Black Currant Liqueur and Crème de Cassis
http://userealbutter.com/2013/05/30/black-currant-liqueur-creme-de-cassis-recipe/
based on a recipe from Food Perestroika
24 oz. black currants, washed and stemmed
48 oz. (6 cups) vodka
sugar (amount will depend on the weight of your strained liquid)
Crush the black currants in small batches in a food processor. You don’t want a purée, you just want to maim the currants and break the skins. Place the currants in a large (2+ quart capacity) glass jar with the vodka. Seal the jar tightly. Shake it up and let sit in a cool, dark place for a month. When the infusion is ready, strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve twice. Weigh the liquid.
To make black currant liqueur: Multiply the weight of your liquid by 20% to get the weight of sugar you need to add to the liquid. [In math speak... weight of liquid = L, weight of sugar = 0.2 x L]. Stir the sugar into the infusion until it is dissolved. Makes about 2 quarts (probably less).
To make crème de cassis: Multiply the weight of your liquid by 45% to get the weight of sugar you need to add to the liquid. [Weight of liquid = L, weight of sugar = 0.45 x L]. Stir the sugar into the infusion until it is dissolved. Makes just over 2 quarts.