Sloe gin.

[scanker]

I'm sure other people will share their opinion of blackberry whisky, but if I were to make it again I wouldn't leave the fruit in for more than say four or six weeks - my last lot had them in for several months and the taste went a bit "woody". Sloe gin doesn't seem to come to any harm though.

 

[andyn]

Are the sloes that are out on the blackthorn bushes now too early to be picked?

thanks

 

[Marts]

I picked loads this weekend down in East Sussex and they are more than ready

 

[Warrior Librarian]

Reading this thread, I don't know what happened to our sloe gin, unless we just used too many sloes. There was sugar in with it, but after 3 months it was so sharp it felt like it was taking the skin off the roof of my mouth. Not sure how to save it - add more sugar or just dilute it a bit with more gin? Alternatively, I could always bring it along to the next moot. I'm sure someone would like it!

WL

 

[Pappa]

Reading this thread, I don't know what happened to our sloe gin, unless we just used too many sloes. There was sugar in with it, but after 3 months it was so sharp it felt like it was taking the skin off the roof of my mouth. Not sure how to save it - add more sugar or just dilute it a bit with more gin? Alternatively, I could always bring it along to the next moot. I'm sure someone would like it!

WL

How much sugar did you use? The recipes I've seen seem to suggest about a wine-glassful of sugar in a litre of gin. I've used about a quarter of that in my sloe gin, but haven't tasted it yet to see what it's like.

Pappa

 

[R-J]

i've got a sweet tooth, so i use an equil amount of sugar to sloes. makes it stronger, gloopier and imho, v nice.

 

[Warrior Librarian]

How much sugar did you use? The recipes I've seen seem to suggest about a wine-glassful of sugar in a litre of gin. I've used about a quarter of that in my sloe gin, but haven't tasted it yet to see what it's like.

Not sure about the quantities now - basically, took an empty litre (Bacardi?) bottle, filled it about 2/3 with sloes, topped it up with gin. Can't remember how much sugar went in, but I'd think anything up to half a pound for that amount of fruit. Perhaps it wasn't as much as that, because you certainly couldn't taste the sugar in the finished product. It wasn't 'syrupy' in any way either, so maybe it just needs more sugar... I'll have to experiment.

WL

 

[BorderReiver]

Not sure about the quantities now - basically, took an empty litre (Bacardi?) bottle, filled it about 2/3 with sloes, topped it up with gin. Can't remember how much sugar went in, but I'd think anything up to half a pound for that amount of fruit. Perhaps it wasn't as much as that, because you certainly couldn't taste the sugar in the finished product. It wasn't 'syrupy' in any way either, so maybe it just needs more sugar... I'll have to experiment.

WL

I always find that a third of a demijohn sloes,1 bag (2.2kg) of sugar and fill up with gin works for me and everyone who's tasted it.

 

[Warrior Librarian]

I always find that a third of a demijohn sloes,1 bag (2.2kg) of sugar and fill up with gin works for me and everyone who's tasted it.

Blimey! I need a lot more sugar in it then!

 

[Marts]

I've just mixed up a first batch:

2 litres gin
1 litre jug of sloes
2/3 bag sugar

See how that comes out

 

[MartiniDave]

I use :-

1 lb of sloes
1/2 lb of sugar
1 litre of gin

Freeze the sloes, then let them defrost removes the need to ***** them). Dump them in the container with the sugar, add gin. Shake well a couple of times a day untill the sugar is all disolved. Put in dark cupboard and forget for at least 3 months or as long as you want. Decant and strain. Pour into a glass and enjoy!

Makes an excellent winter warmer for the hip flask!

Enjoy!

Dave

 

[JoshG]

I can't find any sloes near me.
Should I go looking in forests or do you think people will have already yoinked them?
Is it worth growing a blackthorn bush in my garden?

 

[Pappa]

I went out picking a couple of nights ago. The field I went to is thick with Blackthorn, but there were hardly any Sloes to be seen. On closer inspection, I began finding Sloes on very high branches and also in the middle of dense Blackthorn thickets.

I can only assume that somebody else beat me to it,

I ended up with about 1/2 lb of Sloes and about 1 lb Rose Hips.

Pappa

 

[shinobi]

I can't find any sloes near me.
Should I go looking in forests or do you think people will have already yoinked them?
Is it worth growing a blackthorn bush in my garden?

Josh,
Blackthorn is not really a woodland shrub although you may find it along cleared trackways in the woods. You might be better off looking around the edges of farmers fields. It has been used as a hedge plant for a long time.

As for planting your own, feel free. The more the merrier, although you might have to wait for a few years until they're big enough to produce sloes.

Cheers,

Martin

 

[ilovemybed]

I've always heard that sloes are better after the first frosts. Is this wrong, or does it apply if you're eating them straight off the bush?

Going to stoop to peer pressure and try making a batch. Time to check the woodland near work so see if I can find some. If I'm unlucky, I know there's hunners of Chestnuts up for grabs

 

[nuxx53]

I picked loads this weekend down in East Sussex and they are more than ready

Any chance you could share the location? The only decent place I know is way up in Kent - but I live in Brighton now. Would be much appreciated if you could let me know a decent place round this area.

 

[Marts]

Any chance you could share the location? The only decent place I know is way up in Kent - but I live in Brighton now. Would be much appreciated if you could let me know a decent place round this area.

No worries

St Ives Farm - camped there the other week

Review and details of the site

St Ives Farm

The farm sucked for camping but the sloes should still be there and you can probably walk right on site during the weekend and pick away from around the edge of the main field.

 

[elma]

Try this one
1 bottle of vodka
1lb of rasberries
1/2 lb of sugar to taste
make as you would sloe gin, when you bottle it put a chilli in the bottle for that added bite.
enjoy

 

[nuxx53]

Great - thanks Marts.