Sloe Gin

[madbadger]

otolith said:

Not that it would stop me, if I had the kit and was confident I wasn't going to give myself methanol poisoning, but isn't home distillation illegal?

Basically.

I didn't really do it. I was lying.

You could in theory do it using a water purifier. If you accidentally filled it with wine instead of water it would probably distill it. But then yes that would technically be illegal.

[otolith]

Quite

I once had a batch of blackberry wine to which I had added too much sugar. It fermented out to about 15% and stopped sweet. I don't like sweet wine unless fortified, so I added vodka. Came out very port-ish.

[majordad]

Ready to drink my first ever ( 2008 Vintage ) sloe gin. Do you mix it with Ice and Lemon and Tonic or what is best ? First frosts here in Cork, Ireland this week so I'll go out garhering soon. I notice some of the sloes on the trees have burst and have a brown scar, is this scab or a disease, can I use these ones if Im stuck.

[Huntsman]

I've done my sloe gin.

2 bottles.

I drink it neat from a hip flask when skiing, oh yeah!

I did try blackberry brandy last year, I didn't like it much, that's hardly a surprise given that I dont like brandy.

I might do something with damson's next year.

[Mobile Chicane]

majordad said:

Ready to drink my first ever ( 2008 Vintage ) sloe gin. Do you mix it with Ice and Lemon and Tonic or what is best ? First frosts here in Cork, Ireland this week so I'll go out garhering soon. I notice some of the sloes on the trees have burst and have a brown scar, is this scab or a disease, can I use these ones if Im stuck.

Just drink it in a small glass, neat as it is, by a roaring fire on a Sunday afternoon following an enormous lunch. Heavenly.

[Simpo Two]

I wonder if you can make gin by soaking juniper berries in vodka or schnapps...

[Flying machine]

Just put my first batch together this afternoon, just that annoyance of having to wait until next year to try it!!

[dhf]

majordad said:

Ready to drink my first ever ( 2008 Vintage ) sloe gin. Do you mix it with Ice and Lemon and Tonic or what is best ? First frosts here in Cork, Ireland this week so I'll go out garhering soon. I notice some of the sloes on the trees have burst and have a brown scar, is this scab or a disease, can I use these ones if Im stuck.

Shot glass or any glass that comes to hand ! planted some bushes a few years back in the hedge row,noticed my first crop the other day and was thinking of my first bottling when my farmer friend from next door came along and being neighbourly cut my hedge ! oh well there is always Gordons Sloe Gin..................

[oldbanger]

Can Sloe Gin be made without the sugar. Sugar and me don't get on and I've just bought myself a btle of sloe gin (after last drinking any in 1996) and all I can taste is the sugar.

[BadRotorFinger]

oldbanger said:

Can Sloe Gin be made without the sugar. Sugar and me don't get on and I've just bought myself a btle of sloe gin (after last drinking any in 1996) and all I can taste is the sugar.

You could go through the motion of making it omitting the sugar, but it's just not right!

[majordad]

Thanks for advice Mobile Chicane, tried it neat , as did Mrs Majordad, and it's wonderful.

[Simpo Two]

Sugar will help to draw the juice from the sloes - osmosis and all that.

[don4l]

oldbanger said:

Can Sloe Gin be made without the sugar.

Of course it can!


Someone pointed out earlier in the thread that no fermentation takes place in the making of Sloe Gin. So you can add the sugar afterwards.... to taste.

Why don't you make some without any sugar, and report back to us in 6 months?



Don
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[oldbanger]

don4l said:

Why don't you make some without any sugar, and report back to us in 6 months?

Isn't it too late for sloes this year. Certainly the birds have had them now round my way...

Cheers for the info though. I've had to drink the whole bottle to get rid of it (I'm too tight to throw alcohol away) and it's definitely still too sweet, but I really like the bitter aftertaste.

[eddo]

If anyone needs sloes,,,,,,there are plenty for sale on ebay!!!

http://shop.ebay.co.uk/?_from=R40&_trksid=p471...


Ed

Edited by eddo on Monday 9th November 10:22

[Huntsman]

oldbanger said:

Isn't it too late for sloes this year. Certainly the birds have had them now round my way...

Royal Victoria Country Park, Netley Abbey has got stacks of them! Everywhere!

[don4l]

oldbanger said:

don4l said:

Why don't you make some without any sugar, and report back to us in 6 months?

Isn't it too late for sloes this year. Certainly the birds have had them now round my way...

Cheers for the info though. I've had to drink the whole bottle to get rid of it (I'm too tight to throw alcohol away) and it's definitely still too sweet, but I really like the bitter aftertaste.

There were loads of sloes on the bushes on Saturday (Berkshire). I picked enough to make eight bottles in about 20 minutes.



Don
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[kiteless]

otolith said:

Not that it would stop me, if I had the kit and was confident I wasn't going to give myself methanol poisoning, but isn't home distillation illegal?

See here:

http://www.stillspirits.com/

[otolith]

kiteless said:

otolith said:

Not that it would stop me, if I had the kit and was confident I wasn't going to give myself methanol poisoning, but isn't home distillation illegal?

See here:

http://www.stillspirits.com/

"In New Zealand, it is LEGAL to operate a still at home for personal consumption. "

?

[don4l]

I'm trying out various recipes for my first attempt at sloe gin/rum.

I am tempted to add some cloves to a sloe rum. However, cloves can be quite strong. Has anybody used cloves before? If so, how many should I put into a 1L bottle?

I am thinking that about 6 cloves would do the trick.

Don
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