Redcurrant pouring at home

Currant has long been considered a unique culture. Even in ancient times, people noted the healing properties of its berries for human health, and the pleasant sweet and sour taste of the fruit and high yield made it a popular ingredient in a wide variety of dishes and drinks. The latter include not only compotes and fruit drinks, but also alcoholic drinks, such as redcurrant liqueur. For those who want to look at a familiar culture with a new look, it will be interesting to understand the benefits and harms of this unusual drink and try out several recipes.

The benefits and harms of redcurrant liqueurs

The benefits of redcurrant liqueur are hard to deny for the simple reason that it consists exclusively of natural ingredients, without artificial additives and dyes. However, the main value of such a drink for health lies in its main ingredient. Red juicy berries are a source of vitamins, as well as macro- and microelements.

Currant contains vitamins A, B1, B12 and P, there are sodium, iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium. In addition, this berry has become famous for its antioxidant effect, as it contains a large amount of vitamin C.

The active components in the composition of berries significantly affect the human body in a positive way. Redcurrant is capable of:

• increase the body’s resistance to pathogenic bacteria;
• speed up metabolism;
• activate the elimination of toxins;
• improve vision;
• normalize the functions of the gastrointestinal tract;
• strengthen joints;
• Positively affect the condition of hair and skin.

The use of fresh currants provides the body with an abundance of nutrients to maintain tone and strengthen immunity. The same applies to home-made drinks from this valuable berry.

How to make redcurrant liqueur at home

Making redcurrant liqueur is not difficult. Regardless of the recipe, it is quite possible to prepare a drink from this healthy berry even for beginners in such a business, if you follow some simple recommendations:

1. Fresh, dried and frozen berries are equally suitable as the main ingredient for liqueur.
2. Fresh currant berries should be used within 5 – 7 days, as they tend to deteriorate quickly.
3. It is necessary to infuse berry liqueur for at least 1,5 – 2 months so that the flavor palette can open up more fully, while it is advisable to keep the drink in a dark place for 4 months. The optimum temperature should be between 20 and 24°C.
4. In the process of preparing a drink, the manufacturer will need 2 – 3 enameled pots, several glass jars or bottles, as well as a sieve. In order to knead the pulp of berries, use a pusher or meat grinder.

Currant liqueur can be considered a universal drink, since almost any high-quality alcohol can serve as its basis: vodka, alcohol, moonshine, wine, gin or cognac.

Redcurrant liqueur recipes

There are many recipes that allow you to make a liqueur from redcurrant berries, and each of them has its own characteristics. However, following the basic principles of preparation and strict adherence to the recipe will make it possible to create a drink from these healthy berries that is in no way inferior to factory-made products.

A simple recipe for homemade redcurrant vodka liqueur

The least time-consuming and effortless recipe is redcurrant liqueur prepared with vodka. Cooking recipe:

1. Fresh currants (3 – 4 kg) are washed with running water, overripe or deformed berries are removed and they are cleaned of green parts of the plant.
2. Then the fruits are thoroughly dried, laying them on a towel, and then crushed in a meat grinder.
3. 1,5 liters of clean drinking water is poured into the resulting mass of berries and left for 20-30 minutes.
4. After the allotted time, the berry pulp is filtered in a sieve, squeezing out all the juice from the cake.
5. Berry juice is mixed with 0,5 l of wheat vodka and 1,2 kg of refined white sugar until it is completely dissolved.
6. The finished drink is poured into glass containers and put in a cool place to brew.

Frozen red currant liqueur

You can also make high-quality and tasty liqueur from frozen redcurrant berries if you follow the same algorithm of actions as in the above vodka recipe. However, when preparing such a drink, the following nuances should be borne in mind:

1. It is necessary to defrost currants in the same container where the ingredients for the drink will be mixed so that the juice does not disappear when thawing.
2. The amount of water added should be reduced by at least half.
3. The strength of the liqueur from frozen berries will be lower than from fresh ones, since in the first case the currant gives more juice.

Red currant liqueur with alcohol

As a rule, the choice of base for redcurrant liqueur is based solely on the taste preferences of the manufacturer and does not particularly affect the final product. However, connoisseurs of homemade drinks claim that it is the undiluted alcohol liqueur that has the most intense taste and rich aroma. Prepare it this way:

1. In a glass jar with a volume of 3 liters, 1 liter of washed currants is poured.
2. Berries are poured with 300 ml of alcohol with a strength index of at least 60% and the container is closed with a nylon lid, after which they are placed in a dark place for 1,5 – 2 months.
3. Then the workpiece is filtered through a sieve, on top of which gauze is placed.
4. Filtered currant berries are carefully squeezed.
5. Sugar in an amount of 600 g is combined with 600 ml of water and boiled until a homogeneous syrup is formed, after which it is cooled.
6. The syrup is added to the drink, bottled and allowed to stand for another 7 days until ready.

Red currant liqueur with wine

The original taste will have a wine-based redcurrant liqueur. Such a drink can be prepared very quickly, since it does not need to be infused for several months. In addition, such a liqueur does not differ in strength, which varies from 5 to 8%, and can serve as an exquisite aperitif before dinner or a festive meal. Cooking sequence:

1. Pour 1 kg of prepared currants into a saucepan and pour 0,5 liters of red wine.
2. The container is tightly covered with foil and several holes are made in it.
3. After that, the pan is placed in an oven heated to 40 – 60 ° C for 8 – 10 hours.
4. Then the workpiece is cooled at room temperature and filtered through gauze.
5. Add sugar to taste in the amount of 100 – 200 g.
6. After 1 – 2 hours, the liqueur is bottled, corked and sent to the refrigerator for 2 – 3 hours.

Redcurrant honey liqueur

It does not require complex manipulations and pouring from the fruits of red currant with the addition of honey. For its preparation, you will need 1 kg of peeled washed berries and 0,5 liters of high-quality vodka. There is no need to add sugar to such a drink: honey will give the liqueur the necessary sweetness.

1. Currant berries are placed in a three-liter jar.
2. Add 1 tbsp. l. honey.
3. The resulting berry raw material is poured with vodka without shaking the contents of the jar.
4. Cork the container and insist in a dark, cool place for 2 weeks.
5. After the specified time, filter the liquid through gauze.
6. The finished liquor is bottled.

Moonshine red currant pour

Currant liqueur prepared on moonshine is highly valued. Although the basis of the drink is quite strong, alcohol is practically not felt when drinking it. This is achieved through additional purification of moonshine and its double distillation. The recipe for this liqueur is quite simple:

1. Selected red currants in the amount of 300 g are placed in a glass jar with a volume of 1 liter.
2. Add 500 ml of homemade moonshine there.
3. Pour into a container 150 – 200 g of granulated sugar.
4. After that, the jar is carefully closed, the container is shaken and rearranged in a warm room without direct sunlight.
5. Once every 4 days, the container with the liqueur must be shaken to speed up the fermentation process.
6. The finished drink can be drunk after 2 weeks.

Противопоказания

Despite all its benefits, redcurrant liqueur has certain contraindications. Since the drink consists of a number of components, it is rather difficult to list all the cases in which it is not recommended to use it.

So, currant does not pose a danger to allergy sufferers, however, its use in any form must also be abandoned to persons suffering from:

• gastritis;
• stomach ulcer and other acute inflammations of the gastrointestinal tract;
• hemophilia.

The high sugar content in currant liqueur can adversely affect health:

• persons with diabetes;
• violations of the pancreas;
• hypertension.

Alcohol in the composition of the liquor can harm people with the following health conditions:

• pregnancy;
• breastfeeding;
• violations of the heart;
• problems of functioning of the central nervous system;
• depression and other mental disorders.

In addition, in large doses, redcurrant liqueur, like any alcoholic drink, can harm even an absolutely healthy person. Therefore, before using the liqueur, it is strongly recommended to consult with your doctor.

Terms and conditions of storage

If, for health reasons, there are no restrictions on the use of redcurrant liqueur, you should take care of how to properly store the drink so that it does not lose its beneficial properties.

The finished liquor, no matter what raw material it was made from, can be stored for at least 1,5 – 2 years if it is poured into a clean, dry glass container and tightly closed with a lid. The storage temperature should not exceed 23 – 20 °C. The longest containers with a drink are stored in a dark room in the absence of direct sunlight.

Conclusion

Red currant liqueur is characterized not only by a pleasant mild taste, but also retains all the beneficial properties of berries. This quality of the drink will support the body in the autumn-winter period, when human immunity is especially vulnerable, and its bright color and rich aroma will remind you of sunny summer days.