World Flavors Cookbook

Date Wine (Kurun)

Fermented date beer — dates soaked in water, fermented with wild yeast, and strained into a sweet, mildly alcoholic drink called kurun by the Babylonians.

Cuisine: Ancient World

Ingredients

• 500g fresh or dried dates, pitted
• 2L water
• 1 tbsp natural honey (optional, to encourage fermentation)
• Pinch of wild yeast or 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

Instructions

1. Mash dates with 500ml warm water.
2. Dissolve honey in remaining water.
3. Combine date mash with all water.
4. Add yeast if using. Stir well.
5. Cover with cloth. Leave at room temperature 2-3 days.
6. Stir twice daily.
7. Strain through cheesecloth. Discard solids.
8. Drink fresh or let ferment 1-2 more days for more alcohol.