To Make Curran Wine
From the treasured pages of Receipts for cookery and pastry work
Written by Mrs. Johnston
To Make Curran Wine
"Take Currans full rype Bruise them well and squise them through a Cloth and to Every skoals pint of juice add two pints of spring water to Every ten pints of Liquor Put fifteen pounds of sugar mix it well and when the sugar is melted put it in to your Cask in two or three Days it will ferment and work keep some to fill it up which you may Do once in two or three Days or selldomer iff you see it worke well you neid not fil it Close to the Beeng as it will make it run over it will posably work two or three Weekes when you see it is Done working Bung it Close up and Lett it stand six or Eight Months Finis"
Note on the Original Text
The recipe is written in an unpunctuated, flowing prose typical of household manuscripts of the 1700s. Quantities are measured in 'skoals pints' and 'pints', with a reliance on proportional calculation rather than strict weights for all quantities. Spelling is non-standard: 'currans' for currants, 'skoals' as a variant of 'scald', 'neid' for need, 'fil it close to the beeng' presumably meaning 'fill it close to the bung' (stopper). Instructions are continuous, assuming the reader’s basic familiarity with fermentation and sugar work. The period’s recipes seldom mention yeast, relying on wild yeasts from the fruit and air to trigger fermentation.
Title
Receipts for cookery and pastry work (1700)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Mrs. Johnston
Era
1700
Publisher
Unknown
Background
A delightful compilation of 18th-century recipes gathered by Mrs. Johnston herself, promising a charming journey through the flavors and culinary traditions of the early 1700s.
Kindly made available by
Folger Shakespeare Library
This recipe comes from the early 18th century, at a time when home winemaking was a common practice in England, especially among women managing large households. Mrs. Johnston has carefully recorded this method in her handwritten book, around the year 1700. The recipe reflects both period tastes and techniques, emphasizing sugar for preservation as well as fermentation. Currant wine was a popular country alternative to expensive imported grape wine. Making wine at home was both a display of domestic skill and a practical way to ensure a store of comforting beverages for dark winter months. Many such recipes were shared among women and passed down through families.
In the 1700s, currant wine would have been made using simple, practical tools: a large wooden or earthenware tub for bruising the fruit, a heavy pestle or masher, and a strong linen or muslin cloth for straining. The juice would be poured into wooden casks or stoneware jugs for fermentation and aging. Sugar was hand-weighed and mixed in with wooden spoons. The casks were stopped with wooden bungs, sealed with wax or cloth. Careful monitoring of the fermenting liquid was essential, using one’s eyes and nose to determine the state of the ‘working’—the fermentation.
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Servings
10
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
- 11 pounds fully ripe currants (red or black)
- 10 imperial pints (1.25 gallons) water (preferably spring or filtered)
- 15 pounds granulated sugar
Instructions
- Begin by taking fully ripe currants (red or black can be used, but red are traditional).
- Bruise them thoroughly using a potato masher or food-safe gloves, then strain the pulp through a fine muslin cloth to separate the juice.
- For every 1 imperial pint (20 fl oz) of juice, add 2 imperial pints (40 fl oz) of spring or filtered water.
- Measure your total liquid—per 10 imperial pints (1.25 gallons), dissolve 15 pounds of granulated sugar.
- Stir well until all sugar is dissolved.
- Transfer the mixture into a sanitized fermenting vessel (glass carboy or fermentation bucket).
- Reserve some extra mixture aside to top up the vessel during the fermentation.
- Allow the mixture to stand uncovered or loosely covered so it can ferment; bubbling should begin within a few days.
- Over the next two to three weeks, check regularly and add reserved liquid if needed to keep the vessel filled.
- Avoid sealing tightly at first to prevent overflow from fermentation.
- When active bubbling has subsided after approximately 2–3 weeks, seal the vessel fully with a bung and airlock.
- Mature the wine for 6 to 8 months before bottling.
Estimated Calories
190 per serving
Cooking Estimates
It will take about 30 minutes to prepare the currants, mash them, and dissolve the sugar. There is no cooking involved, only mixing and fermentation. This recipe makes about 7.5 liters of wine, which is about 10 servings. Each serving is about 190 calories, mostly from the sugar used to make the wine.
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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