Back in the autumn I picked loads of sloes.  The trees round here were dripping with fruit and although I didn't have time to do anything with them immediately, I froze the fruit.  4 weeks ago I made my sloe gin using the frozen fruit and 6 bottles of gin.  I tried some today and it is a bit too sweet for my liking.  It's a beautiful colour and quite fruity but also syruppy.  Now I dont have scales and I can't remember how much sugar I used but I did follow a recipe in a vague sort of way.

Do we have any champdog sloe gin experts who have made it before and can tell me if I should add another few bottles of gin, more frozen fruit or just wait another two weeks?

Cheers!

I think sloe gin tastes like cough mixture! lol.  From what I remember, we had it standing for a year so that may effect the flavour.

Helen

aDd MOrE gin! HIC

J

Shut up J! You have never made Sloe Gin in your life, only drunk it!

:D :D LOL @ J/John

liberty :)

Am I right in thinking that Sloes only grow in certain parts of the country?  A bit like mistletoe. 

There's nothing like a hip flask full of Sloe Gin when out beating, is there John?  I've drunk everyone elses home made version so thought it was time to try and make my own.  I hope I am successful.  I think its a little dangerous at the moment as it tastes like the syrup from stewed plums and not the slightest bit alcoholic.  Probably the sort of drink that makes you fall over after one glass!

We have some lovely sloes around our shoot. During the early shoots several of the gun's wives come along to pick some and in the later cold days there is always a flask or two around.

I was at the URC area AGM this afternoon and was presented with a georgous bottle of Damson Gin. Unfortunatly I don't think it will last out until next season. Of course, if it lasts that long there is always working and training parties there a little later in the year.

Best wishes, John

Sloes are best picked after the first frost apparently. 

I always find the game fairs good for bottles of Sloe Gin alongside cheap subscriptions to all the magazines we buy anyway.  I've got two damson trees at the bottom of my garden so will try damson variety next year.  I also have a large bottle of brandy that I think I might add sloes to with a little less sugar than the gin.

Cheers John!

The sloe harvest around here this year was appalling. You can not make proper sloe gin with frozen fruit! It will add to much water to the product. Sloe gin is sweet and you should have equal amounts of fruit to sugar. You need to leave it to stand for at least twelve months if not longer. The idea is that the sugar turns to alcohol. Put it in a cupboard for a year and then try it.

You are right about the appalling sloes Admin. It was so dry ours were shriveled almost like prunes. But then, the ground had cracks 9 inches deep and wide enough for a dog to drop a paw down. I was so worried about working on it. Even by the end of the season I have never seen so little standing water there! I'll be interested in the spring to walk around and see just how many trees we have lost. We have a plantation of 6000 trees extending our small wood, planted two years ago which I think will be hard hit.

Best wishes, John

After taking the sloes out of the gin put them in brandy with some sugar, can't remember how much but who cares, it makes a wonderful tasting drink even for me who does not like brandy.

This season's sloe gin can be drunk now but is much, much better for keeping a year or two.