How to make a Red Currant Aufgesetzter

A couple of days ago it was last call for the remaining red currant berries hanging on the bush; they had to be dealt with, or would be spoiled.

I had a bottle of brandy in my pantry, so I decided to preserve this fruit crop by making an Aufgesetzter, which is basically the same thing as Rumtopf, but made with brandy instead of rum. 'Aufgesetzt' simply means 'set-up', as in 'fruit set up in brandy'.

Directions are the same as Rumtopf, but in this case I mashed the Red Currants with the sugar. Because my red currants contain so many seeds, I will strain the fruit parts out of the brandy after 6-8 weeks,  and re-bottle the liquor.

Fruit brandy is a great medium for Aufgesetzter. I picked Korbel Brandy, because it has a good price/quality ratio in a medium price range. There has been a boom of micro spirits distilleries in many US states over the recent years, and a bottle of top shelf,  fine, locally produced brandy, derived from fruit such as wine grapes, cherries, plums, prunes, apples, pears, and currants, is well worth the extra money.