sloe liquer recipes

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Citroenella

Original Poster:

180 posts

247 months

Saturday 1st September 2007
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Is it me, or do the sloes seem to be ripening early this year?

Anyway, in preparation for harvest time... does anyone have any tried and tested recipes? We've also got a big bagful of damsons in the freezer too, so I think I'm going to try to make some damson brandy.

Has anyone tried using honey or brown sugar in their sloe gins?

Also, when I was in Scotland I sampled a delicious sloe whiskey liquer that was made with honey... if anyone has any ideas on quantities I could use for this that would be great...

drunk

Noger

7,117 posts

250 months

Sunday 2nd September 2007
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Yes, they are pretty soft already. Am thinking about picking soon, before the birds figure out what is happening.

I think the "olde" formula is "a pound to a pound to a pint" of sloes and sugar and gin. But that makes it a bit sweet imho. Don't bother with pricking, just freeze and they will burst a bit.

Damson Vodka lick

Bramble Whisky lick

Citroenella

Original Poster:

180 posts

247 months

Sunday 2nd September 2007
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What about the quality of the spirit? Cheapest you can get with the highest alcohol content - or decent branded stuff?

bint

4,664 posts

225 months

Sunday 2nd September 2007
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They may look ready but nooooooooooo! Best to wait until after the first frosts when they're sweeter. You can make a batch in September in time for this Christmas, but make some after the first frost for next year too!

http://www.sloe.biz/


Noger

7,117 posts

250 months

Sunday 2nd September 2007
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Cheapest you can get with the highest alcohol content ? Yes, I try to get whatever I can over 40%, to stop it being too diluted.

Hmmm, frost ripening sloes ? I don't really understand that. I think it makes them softer, certainly. But that is what bunging them in the freezer does. Unless we are talking about some sort of Sloe Eiswein ? Now that would be very exotic smile

Mark Benson

7,539 posts

270 months

Wednesday 5th September 2007
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We have frosts too late these days to wait. The freezer idea is what we always do.

It is a bit early yet, but they are ripening more quickly than last year, seems like a bumper crop round here too.

I find a pound to a pint a bit sweet too, tend to go for a pound to a pint and a third.

Also great, blackberry vodka. Same pound to pint and a third but with blackberries - great in the bottom of a champagne glass topped up with bubbly, the local Michelin starred restaurant buys a couple of bottles from me every year (they think there's some secret recipe) for their garden parties the following summer.

Noger

7,117 posts

250 months

Thursday 6th September 2007
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The dark choc thread reminded me ...

When you take the sloes out of the Gin, don't chuck away, dip them in melted dark chocolate and chill.

Oooh yes.

bint

4,664 posts

225 months

Thursday 6th September 2007
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Noger said:
The dark choc thread reminded me ...

When you take the sloes out of the Gin, don't chuck away, dip them in melted dark chocolate and chill.

Oooh yes.
Okay, this thread is dangerous. I have 4/5 sloe bushes/trees near me I shall be stripping of berries and trying the freezer trick (I too thought frosts were often too late, if non existent last year) for them.

And putting them in dark chocolate and making bars out of them is SUCH a good idea! :P

littlegreenfairy

10,134 posts

222 months

Friday 7th September 2007
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How do you make this stuff? We have loads of blackberries and sloes...I feel a drinking session coming on.

chris.mapey

4,778 posts

268 months

Monday 10th September 2007
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littlegreenfairy said:
How do you make this stuff? We have loads of blackberries and sloes...I feel a drinking session coming on.
Use the proportions above (pound of sloes / pound (or less) of sugar / pint of gin) place in bottle. Leave to mature (as long as you can wait really) then take the sloes out & make a choccy bar or two,

[Gordon Ramsay] Sloe Gin - DONE! [/Gordon Ramsay]

Have fun

Chris

littlegreenfairy

10,134 posts

222 months

Monday 10th September 2007
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Wow. Will be making some of this as soon as I locate some sloes!

bigburd

2,670 posts

201 months

Wednesday 12th September 2007
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Sloe Vodka is the way forward!!!

Am going to try Sloe Brandy as well as Blackberry Brandy.

smile