—a delicate ume aroma with a subtle background of floral and fruity notes, quite unique. The body is light and crisp, with moderate to low sweetness. After a gentle wave of plum sweetness, you’ll notice a lingering beer-like fragrance in the finish, which then gives way to a pleasant tartness from the plums. Overall, it’s a light, comfortable, and well-crafted umeshu—showcasing the distinctiveness of the beer spirit base without overpowering the plum character. Truly impressive.

Miyashita Shuzo’s main product line is beer, but they are also active in sake and shochu production. In recent years, they have even begun distilling whisky and gin, earning a solid reputation despite higher price points.