Ikegame Shuzo’s Jelly Umeshu and the Redefined Shape of Plum Wine
Before opening the bottle, a firm shake is required. While agitating a beverage is rarely customary, with “Shake-It Jelly Umeshu,” the drink simply will not pour unless you engage in this ritual. The umeshu inside has been carefully set into a delicate jelly, designed to be gently broken up by shaking before it yields from the bottle.
Crafted by Ikegame Shuzo, a venerable brewery in Kusaba, Mizuma-machi, Kurume City, Fukuoka Prefecture. Founded in 1875, it is a long-established sake brewery celebrating a century and a half of heritage.
A Kurume Legacy Dating Back to 1875
The founder is said to have been Kamachi Genzo, a master swordsman who served as an assistant instructor for the Kurume Domain. During the Meiji era, Genzo traveled to Nada in Hyogo to train in sake brewing, bringing back methods uniquely suited to the water profile of the Chikugo River basin. For the next 150 years, Ikegame Shuzo helped sustain the brewing culture of the Chikugo region.
A turning point came in 2006, when current president Teruyuki Kamachi returned to the brewery after honing his craft in shochu and sake production at a major Japanese brewery. Exploring “acidity” as his central theme, he applied black koji—traditionally reserved for shochu—to sake, creating the junmai ginjo “Kurokabuto.” Kurokabuto went on to win a gold medal at Kura Master 2019 and multiple gold awards at the Fukuoka Prefecture Sake Appraisal.
Kamachi’s philosophy is resolute: “I want to use our proprietary techniques to craft distinctive sake that major producers simply would not make.”
The Birth of a “Shakeable” Liqueur in 2007
One representative expression of that philosophy was “Shake-It Jelly Umeshu,” released the following year in 2007. According to the maker, it is recognized as Japan’s first jelly-style umeshu.
Its composition is meticulously considered. Foregoing the neutral white liquor typical of standard umeshu, it employs a robust, authentic rice shochu as its base spirit. The fully ripened, large plums are sourced from Oita and Fukuoka prefectures. Only sugar, acidulant, and naturally derived thickening polysaccharides are added; no artificial flavorings, colorings, preservatives, or antioxidants are used. After maturing at a low temperature for about a year, it is handmade in small batches of just 500 bottles at a time.
The brewery advises: “Before opening, agitate the bottle firmly once or twice. It works best if you shake it with the mouth of the bottle facing downward.” The shaking fragments the jelly, transforming it into a semi-solid state that can gracefully flow through the bottle opening. The intensity and number of shakes continuously alter the size of the jelly pieces. Shake it too vigorously, and it becomes almost purely liquid.
When Texture Becomes a Narrative
The aroma carries the lingering impression of ripe plums, reminiscent of peaches. The sweetness is refined and restrained, while acidity gives elegant shape to the finish. The brewery’s accumulated expertise in acidity and koji—epitomized by their Kurokabuto sake—translates seamlessly into their liqueur-making. Fukuoka plums, Kyushu rice, and water from the Chikugo River system: tying these local ingredients together are naturally derived elements.
This was the question posed in 2007 by a Kurume brewery with 150 years of history: just how free can the very form of a libation be?
Nearly 20 years after its release, this umeshu that demands motion is still crafted in batches of 500 bottles. Quietly rooted in a category no one else had thought to create, it continues to answer the 150-year-old brewery’s question without rushing toward a conclusion. (Mr. Bacchus)
This article is intended solely to explore the blending craftsmanship and cultural heritage of Ikekame Shuzo Co., Ltd. and the Furutte-Pururu Jelly Umeshu brand, and does not aim to promote or encourage the consumption of alcohol. / บทความนี้จัดทำขึ้นเพื่อนำเสนอข้อมูลเกี่ยวกับศิลปะการผสมผสานและมรดกทางวัฒนธรรมของ Ikekame Shuzo Co., Ltd. และแบรนด์ Furutte-Pururu Jelly Umeshu เท่านั้น มิได้มีเจตนาเพื่อส่งเสริมหรือโฆษณาเครื่องดื่มแอลกอฮอล์ สำหรับผู้มีอายุ 20 ปีขึ้นไป โปรดดื่มอย่างรับผิดชอบ