Suanmeitang
A sweet, sour and slightly salty Chinese drink made from smoked plums
Suanmeitang is a traditional Chinese drink made from smoked sour plums, brown sugar, and often sweet osmanthus. Known for its sweet, tart and faintly salty taste, it is especially popular in China during hot summers as a cooling refreshment. The drink has been enjoyed for over a thousand years and is widely available both homemade and commercially.
- Made from smoked sour plums, brown sugar, and sweet osmanthus
- Served chilled as a summer drink in China
- Has a sweet, sour, and slightly salty taste
- Enjoyed for over 1,000 years, dating back to the Song dynasty
- Believed to help with digestion and cooling off
What is Suanmeitang?
Suanmeitang is a Chinese beverage with a deep reddish-brown color, made by boiling smoked sour plums with brown sugar and fragrant sweet osmanthus flowers. Other ingredients like haw (a tart fruit), liquorice root, and sometimes rose blossoms are added for complexity. The drink is sweet, tangy, and has a mild salty edge from the plums. It is usually served cold, especially in summer, and is known for its refreshing and thirst-quenching qualities.
Where does Suanmeitang come from?
Suanmeitang has a long history in China, dating back over a thousand years to at least the Song dynasty. A version called 'white suanmeitang' was noted during the Yuan dynasty. The recipe most familiar today is believed to have been created for the Qianlong Emperor in the early 18th century, first served at the imperial court. It later became popular among the general public, especially after a Hebei entrepreneur began producing it commercially. By the 1980s, industrial production made it widely available.
How is Suanmeitang made?
To make suanmeitang, smoked sour plums are first soaked in water. Haw, liquorice root, and sweet osmanthus are added, and the mixture is boiled. Sometimes rose blossoms are included for extra aroma. After boiling, brown sugar is stirred in and the mixture is boiled again. Once cooled, the drink is chilled before serving. The result is a complex, layered flavor that balances sweetness, tartness, and a hint of salt.
How and when is Suanmeitang eaten?
Suanmeitang is most often enjoyed cold, especially during the hot summer months. It is a common refreshment in China and is sold both homemade and in bottled form. People drink it as a cooling treat to help beat the heat, and it is often found at markets, restaurants, and family gatherings. Some believe it aids digestion and helps with recovery after physical activity.
Kinds of Suanmeitang
There are a few known variations of suanmeitang. A 'white' version was made during the Yuan dynasty. The basic recipe can be adjusted by adding or omitting ingredients like rose blossoms or different types of sugar. Commercial brands may use slightly different blends or preparation methods, but the core of smoked plums and sweet-sour flavor remains the same.
What Suanmeitang means
Suanmeitang is deeply associated with Chinese summer and is one of the country's most popular traditional drinks for cooling off. Its long history ties it to both imperial and everyday life. The drink is also believed to have minor health benefits, such as aiding digestion and helping with heat relief. It is a staple in Chinese communities and is often seen as a symbol of summer refreshment.
Questions people ask about Suanmeitang
What is suanmeitang made of?
Suanmeitang is made from smoked sour plums, brown sugar, sweet osmanthus, haw, liquorice root, and sometimes rose blossoms. These are boiled together and then chilled before serving.
Where does suanmeitang come from?
Suanmeitang originates from China and has been enjoyed there for over a thousand years, with roots tracing back to the Song dynasty.
What does suanmeitang taste like?
It has a sweet, tart, and slightly salty flavor, thanks to the combination of smoked plums, sugar, and osmanthus.
When is suanmeitang usually drunk?
It is most commonly drunk chilled during the summer as a way to cool off, but it can be enjoyed year-round.
Is suanmeitang vegetarian or vegan?
Yes, suanmeitang is vegan, as it contains only plant-based ingredients like fruit, flowers, and sugar.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Suanmeitang", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Thali rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes, and it is not dietary or allergy advice: recipes differ from cook to cook. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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