How To Make Oring Wine
From the treasured pages of Mrs. Rachel Kirk Book 1707
Written by Rachel Kirk
How To Make Oring Wine
"Take 6 gallons of Spring water 12 Pound of suger then take 4 egg whits & beat them to a frothe put it in while it is could then set it over the fire and boile it 3 quarters of an houer skim it, then take 3 score Oringes pare of the skins put in none of the white so pour your water upon your skins hot put in 6 ounc of cittern beat it uery well with water & mix it to your Jiuc of oringe so mixin it a mongst your oring & water take 6 or 7 spoonefull of new barm stir it uery well togather let it work 3 days & 2 nights putto it 2 quarts of Renish Wine put it up in a Vessill stop it close up let it stand 14 or 16 dayes then draw it out & botle it & corke it & put in euery botle a lump of lofe suger if you make it up with lofe suger you must have a pound more"
Note on the Original Text
The spelling and grammar in the original are typical of early 18th-century English, before full standardization: 'oring' for 'orange,' 'suger' for 'sugar,' and 'cittern' refers to candied citron. The instruction to use 'barm' reflects the historical reliance on the froth from brewing beer as a primary fermenting agent before commercial yeast was available. Measurement units like 'gallon,' 'score,' and 'quarts' were approximate—'score' meaning 20, so '3 score Oringes' is 60 oranges. The recipe is written as a single stream of instructions, assuming the reader is familiar with common kitchen practices of the time.
Title
Mrs. Rachel Kirk Book 1707 (1707)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Rachel Kirk
Era
1707
Publisher
Unknown
Background
A remarkable collection of early 18th-century recipes, Rachel Kirk's work invites readers into the kitchens of the past where classic culinary traditions and timeless flavors come alive. Expect a charming medley of savory feasts and sweet treats reflective of the era's sophisticated palate.
Kindly made available by
Folger Shakespeare Library
This recipe appears in the collection of Rachel Kirk from 1707, a period when 'wine' referred broadly to fermented beverages made from fruits and sugar, not only grapes. Orange wine was a luxury cordial, often served as a punch or medicinal tonic, and reflected the growing availability of exotic citrus thanks to expanding colonial trade. The inclusion of egg whites, barm (brewer's yeast), and candied citron marks this as an upper-class beverage designed for refinement and celebration within well-to-do 18th century English households.
In 1707, this recipe would have used large copper or earthenware kettles for boiling water and dissolving sugar, along with wooden stirring paddles. Citrus would have been peeled with a small, sharp knife to avoid the bitter pith. Juicing was done by hand or with a wooden press. A fermentation vessel ('vessill') would have been made of wood or stoneware, secured with a cloth and wax to seal. Bottling was done in thick glass bottles, corked and tied down, sometimes with wire or twine.
Prep Time
2 hrs
Cook Time
45 mins
Servings
110
We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!
Ingredients
- 6 gallons spring water
- 12 lb granulated sugar (or 12 lb 14 oz if using loaf sugar)
- 4 egg whites
- Zest of ~60 oranges (no pith; substitute Seville or Valencia oranges for best historic style)
- Juice of ~60 oranges (~6 quarts or 1.5 gallons juice)
- 6 oz (170g) candied citron, finely chopped (substitute candied lemon peel if needed)
- 1.5-1.75 oz fresh live yeast (or ale barm, traditional)
- 2 quarts dry white wine (such as Riesling or another Rhenish variety)
- Additional loaf sugar, about 1/3 oz per bottle
Instructions
- To make Orange Wine in the style of Rachel Kirk's 1707 method, begin by heating 6 gallons (22.7 quarts) of spring water with 12 pounds (5 lb 6.6 oz) of granulated sugar, whisking the whites of 4 eggs until frothy and adding to the cool mixture.
- Slowly bring to just under a boil for roughly 45 minutes, skimming off any scum as it forms.
- While hot, pour the liquid over the finely pared zest (not pith) of about 60 oranges.
- Separately, finely grind 6 ounces (170 grams) of candied citron and mix it with a touch of water.
- Extract the juice from the 60 oranges (about 6 quarts or 1 1/2 gallons) and mix with the citron mixture, then combine all with the sugared water.
- Add about 6-7 tablespoons of fresh ale barm (or substitute with approximately 1.5-1.75 ounces of active fresh yeast), and stir well.
- Allow to ferment for 3 days and 2 nights.
- After initial fermentation, pour in 2 quarts (half a gallon) of Rhenish (Riesling-style) white wine.
- Transfer to a fermentation vessel and seal tightly.
- Let it stand undisturbed for 14-16 days.
- Siphon the clear wine off the sediment, bottle it, and in each bottle add a small piece (about 1/3 ounce) of loaf sugar.
- If using loaf sugar throughout instead of granulated, increase total sugar by about 1 pound.
Estimated Calories
305 per serving
Cooking Estimates
Preparing the ingredients, zesting and juicing the oranges, and mixing everything takes about 2 hours. Cooking the syrup takes about 45 minutes. Fermentation and resting take much longer, but most of this time you won't need to do anything except wait. Each serving is a 250ml glass. Calories are based on the total sugar and wine divided among servings.
As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.
We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.
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