Homemade Black Currant Wine

The European black currant (Ribes nigrum) produces fine large berries. It is cultivated mainly in Canada and Europe. I have saved my mother´s old recipe of a sweet black currant wine. The berries must not be washed. They should still have their own natural yeast on the skins. But, of course, wine yeast and nutrient can be added, which will make the wine stronger. For the process of fermentation you can use a glass storage jar complete with its cork. Instead of a glass container, you could use polythene which is just as efficient.



INGREDIENTS:
* 5 l boiled, cooled water
* 3 l fresh, fully ripe black currants
* 8 lumps of sugar every day for three months

METHOD:

1. Strip the blackcurrants from the stalks.
2. Crush them using a wooden spoon.
3. Put them into the container.
4. Pour over water (about 30 °C).
5. Put 8 lumps of sugar into the container, shake and keep at room temperature.
6. Feed the wine with 8 lumps of sugar and shake every day for three months.
(Open carefully! Pressure will be high towards the end of fermentation).
7. Allow the wine to rest a few weeks, then strain off liquid.
8. Pour into bottles, cork and store in a cool dark place.

"There is nobody who, having a garden, shouldn’t plant a great number [of black currant bushes] for the needs of their family," Abbé P. Bailly de Montaran in 1712.
And he added: "Black currant is a fruit that promotes long life in human beings."