If you do or going to do any fermenting (cucumbers, for example) leave at least one bush for leaves. They are the great spice for fermenting.
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Haha, good point, usually they like anything with sugar. Only didnāt work with the black currants. I am really looking forward to trying the honeyberries, I want to plant fruits that are not usually found in stores.
Oh, I never hear that before! How do you use the leaves? That is very interesting bit of knowledge. That is one of the reasons this site is great, always learning something from peoples experiences.
I am leaning for service berries (sakatoons). Only they seem to be small tree, not a bush. Are there any small varieties? or can they be pruned without sacrificing next spring flowers? Thank you for the suggestions.
You usually add some fresh spices when you ferment - oak leaves and horseradish root and leaves for firmness, fresh dill for aroma, garlic, hot pepper, some people use grape leaves, sour cherry leaves. Black currant leaves are used for their aroma - about 6-9 leaves for 2qt jar when you set your fermenting product.
Are your currents very bitter? If yes, then I donāt know the way to improve the jelly. But if it is not that bitter, than I would suggest to use them in raw jam. Smash them with sugar 2: 1 by weight, strain through the strainer, put in small jars and freeze. I do not like cooked currents at all, but raw jam is different story.
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From the sounds of what you do and donāt like, black raspberries might be a winner for you.
They are decent fresh but an amazing cooking berry. The canes can be thorny, but they have been very productive and easy for us.
Saskatoons are good. Lovely fresh and they make a good pie/crumble. Early fruiters too. They are fine as shrubs and will sucker. I split 2 off mine this year.
I 'm in Southern Ontario and have found haskap very good and easy to grow but they are tart enough to be best as a cooked berry or in smoothies.
If the black currant plants are so nice, you might want to keep one. I grow some for my father, since he grew up with itās jelly around the house. I am not a fan of them pure, but they can be a surprisingly good addition to other fruit mixes. 10-20 percent amount in a mix of things like: black raspberry, haskap, apple, blueberry, sour cherry or Saskatoon can add a bit of interest. ( I treat elderberries the same way) Even the juice can be delicious, if you donāt try to use to high a percentage. ( there is reason Vimto is hugely popular in a chunk of the world)
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I tried red currants and jostaberries here in TN zone 7aā¦ but they could not take my heat and humidityā¦ in 3 years, I got like 5-6 berries from 2 currant bushes, and 2 jostaā¦ Yanked them a month or so ago.
Going to replace them with earlier ripening blackberriesā¦ but that is what I need.
In your case and Zoneā¦ Currants seem to be doing fine (blacks) so I would think that other colors would do well too.
Of the 3ā¦ Blacks, Reds, Whitesā¦ from what I have read and see in catalog descriptionsā¦
Blacks have the most Strong, musky flavor, which some find offensive (like your kids) and the rest of your family.
That is why I tried Reds here instead of Blacksā¦ some of the Reds are described as sweet, and the few I got off my Red bushes, were somewhat sweet. Not offensive at all, actually pretty good (for the small sample I got).
I think the Whites are supposed to be the most āsweet, and favorite for fresh eatingā. You might try replacing some of your black currents with white.
Below is how One Green World describes one of their white currantā¦
White Cherry White Currant
White Cherry White Currant is one of the most ornamental and delicious currants you can grow. Fruits hang like beautiful translucent pearls from upright vigorous branches. White currants are especially sweet and a favorite for fresh eating.
I have seen people on youtube eating whites and describing them as delicious and sweet.
I have seen kids on youtube eating blacks and making awful faces too 
Good Luck !
TNHunter
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There is pink currants as well. I know there is a pink currant called pink champagne at least.
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Most trees can be kept small by pruning. There are some like most mulberries that are hard but most will do fine with routine pruning. If you are concerned just leave some old wood on the tree. Heck around me if left unchecked the deer and other animals do the pruning for me with trees.
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That is a great idea, I think one bush would be enough to produce fruit for added complexity in the jellies!
Thank you for the suggestions!
I know what you mean, the deer āprunedā my just transplanted Whitney crabapple 
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Hi Ana,
Zone 5B NW Illinois here. I have tasted black currants and I agree with your description. Not for me, though I did like the jelly. I did, however, taste red currants and my wife and kids (picky eaters) liked them so much that I ordered six plants (2 red, 2 white, 2 pink). I also ordered a poorman gooseberry.
Iād describe the taste of a redcurrant as a cross between a cranberry and a pomegranate with a tiny seed that I felt creates a very pleasant crunch. Itās tart, but just sweet enough to keep you coming back. I ate a whole bunch in one sitting. Maybe worth a try.
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Thank you for the suggestion. Where did you get your redcurrants? are they a named variety? I am glad your family likes them, maybe mine will too.
I got my plants from Raintree Nursery. I got Rovada, Jonkheer Van Tets (reds) Pink Champagne, Gloire de Sablons (pink), Primus (white) and a Poorman gooseberry. Gooseberries are related to redcurrants. Havenāt tasted one but the reviews for the Poorman gooseberry are good.
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Maybe use them to make a brew? Iāve had a black currant wine, but this is the first having a black currant beer-
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haha, that assumes too much regarding my food crafting abilities. I have only gotten to making jelly and preserving peaches. Maybe one day we will expand to beer brewing. Did you like the brew? sounds tasty.
There is a winery up here that sells saskatoon wine, currant wine, gooseberry wine, and honeyberry wine. I got the Saskatoon, currant, and honeyberry wine. The honeyberry wine actually tastes like honeyberries. I havenāt tried the Saskatoon wine. The currant wine did have a hint of black currant (the musky flavor), but overall it wasnāt overpowering. I like ice wine, so I probably wouldnāt buy currant wine again. The currant wine I had was pretty dry. If you could make a sweet currant wine Iād probably enjoy it.
As for the beer, it did have a taste of currants, but I thought it could have been stronger. It was also pretty sour. Iād classify this into āIād try it once per yearā category. Itās waiting for someone to come up with an improved recipe.
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That was a spot-on suggestion. I put an advertisement on Facebook marketplace, and in a few days, two very nice Finnish ladies came to dig them out. Said they use currants a lot back home and just started a homestead nearby. They were very happy to get free bushes. I was very happy to rehome the bushes. Now I can plant more berries and we are all happy 
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I just checked back on this. What a great end to the story. I hate when good plants are thrown out.
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