Sloe Gin

Author
Discussion

SirClarke

633 posts

176 months

Friday 13th November 2009
quotequote all
6 cloves to me sounds a bit much for a litre, I just think after 6 weeks in there they'll over power everything else a bit. Having said that a few links on the net seem to reccomend "a few cloves" for each 500/570ml so maybe that's about right.

My sloe vodka has now been brewing for about 5 weeks. Tried a little for the first time yesterday and the colour is amazing, really bright ruby red, and it tastes pretty good already and very drinkable on its own or just over ice.

A good alternative to gin if anyone is bored of gin smile

don4l

10,058 posts

176 months

Friday 13th November 2009
quotequote all
SirClarke said:
6 cloves to me sounds a bit much for a litre, I just think after 6 weeks in there they'll over power everything else a bit. Having said that a few links on the net seem to reccomend "a few cloves" for each 500/570ml so maybe that's about right.

My sloe vodka has now been brewing for about 5 weeks. Tried a little for the first time yesterday and the colour is amazing, really bright ruby red, and it tastes pretty good already and very drinkable on its own or just over ice.

A good alternative to gin if anyone is bored of gin smile
Thank you! I will try one bottle with 3 cloves and one with 6.


Don
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beefbeef

680 posts

197 months

Sunday 13th December 2009
quotequote all
otolith said:
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?
nono

See here:

http://www.stillspirits.com/
"In New Zealand, it is LEGAL to operate a still at home for personal consumption. "

?
Indeed it is sir biggrin

jessica

6,321 posts

252 months

Sunday 13th December 2009
quotequote all
eddo said:
Several bottles made and a load more sloes in the freezer! Had an old bottle Potcheen and have made a couple of sloe potcheen bottles 70% each biggrin
Ed
us too. we just froze the ones we havent used yet. and placed the gin soaked ones we have back in the freezer whilst i decide what to do with them

otolith

56,121 posts

204 months

Sunday 13th December 2009
quotequote all
beefbeef said:
otolith said:
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?
nono

See here:

http://www.stillspirits.com/
"In New Zealand, it is LEGAL to operate a still at home for personal consumption. "

?
Indeed it is sir biggrin
  • grumble*grumble*grumble*nannystate*grumble*grumble*grumble
smile

RizzoTheRat

25,162 posts

192 months

Friday 8th January 2010
quotequote all
3 months on and I'm thinking about decanting my sloe gin. I've hear mention of recycling the sloes by whacking some cider on top of them, anyone do this? I'm assuming a sweet still cider? Does it need additional sugar or with a sweet cider be enough?

Podie

46,630 posts

275 months

Friday 8th January 2010
quotequote all
New on on me that...

I decanted some sloe vodka just before Christmas and it was lick

Bob the Planner

4,695 posts

269 months

Sunday 10th January 2010
quotequote all
RizzoTheRat said:
3 months on and I'm thinking about decanting my sloe gin. I've hear mention of recycling the sloes by whacking some cider on top of them, anyone do this? I'm assuming a sweet still cider? Does it need additional sugar or with a sweet cider be enough?
Another option is stoning them and putting them in a pie. Mmmmmm

madbadger

11,563 posts

244 months

Sunday 10th January 2010
quotequote all
I've added a bottle of sherry to old sloes. Just added it with no sugar. I would have though do the same with cider. No extra sugar needed.

RizzoTheRat

25,162 posts

192 months

Monday 8th February 2010
quotequote all
Finally got round to decanting it this evening. Damn that's some good stuff. I made 3 different batches to different recipies, they all taste a but different (varying amount of sweetness to sugaryness) but all taste good. Only tried a sample of each and already having trouble typing. Hope I can manage the self restraint to leave it mature.

SPR2

3,182 posts

196 months

Monday 8th February 2010
quotequote all
RizzoTheRat said:
Finally got round to decanting it this evening. Damn that's some good stuff. I made 3 different batches to different recipies, they all taste a but different (varying amount of sweetness to sugaryness) but all taste good. Only tried a sample of each and already having trouble typing. Hope I can manage the self restraint to leave it mature.
What was the difference in your recipes? Mine too had a different taste but sloes were collected at three different times so put it down to ripeness of fruit.

RizzoTheRat

25,162 posts

192 months

Monday 8th February 2010
quotequote all
My mothers recipy was third of a bottle of sloes, third of sugar, fill with gin.
A friends recipy was equal weights of sloes and sugar
Mrs Beeton's recipie is half the weight of sugar to sloes.
All the sloes were picked the same day.

So the three worked out at -
sloes(g)/sugar(g)/gin(ml)

Mother: 225/315/600
Friend: 250/250/550
Beeton: 250/125/450

Understandably my mothers tastes sweeter, and the second tastes fruitier, Mrs Beeton's has a slight tartness to it. On the single tasting so far I'd have to say Mrs Beetons is the least favorite, though still very good, can't quite make up my mind which is best between the other 2 though.

I now have 3 bottle of sloe cider on the go...

Edited by RizzoTheRat on Monday 8th February 22:14

don4l

10,058 posts

176 months

Monday 8th February 2010
quotequote all
Last week I was given a glass of Bullace Vodka. It was delicious and I would recommend that everybody who makes sloe gin should investigate it.

I have a couple of litres of sloe gin, and a couple of litres of sloe rum on the go. Next year I will definitely make some bullace vodka.

Don
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RizzoTheRat

25,162 posts

192 months

Thursday 23rd September 2010
quotequote all
Nearly that time of year again, thinking I should go picking this weekend before anyone else beats me to the nearby tree.

I notice earlier in the thread someone saying they use Demerara sugar. Do most people just use normal granulated or is demerara a common choice? I see a second round of experimentation comming on again this year.

Mobile Chicane

20,828 posts

212 months

Thursday 23rd September 2010
quotequote all
You snooze, you lose.

I'd get out there picking and then keep them in the freezer until such time as you're ready / can keep a bottle of gin or vodka in the house for long enough to make it.

I use whatever sugar is to hand, though not demerara since I don't like the taste.

Podie

46,630 posts

275 months

Thursday 23rd September 2010
quotequote all
Might get some of last years batch for a tipple... lick

kiteless

11,710 posts

204 months

Thursday 23rd September 2010
quotequote all
Good bump!

Having picked 14lbs of damsons last weekend, and got 3 gallons of damson wine bubbling away there are 2lbs of fruit left. So.

Damson gin?

Damson vodka?

Having not tried either, advice welcome.

RizzoTheRat

25,162 posts

192 months

Thursday 23rd September 2010
quotequote all
Best advice I can offer is try making several batches with different quantities of sugar to find out shich you prefer. I did 3 batches of sloe gin last year as mentioned above, and they're all nice though the sweet one is a noticably different drink than the other two.

Mobile Chicane

20,828 posts

212 months

Thursday 23rd September 2010
quotequote all
kiteless said:
Good bump!

Having picked 14lbs of damsons last weekend, and got 3 gallons of damson wine bubbling away there are 2lbs of fruit left. So.

Damson gin?

Damson vodka?

Having not tried either, advice welcome.
You mean wild damsons / bullaces?

Vodka I think, to allow the subtleties of the damson flavour to shine. Damsons are more 'red berry-ish', sloes are more 'almondy'.

Simpo Two

85,422 posts

265 months

Thursday 23rd September 2010
quotequote all
10 soft fruits x 10 spirit-based drinks = 100 combinations to research and report back on.

Time for a major PH project perhaps?

drunk