Pouring red currant at home

Currants have been considered a unique culture for a long time. Even in ancient times, people noted the healing properties of its berries for human health, and the pleasant sweet-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 red currant 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 red currant liqueur

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

Currants contain vitamins A, B1, B12 and P, sodium, iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium. In addition, this berry is famous for its antioxidant properties, as it contains a large amount of vitamin C.

The active ingredients in the berries have a significant effect on the human body in a positive way. Red currants are 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 the joints;
• Have a positive effect on the condition of hair and skin.

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

How to make red currant liqueur at home

Making red currant 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 the berry liqueur for at least 1.5 - 2 months so that the taste 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, and a sieve. In order to knead the pulp of the berries, use a crush or meat grinder.

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

Red currant liqueurs recipes

There are many recipes for making red currant liqueur, and each of them has its own characteristics. However, adherence to 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 red currant liqueur with vodka

The least time-consuming and effortless recipe is considered to be a red currant liqueur prepared with vodka. Cooking recipe:

1. Fresh currants (3-4 kg) are washed with running water, overripe or deformed berries are removed and cleaned from the green parts of the plant.
2. Then the fruits are thoroughly dried by laying them out on a towel, after which they are 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 removed to a cool place to infuse.

Pouring frozen red currant

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

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

Pouring red currant with alcohol

As a rule, the choice of the base for the red currant 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 precisely the liqueur with undiluted alcohol 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 currant is poured.
2. The berries are poured with 300 ml of alcohol with a strength 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. The filtered currant berries are carefully squeezed out.
5. Sugar in the 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 fully cooked.

Pouring red currant with the addition of wine

The original taste will have a red currant liqueur based on wine. 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 preheated to 40 - 60 ° C for 8 - 10 hours.
4. Then the workpiece is cooled at room temperature and filtered through cheesecloth.
5. Sugar is added to taste in the amount of 100-200 g.
6. After 1 - 2 hours, the filling is bottled, corked and sent to the refrigerator for 2 - 3 hours.

Red currant honey liqueur

It does not require complex manipulations and liqueur from red currant fruits with the addition of honey. To prepare it, 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. Seal the container and insist in a cool dark place for 2 weeks.
5. After the specified time, filter the liquid through cheesecloth.
6. The finished liqueur is poured into bottles.

Pouring red currant on moonshine

Currant liqueur cooked with moonshine is highly appreciated. Although the base of the drink is quite strong, alcohol is practically not felt when consumed. This is achieved through additional purification of the moonshine and its double distillation. The recipe for such a liqueur is quite simple:

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

Contraindications

Despite all its benefits, red currant 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, currants do not pose a danger to allergy sufferers, however, it is necessary to refuse from its use in any form to persons suffering from:

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

The high sugar content in currant liqueur can negatively affect your health:

• persons with diabetes mellitus;
• disorders of the pancreas;
• hypertension.

Alcohol in the liqueur can harm people with the following health conditions:

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

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

Terms and conditions of storage

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

The finished liqueur, regardless of 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 be no higher than 23 - 20 ° С. For the longest time, containers with a drink are stored in a dark room out of direct sunlight.

Conclusion

Pouring from red currants is characterized not only by a pleasant mild taste, but also retains all the beneficial properties of berries. This quality of the drink will allow you to support the body in the autumn-winter period, when the human immune system is especially vulnerable, and its bright color and rich aroma will remind you of sunny summer days.

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