Sloe Gin without any sugar???

[Hilary B]

It is possible (but still illegal) to 'distill' with the aid of the freezer. The booze needs sufficient alcohol content (the only time I tried failed, I think it wasn't strong enough) and then you slow freeze, and keep removing the ice which forms.
Much simpler (and probably a bit less hazardous, but perhaps not MUCH safer) than distilling in the usual sense.

[sarraceniac]

That takes me back to my 'youth' in Canada Hilary. There was a spirit (illegal) called 'applejack' Applejack (beverage) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It was made in this way (allegedly) by people living in the wilds. They would bury a keg of apple wine in autumn and as soon as the spring ground was soft enough (but still frozen) would dig it up, stand it in a metal basin and smash the keg and the frozen insides. The alcohol was of course in the middle after having been freeze-removed from the water bit.

[ohbeary]

Obviously everone here is BUYING the original spirit as it would be illegal to distill your own alcohol. But hypothetically speaking, would it be difficult to do?

Just hypothetically speaking, one could possibly purchase online a "reflux" still, intended for the production of essential oils or distilations of herbs rather than making decoctions, note of warning! distilled herbal essences can be very strong and should be used with great caution, decoctions can be quite strong but are easier to produce.

just a note on separation by freezing!, this concentrates all the alcohol, in distillation so I am told, if you get 100 jam jars full, put the first 15 in you car and the last 20 are good for thinning paint, the other 65 will get you out of your skull!!! possibly permanently!................

[Nicos]

Urmm.....I'm going to have you to ask you to stop sharing ideas on making your own spirits

...we've been down this route a couple of times before- and whilst it really is a very interesting subject we'd be breaking forum rules to continue discussing it

Sorry!

[Glutton4...]

Spoil sport - just when it was getting interesting!!!!

[Caro]

Sorry Nicos

If it's any help, the main advice seems to be that unless you want to be blind or dead, don't.

Mea culpa!

(But thanks everyone for your thoughts)

[Hilary B]

We did point out that distilling (or freeze-separation) is illegal (as well as unsafe).
I thought it would be OK as long as we are also telling people NOT to try!

[Growem]

Well this seems like a good thread to ask this on. I have already added the sugar, so no "Slimline" version for me! I'm just wondering if I added too much sugar. Last year I made damson vodka and went too light on the sugar and it tasted more like cough medicine than anything nice to drink. So I didn't want that to happen with the sloes. I made two jars and in one of them, the sloes are nearly all floating due to the sugar amount in the gin. In the other, there are just a few light ones bobbing about. Is that too much or do others getting floating sloes too?

[snakeshack]

Well this seems like a good thread to ask this on. I have already added the sugar, so no "Slimline" version for me! I'm just wondering if I added too much sugar. Last year I made damson vodka and went too light on the sugar and it tasted more like cough medicine than anything nice to drink. So I didn't want that to happen with the sloes. I made two jars and in one of them, the sloes are nearly all floating due to the sugar amount in the gin. In the other, there are just a few light ones bobbing about. Is that too much or do others getting floating sloes too?

I have found with sloes and damsons yhat they float initially but sink later as the alcohol and sugar draws water (and flavour) out of the fruit by osmosis.
currently making damson gin ,damson brandy damson vodka,blueberry vodka and gooseberry gin.looks like the sloes will be ready to pick anytime soon.