Maesil-ju

Maesil-ju, 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).

Ingredients
Maesil-ju is made with maesil ("plums"), preferably ripe hwangmae ("yellow plums"), which are yellowish in color, fragrant and firm. Unripe cheongmae ("green plums")—firmer and less fragrant—can also be used. Bruised or over-ripened plums may make the wine cloudy. 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. However, toxicity vanishes after a year of maturation. Ripe plums have much lower amygdalin content.

Typically, 3 l of soju (of 20% ABV) and 100-150 g of sugar is used per 1 kg of plums. Sugar can be substituted with slightly more honey, and soju of 20% ABV can be substituted by 2 l soju (or any other unflavored spirit) of 30% ABV and 1 l of water.

Preparation
Plums are washed in cold water and dried on a tray for a day. Dried plums and soju are added to a sterilized glass or earthenware jug and infused for about 100 days. The fruits are then removed by sieving, and sugar is added to the plum wine. The wine can be consumed immediately, but three to six months of maturation will greatly enrich the wine's flavour.

Commerce
Popular maesil-ju products include Mae hwa soo, Matchsoon, and Seoljungmae.