How To Make Courran Wine

This recipe originates from Rachel Kirk in 1707, a period when country housewives throughout Britain crafted fruit wines as an alternative to expensive imported grape wines. Currants (or "corrans") were common in kitchen gardens, and such wines were popular for household consumption and preserving the harvest. Homemade wines were a symbol of resourcefulness and social standing, reflecting domestic culinary skills passed from one generation to the next. At the time, there was little standardization in recipes, so exact measurements depended on local practices and the cook's experience. This method, calling for a yearlong wait, reflects the patience and anticipation characteristic of historical home brewing and celebrates the slow pleasures of the season.

The original process would have used a large mash tub, similar to those used in brewing, with a spigot or a large hole for draining the liquid, a wooden or stone pestle for crushing the currants, a 'hair sieve' (coarse cloth or fine-mesh strainer made from animal hair) for straining, and wooden barrels for fermenting and aging. Simple wooden stirring paddles and earthenware or stoneware jugs for storage would be typical. Cooling was done by transferring the liquid to various shallow vessels before fermentation. Today, equivalent tools include a large fermentation bucket, potato masher, fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth, demijohn or carboy for fermentation, airlocks, and food-grade plastic or glass bottles for aging.