# DRIED CURRANTS



## NorthernWinos (Feb 18, 2007)

Racked our Black Currant wine made from Vintners Harvest Fruit base today, it is really nice, a flavor all it's own.

We went to our old stomping grounds one day last week and stopped at a Food Co-op that we still belong to...They had dried Currants for $1.50/pound....they looked really nice.....





Has anyone any experience with using dried Currants to make wine?????




Would it work???




How many would it take per gallon????

They didn't know if they had any oil or anything else to preserve them....[after Waldo's experience with oil on fruit...I hesitated]. They buy in bulk and those had been weighted and packaged by the volunteers that work there. 

They also had Vanilla Beans packaged at 3/$1.50...got to read more Posts about adding Vanilla Beans to wine....like which wines



and how many to add



Etc...

They had dried Cherries for $5.99/# and dried Blueberries for $8.99/#...think Sam's Club might beat those prices....

Will be heading back down there at some point this spring...so will consider them again.


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## Guest (Feb 21, 2007)

They probably are not real black currants, but are instead grape raisans that somehow get the name currants, they are also called zantes. We bought some thinking they were real dried black currants from our hippie store and added them to our VH black currant, they really added some flavor and body, its and excellent batch of wine, but, its a black currant and raisan wine, not just a black currant wine. Check to make sure they are not Zantes, taste them, if they taste like a raisan they aint real black currants.

Crackedcork


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## Wade E (Feb 21, 2007)

Zantes are very tiny or at least the one time I bought them.


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## NorthernWinos (Feb 21, 2007)

These were tiny little black things....will try to get more info from the old folks who work there next time I go down that way.


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## OGrav (Feb 22, 2007)

I was wondering about that myself. Didn't know if Zante was a brand or a description. I used some a couple days ago making a batch of granola bars. You're right, they taste just like regular raisins, but smaller.


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## Cracked Cork (Feb 23, 2007)

Google "Zante Currant" to get the cold hard truth. I will say that they certainly added body to our black currant wine and I would consider using them again. Crackedcork


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## NorthernWinos (Feb 23, 2007)

Cracked Cork...was your Black Currant Wine made from Vintners Harvest fruit base????How many currants did you add???? and to how many gallons....etc????

We tasted our Black Currant Wine last night...it was very good...but more body can always be better.


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## NorthernWinos (Mar 17, 2007)

> They probably are not real black currants, but are instead grape raisans that somehow get the name currants, they are also called zantes. We bought some thinking they were real dried black currants from our hippie store and added them to our VH black currant, they really added some flavor and body, its and excellent batch of wine, but, its a black currant and raisan wine, not just a black currant wine. Check to make sure they are not Zantes, taste them, if they taste like a raisan they aint real black currants.Crackedcork



Well...we went on a road trip yesterday, rather than looking at the snow...had lunch with old Friends and stopped at the old time Food Co-op....

I bought 5 pounds of what they called CURRANTS..






They ended up being $1.85/#...they look like this...






And, yes they do taste like seedy little rainsins...
So, they must be the Zante grape like all the OnLine information says they would be.

I looked at the WebSite for the company that is the supplierwww.nationalnutcompany.comand they had no description

So...I think I will do like CrackedCork and add them to my next batch of Vintners harvest Black Currant wine....this will be long way off...

Do you think I should freeze them??? Or....just seal them up real good till the time comes???


*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## Waldo (Mar 17, 2007)

I think I would freeeze them if its going to be very long NW unless you have one of those vacum sealers. That would be the optimum


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## Cracked Cork (Mar 18, 2007)

Yep, thats them. They are raisans, why would you store them any other way than in a nice dry cool spot in your pantry just like other raisans? Did you taste them, taste any different from a regular raisan? Crackedcork


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## Cracked Cork (Mar 18, 2007)

NW, here are 2 of our lastest recipies using Vitners Black Currant and Zante raisans. We aimed for both to be a full bodies rich high alchohol wine. The Ribena slowed fermentation down in the first batch so we added it at the end for the second to add flavor and some more body. The addition of oak really made a contribution to the end flavor for the 2006 batch.

Crackedcork

Black Currant 2005 </font>- (note we thought dried currants were dried black currants at our local hippie store, we didnt find out until later that they were Zante Raisans)
1 can Vitners Harvest Black Currant Base
4.6 Liters Ribena (contains sorbate and can slow down ferment)
6 very brown bananas with skins, boil 10 min
30 ounces currant RAISANS
Energizer, nutrient, amylase (for bananas), Pectinase
Pinch of Vitamix (vitamins for yeast)
4 tsp acid blend

Starting Gravity 1.114

The Zante Currant Raisan taste is a little too strong, but otherwise a great full bodied wine with lots of black currant taste.

Black Currant 2006</font>
2 x 96 ounce cans Vitners Harvest Black Curant Base
1 lb Extra Light Dried Malt Extract (for body)
4 tsp acid blend
1 lb Currant RAISANS
2 cans welches Concord Concentrate
Energizer, nutrient, amylase, pectinase
Starting Gravity 1.10
Oak in the secondary

To bost this we added after fermentation:
1.6 Liters Ribena
750 ml Everclear
Sorbate + KMeta

The welches concentrate, extra light dried malt extract and Zantes all contributed body, the Ribena at the end boosted the black currant flavor as well as using 2 cans of fruit base instead of 1.

Crackedcork


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## NorthernWinos (Mar 18, 2007)

Cracked Cork said:


> Yep, thats them. They are raisans, why would you store them any other way than in a nice dry cool spot in your pantry just like other raisans? Did you taste them, taste any different from a regular raisan?  Crackedcork



They tasted like raisins...a little bit differnt, but first taste is of raisin...maybe a bit seedier because of their small size....they were good.

They are in the closet with the other wine making supplies....the bag is tied nice and tight....

Entering a busy time of the year for us farmers, so wine making will be slacking off a bit...

First wines to make is with steamed juice in quart mason jars that I want to use up before the next fruits become avaiable...still have enough juices for a batch each of raspberry, strawberry, grape, chokecherry and another batch of apple....sure hope to get those batches mixed up, but the juice is safe in the jars...just in the way...currantly stored in the spare bedroom...kind of tacky....


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## Stvr (Mar 21, 2007)

Northern Winos said:


> Has anyone any experience with using dried Currants to make wine?????
> YUP!
> 
> 
> ...


 *Edited by: Stvr *


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## NorthernWinos (Mar 21, 2007)

Stvr said:


> Northern Winos said:
> 
> 
> > Has anyone any experience with using dried Currants to make wine?????
> ...



The Brandy and Cognac I am familiar with, but have never fortified any wines....would it make it like a Port???

You use some intersting additives to your wines...what other less familiar ones are you using???? Always willing to learn. 
*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## Stvr (Mar 21, 2007)

Northern Winos said:


> Stvr said:
> 
> 
> > Northern Winos said:
> ...


Mmmmmmmmm........ DRIED ELDERBERRIES SOMETIMES AND A VERY LITTLE VERMOUTH IN MY BANANA, PARSLEY, PINEAPPLE, ALMONDAND CARROT WINES JUST RECENTLY.


(edit: also ... Cinnamon Sticks andOrange and/or Lemon Peel)*Edited by: Stvr *


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## NorthernWinos (Mar 21, 2007)

Stvr.....Interesting wines...not many vegetable wine makers around...Martina [Med Pretzel] use to make vegetable and flower wines....

Have heard of using dried Elderberries...but never Vermouth...interesting indeed.


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## Stvr (Mar 21, 2007)

Northern Winos said:


> Stvr.....Interesting wines...not many vegetable wine makers around...Martina [Med Pretzel] use to make vegetable and flower wines....
> 
> Have heard of using dried Elderberries...but never Vermouth...interesting indeed.




.......... got the Parsley recipec/w someadvice from Martina.........I may try a flower recipe or two of hers.


edit: Vermouth..........be very careful, a little can be very good, but more is not necessarily better.............1 oz. per gallon max.-3-4 oz. max on 5 gal. batch.


(It may be a good splash in your Orange)*Edited by: Stvr *


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