Sloe Gin

[organic]

I'll probably be using some unrefined organic sugar - the same stuff I used in my first batch of elderberry wine a couple of weeks ago. It's got a light brown colour... looking almost like the sugar you see in bowls where people stir their tea and put the spoon back in the sugar... only a closer to brown than the yellow that tends to go.

Nice stuff in apple crumbles too

[Scottishnewbie]

I couldnt find any sloes anywhere so (she whispers in a small voice), I bought some dried ones off the hinternet.......do i still need to prick them does anyone know?

and if i start it tonight, will it be ready by crimbo do you think?

[Hilary B]

I've never made sloe gin with dried sloes, but I would recommend 'bruising' the fruit a bit so encourage flavour etc to get through the skins.
I never actually 'prick' sloes at all, I rely on letting the dry sugar 'extract' the flavour and colour for a couple of days before adding the gin.
If you want it ready for Christmas, I would reckon you need to speed the process a fair bit. Maybe even crush the fruit (while trying not to crush the pips, if they have any) and warm the stuff for a while (stand jars of fruit/sugar/gin in a basin of hot water for a while each day, or keep in a pretty warm place all the time).
None of it tested, but on the 'should work because that sort of technique works on other things' basis......

[Scottishnewbie]

I've never made sloe gin with dried sloes, but I would recommend 'bruising' the fruit a bit so encourage flavour etc to get through the skins.
I never actually 'prick' sloes at all, I rely on letting the dry sugar 'extract' the flavour and colour for a couple of days before adding the gin.
If you want it ready for Christmas, I would reckon you need to speed the process a fair bit. Maybe even crush the fruit (while trying not to crush the pips, if they have any) and warm the stuff for a while (stand jars of fruit/sugar/gin in a basin of hot water for a while each day, or keep in a pretty warm place all the time).
None of it tested, but on the 'should work because that sort of technique works on other things' basis......

thanks Hilary - of course if i wasnt soooo impatient i would have waited for a reply BEFORE i embarked in my normal gung-ho fashion on 'getting the job done'!!!

and of course, i did none of what you've suggested seeing i have no common sense either!

used cheapo bottle of 70cl gin, 18oz sugar and 500g packet of dried sloes....my plan is to add a second bottle of the gin tomorrow when i go back tothe cheapo gin shop!

i suppose if i heated the gin up first that might help things along?

and if i put the demijohn in the hot water tank cupboard too that will help the sugar process........

[Hilary B]

I reckon warmth is your friend. Don't overdo the warming. Hot gin loses alcohol, and is also quite inflammable!
Stirring a bit vigourously may help as well.

[janeyo]

we sampled ours on xmas day adn it was delish! OH loved it and he hated the one I bought last year. Not sampled the others I made from various other things yet. )

[Jeanied]

How fab, JaneyO - I have just searched this thread to make sure I'm not repeating myself here - I used to make sloe gin every autumn - and my late OH used to create a design all over the mini wine bottles, using one of the gold or silver marker pens, with holly leaves and little drawings. After a few years I kept finding bottles of sloes only - the gin having been siphoned off with a sneaky straw brandished by said OH. This year I have sloe gin again (as I'm on my own ) - this year I added only a little sugar - about 4 ounces and a half teaspoon of almond essence, along with the bottle of gin. Absolutely gorgeous. And the toffee voddy - well I'm never going there again: too dangerous!

[Glutton4...]

Glad you liked it JaneyO, makes the effor worth while dunnit? I've got Blackberry Brandy and Damson Voddy on the go (a Demijohn of each!) but I can't remember when I made it (Sept/Oct/Nov?), so not sure when to take the fruit out. I'll leave it a bit longer just in case!

Ooh that reminds me, I've got some two year-old Sloe Gin already bottled. I hide it in the bottom of the wine rack and forget it's there!

[Glutton4...]

Oooh Jeaned, a friend of mine had a bottle of Toffee Voddy, she bought it back from somewhere foreign - it was soooo yummy!

[Jeanied]

Trouble is, Glutton4 - it is sooo yummy that it goes too far! It is the spawn of Satan!

[lettucegrow!]

We had a family 'taste off' this year after my Dad ,brother, sister and I made Sloe Gin. Dad's made it every year for as long as I can remember. I joined in a few years and now the rest have. Christmas just wouldn't be the same without it. Dad's got the Best Taste award as the big daddio of flavours!! We're all geared up to improve our own now, it was amazing how different they all were. We are scattered over the country so at the moment Hertfordshire sloes are the best-seen some good ideas here,thanks.

[janeyo]

My dad and me had a taste off too, he made some too. He used the sloes I picked for him and my large pickling jar... and OH insisted Dad's was better! Mum said it was down to her as she was chief shaker, lol

[shirlthegirl43]

Madmax and I picked sloes a week or two ago (they vanish early round here) and put them in the freezer. I now need to do the next stages so that we can have a taste come crimbo. do I just cover the sloes and sugar with gin? or is there a more accurate measure?

[Glutton4...]

Bung it all in Shirl! I do!

I think the easiest way is to half fill your container with Sloes. Add enough Sugar to coat the fruit, then top up with Gin. I had a glass t'other evening - delish! But it is about three years old now.

[shirlthegirl43]

Is cheapo gin okay to use? Can't see Madmax allowing me to pour all his Gordon's into a dj of sloes