Comments on: Sloe Gin

By: Anthony

Anthony — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:44:12 +0000

Hi, fourth year of bottling, great. It takes a little time but just slit the berries. Then patience, maybe ready for Christmas, we started in mid October. Has anyone an idea for the berries after their long soak. I know someon who stuffs the goose with at Christmas.

By: Lindy

Lindy — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 01:10:41 +0000

Never heard of making chutney with them. They’re very, very bitter! Sorry, I don’t know how to remove the stones. I think it would be extremely arduous – it’s hard enough just pricking them. Best of luck! Let us know how it turns out! Do you have a sloe chutney recipe, or did you just think it was a good idea? I’m intrigued!

By: graham

graham — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 19:52:29 +0000

can anyone please tell me if there is an easy way to remove the stones from sloes,we are going to try makeing chutney?

By: Lindy

Lindy — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 11:08:02 +0000

Burst is perfect! Ideally sloes should be picked after the first frost (when they burst), so when picking them earlier people often freeze them first so that they burst when thawing out. Get going!!!

By: Lynsey

Lynsey — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 14:05:59 +0000

Noticed some sloe berries whilst out a walk this morning. However they are very dark purple/black and in some cases burst. Can you still use them or am I simply too late for this year? I am not a gin fan at all but tried homemade sloe gin last weekend & loved it so fancy making some. I’m in the Scottish Borders.

By: Paul Roberts

Paul Roberts — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 15:49:05 +0000

Hi,
I have lived in my home for the past 16 years and was amazed to see for the first time this year a bush full of bluey purpley berries. They looked magnificent from the window, I originally thought it was a blue plastic sack that had blown onto the bushes but on closer inspection I discovered a huge crop of sloes. They were like bunches of grapes. I picked about 3lbs yesterday and have hardly knocked a dent in the crop. Looking for a recipe online I discovered your web page. Thanks for all the ideas. I think it will be sloe gin, sloe vodka and sloe rum this year. Like the idea of the liquers of sloes in chocolate too. Well done, keep up with the foraging!

By: Elaine in Cornwall

Elaine in Cornwall — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 12:26:37 +0000

My very kind work colleague has collected 4 lbs from her fields for me and brought them in this morning, I’m going to try making sloe gin for the first time!
Hopefully I can use as Christmas pressies but I may be too late for this year, we’ll see.

By: Lindy

Lindy — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 19:04:54 +0000

Laura – scroll up and you will find various suggestions! The recipe I use is from an old Marguerite Patton 500 Recipes for Wine and Drinks. It comes out like a liqueur, which is how it used to be drunk. However, it’s also great with a mixer such as lemonade. But be careful, it doesn’t taste alcoholic, though it’s potent! My sons and their partners say ‘my’ recipe is better for a cocktail than the weak stuff you get in pubs (at £7.50 a glass!). See also the comment on whether you are using ‘dry’ gin or not. Sloes are also great in whisky and rum. I put them in Captain Morgan’s last year, and made an amazing drink.

By: sue craigie

sue craigie — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 18:43:16 +0000

I find many Sloe Gins too sweet, my recipe is 1 pint gin (cheapest around), 8 oz pricked sloes and 6 oz sugar. This make a wonderful smooth drink which is incredibly potent so drink with care. Wear a pair disposable gloves when you prick the sloes or your hands and cuticles will look terrible with the fruit stains.

By: Laura Rees

Laura Rees — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 16:53:40 +0000

We are about to pick sloes for the first time ever, as there seems so many on our walks around Rugby and I am desperate to try it out. However, I cannot find a recipe that gives a good guide as to exactly the volume of gin to use per weight of sloes picked. I am going to try to use half sugar (e.g. 500g sloes, 250g sugar) but how much gin? Hopefully someone can help.