Sloe Gin

Author
Discussion

HotJambalaya

2,023 posts

179 months

Friday 25th November 2016
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couldnt resist having a little nip just 2 weeks after being bottled. My god, how lot you manage to leave it months (and in some cases years!) before getting stuck in.... It took superhuman effort to not bring a bottle back in with me!

Kneetrembler

2,069 posts

201 months

Saturday 26th November 2016
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Just made 3 x 2ltrs of Sloe Gin & 1 x 2ltr of Damson Vodka

Johnnytheboy

24,498 posts

185 months

Monday 14th August 2017
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Fruit seems to be early, and bountiful, this year.

My plums are magnificent; my mother-in-law agreed when I gave her one to handle...



So, question is, what booze to make with them?

Plum brandy?

Plum gin?

Plum vodka?


FurtiveFreddy

8,577 posts

236 months

Monday 14th August 2017
quotequote all
Johnnytheboy said:
Fruit seems to be early, and bountiful, this year.

My plums are magnificent; my mother-in-law agreed when I gave her one to handle...



So, question is, what booze to make with them?

Plum brandy?

Plum gin?

Plum vodka?


Zad

12,695 posts

235 months

Monday 14th August 2017
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Trying not to do a "I've got a nice pear" pun... Although it does seem to be doing well, along with the apples.

Our plum tree had so much fruit that it broke branches, so has had to be pruned back quite severely (sadface). The greengage has fruited, heavily too. Hopefully the damsons will ripen nicely as well, although they tend to be a bit later than the others. Both make lovely jams.






Oh dammit...




noell35

3,170 posts

147 months

Monday 14th August 2017
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I've noticed some very ripe looking sloes on my bike rides. It's a bit early for them isn't it?
I know they say wait for the first frost but looking at them they'll be long post it by then?

Zad

12,695 posts

235 months

Monday 14th August 2017
quotequote all
If they are like damsons, sloes will darken long before they soften and are fully ripe. Which reminds me, this evening I walked past a couple of wild blackberry bushes with lots of fruit that was nice and ripe. I'm sure that around here (Yorkshire) blackberries aren't usually ripening until the kids are back at school and the weather this year hasn't been brilliant. I didn't pick any for a couple of reasons. Firstly I didn't have anything to put them in and, secondly, they were growing out of a grave in the graveyard. So, er, yeah...



vournikas

11,683 posts

203 months

Monday 14th August 2017
quotequote all
Johnnytheboy said:
Fruit seems to be early, and bountiful, this year.

My plums are magnificent; my mother-in-law agreed when I gave her one to handle...



So, question is, what booze to make with them?

Plum brandy?

Plum gin?

Plum vodka?


Well, Matron.........

Plums can be very sweet and delicious (ahem), but aren't "punchy" enough to flavour a spirit. Sloes and blackcurrants make dynamite gin and vodka respectively as their flavours overpower and enhance the base spirit. Also, plums are very "pulpy" so after steeping in the spirit of choice you'll spend an age trying to clear it by constant straining (we strain our sloe gin twice).

Do a batch of plum wine.

Victoria plums produce a lovely rose wine with a little sharpness, whereas yellow plums (we've got two gallons bubbling away as I type) result in a very attractive looking white wine with honey notes. Leave for a year or two, and they dry out nicely as well.

Johnnytheboy

24,498 posts

185 months

Tuesday 15th August 2017
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Oh no sod it, can't be bothered with the hassle of fermenting them.

thebraketester

14,192 posts

137 months

Tuesday 15th August 2017
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I made some raspberry gin earlier this year.... very nice indeed.

Jobbo

12,960 posts

263 months

Tuesday 15th August 2017
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noell35 said:
I've noticed some very ripe looking sloes on my bike rides. It's a bit early for them isn't it?
I know they say wait for the first frost but looking at them they'll be long post it by then?
I've found a couple of great crops in my new garden which started to look ripe a month ago when I moved in. I think the only competition to pick them is the birds, so I'm resisting yet but I may pick a lb or two now to see how much difference it makes leaving them.

Jobbo

12,960 posts

263 months

Sunday 20th August 2017
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A bountiful crop - but not yet ripe.



Barchettaman

6,283 posts

131 months

Monday 6th November 2017
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Plenty around here in Germany, we had our first proper frost last night so am going to get some with Mrs B now.

BoRED S2upid

19,644 posts

239 months

Monday 6th November 2017
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They were almost past it when we got some on Sunday will be bottling up a few litres tonight.

Barchettaman

6,283 posts

131 months

Monday 6th November 2017
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We picked 5 lbs in about 15 minutes! All the fruit is looking good, really soft and ripe. The berries have been cleaned and bagged and are in the freezer now, ready for bottling tomorrow.

Hopefully the supermarket still stocks 95% Polish rectified spirit, a slug of that with the gin ups the octane and gives it a lovely kick.

Tony Angelino

1,970 posts

112 months

Friday 17th November 2017
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1lb sloe berries ordered due tomorrow/Monday - ready to pop my sloe gin cherry!

Tony Angelino

1,970 posts

112 months

Monday 24th September 2018
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Any rich pickings for anybody this year yet or are we a bit early still?

C0ffin D0dger

3,440 posts

144 months

Monday 24th September 2018
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Tony Angelino said:
Any rich pickings for anybody this year yet or are we a bit early still?
Yeah, and my advice would be to go get 'em before someone else does.

Picked around 1.2kg from our usual spot the weekend before last. Enough for 2 x 1L batches. Easily squished between fingers so definitely ripe. Now washed, and sat in my freezer waiting for me to purchase the gin smile

thebraketester

14,192 posts

137 months

Monday 24th September 2018
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Wife collected about 2kg of fruit last week.


noell35

3,170 posts

147 months

Monday 24th September 2018
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Off to pick some this evening.