Sloe Gin Concerns...

[Geoffrey_Bubbles]

Hi all, appologies for starting a new thread about my sloe gin, but I wasn't sure any of the original posters would look back at my previous post.

I made up my sloe gin around mid november (really should of put a sticker on the bottles with the date of conception....) and its looking good, however I am a little concerned.

I was expecting my sloes after 6 weeks of soaking to of shrunken somewhat. I'm sure I read somewhere they were supposed to come out like raisens after a couple of months and mine show no such aging.

The gin itself has turned a very deep red, but the sloes still seem to be retaining a lot of their colour and fullness. I did ***** them all well.

Am I in for a bad batch due to my inexperience/incompetence or is this all still perfectly normal.

Is it too early to lift the lid for a taste? They are vac sealed in large conserve jars and have been kept in the cupboard and taken out now and then for a shake around.

There is 1litre of Gordons I'm praying is still going to be drinkable otherwise its going to of been one costly and time consuming mistake!

Cheers
Geoff

 

[wingstoo]

Another month or so will help, ours didn't come out all wrinkled, and the contents tasted pretty good! Still got several ltrs to get through to make absolutely sure though...


Go for the own brand Gin next time, tastes just as good, honest!

Happy drinking.

LS

 

[Marts]

We had a bottle over christmas that had been steeping for a couple of months. The sloes were'nt wrinkled at all. It still tasted great. (Didn't last long though )

 

[British Red]

Never seen a wrinkled or raisin one and this is far from my first year of hooch making. No reason to assume it'll be anything other than delicious - crack it open and try it mate

Red

 

[beachlover]

Just found this recipe / suggestion for the "used" sloes, once you have decanted the sloe gin into bottles.
Thought I might give it a go this year, as mine is still untouched and in need of decanting (first time it has lasted beyond Christmas!)
https://www.bramleyandgage.co.uk/ca...id=36&osCsid=509e043098191b271c95f57d52449d82
I go with the others on the sloes looking as good now and tasting better, than when they went in!

 

[BorderReiver]

Don't worry Geoff,my sloes have never wrinkled.

In fact,if you have the patience,you should be able to cut the flesh off the sloes and cover the bits with chocolate;makes lovely sweets.

Don't taste the gin too early,it's so good that it never get the chance to mature.

I have taken to making two lots and "forgetting" about the second carboy.It eventually fades to a lovely strawy colour and tastes fantastic.

LS is right,the cheapest possible gin usually turns out the best.

 

[Singeblister]

I made some about the same time , I was concerned about its appearance so i filtered it into another bottle and took out the sloe which were still fat and round I ate a few of them which tasted nice and were very alcoholic
I removed the sloe at this point and the gin is red and tastes great so i am happy enough with the result.

 

[Dougster]

Mine have started to look like raisins, but only after being out of the gin for a while. They looked as you described at first. My word it tastes nice - I had a drinks party the Saturday before Christmas and several guests reeled away from my door after a few.

My 18 month old son is really teething badly and I don't fight that hard to stop him digging in after a sore gummed evening.

Crack on old boy, it's delicious.

I also managed to get a bottle 'hidden' for next year and another(!!!!) for the year after that as we had such a good season! All with Sainsburys own gin.

Thanks for all the guidance again fellas!

 

[Bunnerz]

Mine have been on the go since the 4th of December, no rinkling there!

After 2/nearly 3 months as it is at the moment, will it be good to drink? or should i leave it another month or two?

Cheers, Bunn

 

[ozzy1977]

I have never had wrinkled sloes come out either, even a realy old bottle I found at the back of the cupboard that got over looked a few years ago

 

[Singeblister]

Mine have been on the go since the 4th of December, no rinkling there!

After 2/nearly 3 months as it is at the moment, will it be good to drink? or should i leave it another month or two?

Cheers, Bunn

I think 3 months is the standard waiting time , but i am sure it will be ok shorter or even better for longer

 

[demographic]

I would have thought that they would only wrinkle if they were drying out, in the gin wouldn't they just exchange a bit of flavour but remain pretty much full as before?

Thats what my wild cherries are doing in the cheapo brandy anyway, the brandy tastes of cherries and the cherries taste of brandy

 

[Geoffrey_Bubbles]

Thanks for the reasurance

I have it in two jars, so I might crack on open for a go end of Jan and leave the other one another month or so and see if there is much of a difference.

Hoping to give the sloe gin chocolate a go with the left over sloes.

Will let you know how it tastes when I finall crack the first jar open.

Now where did I put that damn hip flask...

Geoff

 

[Geoffrey_Bubbles]

My Concerns were unfounded, its good, REALLY good

I really like it too, I was worried I might of wasted a good litre of Gordons, but this is something that is just far too easy to drink.

A mate of mine that normally makes his own, but didn't get round to it this year has given it his approval and promptly half inched a bottle!

Ta for all the recipe ideas and techniques mentioned by numerous people in the past leading up to my first go at this.

It was all well worth it.

Bootoms up!

Geoff

 

[Toddy]

Nice one
But see this years crop? Try the sloe whisky as well; that's rather good too

Cheers, (literally by the sounds of it )

Toddy

 

[Richardpotts]

Mine have been on the go since the 4th of December, no rinkling there!

After 2/nearly 3 months as it is at the moment, will it be good to drink? or should i leave it another month or two?

Cheers, Bunn

Upwards of 2 months is all you need; basically you'll know when it's ready because it won't be overpoweringly 'gin' tasting and will have the sloe bitter-sweetness.

 

[loz.]

My 18 month old son is really teething badly and I don't fight that hard to stop him digging in after a sore gummed evening.

Sorry ? - you let your 18 month old eat gin soaked sloes ?

 

[gregorach]

Heck, a hundred or so years ago a common treatment for teething troubles was... wait for it... opium!

 

[loz.]

Heck, a hundred or so years ago a common treatment for teething troubles was... wait for it... opium!

oh that makes it ok then - my appologies

 

[BorderReiver]

Sorry ? - you let your 18 month old eat gin soaked sloes ?

Very old country treatment for teething children.

Actually had it recommended by an old GP.