Sloe Gin - home made

[Venisonpie]

Having gathered a good tub of sloes over the weekend I thought I'd have a go at making my own. Any tips? Apparently pricking the sloes is the thing to do but this seems tedious - could they be very lightly blitzed in a processor?

Any input gratefully received.

[Bill]

I just put them in the freezer for a bit. There was a massive thread a few years ago...

[bomb]

Do not put them in the processer. Freeze them as this rupures the skins. Then drop them into your bottle. Add sugar ( same approx amount of the berries, then fill bottle with Gin. Put it in the airing cupboard and give it a shake every time you go past it. Leave it a few months to infuse.

[Venisonpie]

Thanks, freezer it is.

[thebraketester]

Yep. Freezer and lots of sugar. Very simple, very tasty.

[knk]

It is very early to pick sloes.
Best to wait until after the first frost.

As said above freeze or prick the sloes. Fill the jar to halfway.
I add some blanched almonds to the jar, and only add 1/2 the weight of the sloes as sugar (golden caster sugar is nice). Use a decent but not fancy gin. Most of the standard brands or supermarket own brands are ok. Nothing with fancy flavour.
Turn jar every day for a week, every week for a month, every month for six months.
Strain through muslin, taste and add more sugar if you think it needs it. Bottle it. Put in a dark cupboard for at least 6 months before you drink

[Venisonpie]

knk said:

It is very early to pick sloes.
Best to wait until after the first frost.

As said above freeze or prick the sloes. Fill the jar to halfway.
I add some blanched almonds to the jar, and only add 1/2 the weight of the sloes as sugar (golden caster sugar is nice). Use a decent but not fancy gin. Most of the standard brands or supermarket own brands are ok. Nothing with fancy flavour.
Turn jar every day for a week, every week for a month, every month for six months.
Strain through muslin, taste and add more sugar if you think it needs it. Bottle it. Put in a dark cupboard for at least 6 months before you drink

Thanks, I was surprised that there were so many sloes and am now wondering if we picked them too early. As two ex country dwellers who became townies a long time ago we are not really on the ball with these things.

[Bill]

I think the waiting for the first frost thing is just because the berries get frozen and split. I've heard it's to make the berries riper and sweeter, but that process must get much slower later in the season and you're adding a load of sugar anyway.

[Venisonpie]

Bill said:

I think the waiting for the first frost thing is just because the berries get frozen and split. I've heard it's to make the berries riper and sweeter, but that process must get much slower later in the season and you're adding a load of sugar anyway.

Ah I see, thanks. They've gone in the freezer tonight and I'll take them out on Monday once the bottles arrive.
It will be a fun experiment regardless, should be ready for Christmas

[Johnnytheboy]

Venisonpie said:

knk said:

It is very early to pick sloes.
Best to wait until after the first frost.

As said above freeze or prick the sloes. Fill the jar to halfway.
I add some blanched almonds to the jar, and only add 1/2 the weight of the sloes as sugar (golden caster sugar is nice). Use a decent but not fancy gin. Most of the standard brands or supermarket own brands are ok. Nothing with fancy flavour.
Turn jar every day for a week, every week for a month, every month for six months.
Strain through muslin, taste and add more sugar if you think it needs it. Bottle it. Put in a dark cupboard for at least 6 months before you drink

Thanks, I was surprised that there were so many sloes and am now wondering if we picked them too early. As two ex country dwellers who became townies a long time ago we are not really on the ball with these things.

The "first frost" thing was based on the idea that the first frost likely happened in October. Rare event these days.

Pick sloes about early October and put them in the freezer for a night.

[knk]

Johnnytheboy said:

Venisonpie said:

knk said:

It is very early to pick sloes.
Best to wait until after the first frost.

As said above freeze or prick the sloes. Fill the jar to halfway.
I add some blanched almonds to the jar, and only add 1/2 the weight of the sloes as sugar (golden caster sugar is nice). Use a decent but not fancy gin. Most of the standard brands or supermarket own brands are ok. Nothing with fancy flavour.
Turn jar every day for a week, every week for a month, every month for six months.
Strain through muslin, taste and add more sugar if you think it needs it. Bottle it. Put in a dark cupboard for at least 6 months before you drink

Thanks, I was surprised that there were so many sloes and am now wondering if we picked them too early. As two ex country dwellers who became townies a long time ago we are not really on the ball with these things.

The "first frost" thing was based on the idea that the first frost likely happened in October. Rare event these days.

Pick sloes about early October and put them in the freezer for a night.

Early October perhaps, but not August.

[Bill]

They're enormous and look very ripe round here, in another 1-2 months they'll be like prunes.

[markymarkthree]

If they look ripe pick now. I waited one year and missed out, either nature or other sloe hunters will get there first.
As said freeze them, any that don't split, silt with a knife.

[Johnnytheboy]

Bill said:

They're enormous and look very ripe round here, in another 1-2 months they'll be like prunes.

In fairness all the fruit is early this year so you may be right.