Sloe Gin

[Hossonflags]

I have a Sloe Gin recipe if anyone wants it. I have been making this since 2001 with great success. You just need a source of good sloes in late August early September..

[parkers]

Mmmmmmm - yes please !!

[Hossonflags]

Here it is.

Ingredients: 9oz. sloes
1 x 70cl bottle of gin ( you can use whisky or vodka if preferred)
2 � 2 1/2 oz of sugar
Wash and dry the fruit, remove all stems. Prick the sloes with a fork and then place the fruit in a suitable container, preferably a large glass jar with a screw top lid. Add the sugar � 2 oz to start, you can always add more to taste at a later stage.

Take a nip of gin out of the bottle first if you wish.
This is the sacrilege bit but you must add the bottle of gin over the sugar and sloes. Replace top and shake it up. Keep the empty bottle.
You then shake 2 or three times a week for 4-8 weeks. The liquid will go from clear to a deep red.

After 5 � 6 weeks have a taste using a straw and add � to 1 oz of sugar if you want it sweeter. I usually find it sweet enough without more sugar but it�s a personal taste
Shake twice a day until all sugar has dissolved; this may take up to two weeks.
In the beginning of December strain the liqueur through a muslin cloth into the original gin bottle. Add some more sugar if necessary. The liqueur will mellow for the next 6-12 months but will be ready to enjoy at Christmas.

[Hossonflags]

Sloes are the fruit of the blackthorn bush and are actually a wild type of plums. The flavour of the fruit is bitter, so the small plums are not suitable for eating. However, the effect of frost makes them milder so some recipes suggest collecting after first frost but they are on the decline in Essex by then so best time to pick is mid � late Sept. Putting them in the freezer overnight is same as a first frost. Any bitter flavour is lost when making liqueurs.
Sloe gin is traditionally made in Ireland and Britain. Sloe liqueur is also made in Scandinavia, Germany, France and Spain. This delicious liqueur has a flavour similar to plum liqueur and the colour is dark red. It is best served in small amounts as an after-dinner drink with or without ice.

[lazza]

When i have made my sloe gin i take the soaked sloes and put them in some cheapo red wine. Leave for a week and strain and the wine tastes great.

[Hossonflags]

Good idea Lazza. I once worked with a guy who used to take the gin soaked sloes and remove the stones and then blend with melted chocolate to make Sloe Chocolate bars.

I have also made Sloe Whisky which is a neat deviation and certainly tasted different. You can also use Vodka which retains more of a sloey flavour.
Experiment and try.