[Closed] Sloe gin, what's it like?

warm,sweet,syrupy and just great have a go at making your own super easy and satisfying

You won't like it, pass it here. 😉

It's a bit like gin that's had sloe berrys in it for a while. 🙂

It's very nice liquor sweet yet sharp and rather morish.

With crushed ice it's lovely, I've got a full demijohn of homemade stuff ready for Christmas 😀 it may get messy...

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM make it. dont use crap gin after that cant go wrong really

Will let you know after the next batch is ready at Christmas 🙂

.... and I don't even like gin!

Well, you're a bit late this year, and it wasn't a good one for Sloes anyway. I did Blackberry Gin instead, but it has to be home made, factory produced stuff is generally pretty thin. Damson Brandy is also excellent,

Well, you're a bit late this year, and it wasn't a good one for Sloes anyway.

We had loads of them some big crops and certainly the best for many a year.

oh! Perhaps it was just my secret stash that had a problem then.

It's a bit like cough medicine. But I quite like cough medicine.

We've done damson gin and blueberry vodka for christmas this year.

The stuff you buy in the shops is nowhere near as good as home made, but as has been said already you're too late for this year.

I've just finished the last of my 2011 stash, I've got 3 litres of the 2012 to drink plus my 3 litres from this year so I'm not going to run out anytime soon.

I also made blackberry whisky this year as we had so many blackberries and it's rather delicious.

Bad year for sloes in the mourne area

tthew - Member
oh! Perhaps it was just my secret stash that had a problem then.

Yup, we had a good year too. And don't worry, it's been readying itself for some time!

Made some damson vodka this year, should be ready about new year. Lovely jubbly 🙂

Made 2L of Sloe Whiskey for the first time last year, it lasted less than an hour last xmas 😛

Make a batch of each, his and hers 😉

you're too late for this year.

Depends where you are, lots on "my" bush in North Shropshire...

I love Sloe gin, make it every year. Though used sloes from freezer this year, as also bad crop in Wilts. Good for blackberries though, so made blackberry brandy as well 🙂 sloe gin good with sparkling water and lots of ice. mmm.

Mrs Ed is the gin expert in our house, apparently the Aldi gin is really good for a budget gin as it's a proper distill not just alcohol and blended flavours

homemade is best but it needs to be left a long time to burn of all the excess sugar - tthew is right, the commercial stuff is thin

Even I like it and I hate gin and most other spirits 🙂

What it's like? It's like perfect for skiing, snowboarding and sub-zero mountain biking - that's what it's like.

Great with champagne.

Really benefits from being laid down. We don't drink anything less than 5 years old.
Been making blackberry & raspberry gin this last few years & bye eck it's dam good

After its drunk, empty the sloes out if the bottle onto baking paper, pour over melted chocolate and chill.
Yummm

sloe-gin and tonic is dangerously thirst quenching.

while i agree that it's best to make your own, [url= http://www.sloemotion.com/ ]this stuff[/url] is pretty bloody good.

Made 6l this year but very hard work finding the sloes this year. Awesumz stuff.

Cheers all,

Looks like I'm off to a posh garden centre to buy my first bottle of sloe gin.

😀

Quite a lot of sloes this year in Sussex, made about 4 bottles, one if very sweet, assume I just add more gin. Anyone made sloe beer?

Mrs Tuffty makes an awesome fruitcake with the damsons after they have been in the vodka for a few months.

Tis lovely. We made about 3 litres last year, one plain, one with a cinnamon stick, and one with a vanilla pod. All very tasty. I used cheap sainsburys own gin and it's fine but I'm sure the more expensive stuff might taste even better.

I cam across it in the cupboard about a month ago and we're down to about 1 litre now 🙁 Hopefully it'll make it til Xmas!

Since you're too late, the Gordons one isn't too bad.

Mrs Tall went out again yesterday and filled a carrier bag with sloes. Think we may need a few more bottles and alcohol.
She loves Sloe Gin, and I like Sloe Whiskey which are currently 'maturing' in the pantry. Making sloe vodka this week.

How long do you usually leave if before straining and consuming?

Blackberry or raspberry vodka is too easy to drink too.

This is sold in a few specialist delis and posh garden centres: [url= http://www.bramleyandgage.co.uk/PBSCCatalog.asp?ItmID=11869435 ]Bramley and Gage Sloe Gin[/url]. Not too sweet like a lot of the commercial ones can be.

Lets bring some balance. It's disgusting; and I like cough mixture. My wife makes loads of it and gives it to family & neighbours. She loves the stuff and every year gets me to try a bit. It never improves. She also swears by Aldi gin as the base.

Do t think you have long enough now to make a decent batch for Xmas.

thetallpaul - Member

How long do you usually leave if before straining and consuming?

freeze the sloes first.

turn the jar over once a day.

i've had acceptable results after 1 month*.

i'm sure someone will tell me that i didn't.

(*but yes, much longer is generally better)

dont use crap gin

Don't be soft, lad. Use the cheapest gin possible. It is largely the alcohol doing the work, not the flowery botanicals. I made a couple of bottles with 96% alcohol one year and there was barely any difference in taste (once I'd watered it down to sensible). My best batches were made with Sainsburys own brand and Waitrose own brand (the cheapest of all gin, including Aldis, that year).

Use the cheapest gin possible

I've always gone for 3 months bottle to belly time. I'm genuinely astouded at anyone who has the willpower to leave such boozy goodness untouched for a year or more. Weirdos.

I hate gin...

so I make Sloe Vodka 🙂 a bumber crop this year (after no sloes last year)

I made 2x1 litres this year and will be bottling it on xmas eve. One kilner jar is a bit sweeter than the other so which one should I lay down for drinking next year?