The commercial sloe gin is awful, I've never tasted any so bad apart from a certain arsser who thought sugar was a bad idea!

Try Sloe Vodka, exactly the same just replace g with v.

Very very good.

Originally Posted by Jaeger

Enjoyed reading this, I've tried the commercial Sloe Gin and enjoyed it so would love to make my own. Anyway, if it's any use to anybody, an excellent cheap Gin is "Glen", readily available in any Tesco's for about £8 for 70cl. I thought it was only the for determined outdoor-drinker (bus-shelters, shop-doorways, graveyards, that kind of thing) until I read a review of 10 different Gins in one of the Sunday supplements a couple of weeks ago. It was rated top, above such names as Smirnoff, Vladivar, Stolli and the rest!

Just the ticket for all you budding moon-shiners I reckon!

All very well respected gins, those ;)

Originally Posted by Jaeger

Enjoyed reading this, I've tried the commercial Sloe Gin and enjoyed it so would love to make my own. Anyway, if it's any use to anybody, an excellent cheap Gin is "Glen", readily available in any Tesco's for about £8 for 70cl. I thought it was only the for determined outdoor-drinker (bus-shelters, shop-doorways, graveyards, that kind of thing) until I read a review of 10 different Gins in one of the Sunday supplements a couple of weeks ago. It was rated top, above such names as Smirnoff, Vladivar, Stolli and the rest!

Just the ticket for all you budding moon-shiners I reckon!

My bold and wah deflectors on, but aren't they all brands of Vodka?

Not the cheapest maybe but a mellow gin, such as Plymouth Gin might work well? Thoughts from the pros before I make my first attempt this year?

Originally Posted by empty_vessel

Originally Posted by Jaeger

Enjoyed reading this, I've tried the commercial Sloe Gin and enjoyed it so would love to make my own. Anyway, if it's any use to anybody, an excellent cheap Gin is "Glen", readily available in any Tesco's for about £8 for 70cl. I thought it was only the for determined outdoor-drinker (bus-shelters, shop-doorways, graveyards, that kind of thing) until I read a review of 10 different Gins in one of the Sunday supplements a couple of weeks ago. It was rated top, above such names as Smirnoff, Vladivar, Stolli and the rest!

Just the ticket for all you budding moon-shiners I reckon!

My bold and wah deflectors on, but aren't they all brands of Vodka?

Not the cheapest maybe but a mellow gin, such as Plymouth Gin might work well? Thoughts from the pros before I make my first attempt this year?

You're quite right and are the winner in this weeks Deliberate Error Competition, £10 is on it's way to you as soon as I can be arrsed.

I blame it on the fact that I was testing the merchandise at the time!

I've just come home with a huge bag of sloes, already ripe! Any ideas for using them other than gin,brandy,port etc??






Before you kick off, have already done the requisite 3 litres of sloe gin, so not wasting them! Bumper crop here too!!

This is a Danish recipe and it's stonkin' good stuff.

Sloe Schnapps
Sloe schnapps - based on fresh and fully ripe sloes from the blackthorn plant - has a beautiful deep red colour.

It's a very rich schnapps - fruity and sweet with taste of cherry, vanilla and almond.

It's an excellent after-dinner drink, and goes very well with all types of cheese and cheese cakes.

Recipe

Use fresh and fully ripe sloes.

It's very important that they are fully ripe, because even one or two unripe sloes will ruin the taste.

Pick them right after the first frost. But before the birds eat them. Put them in the freezer for a couple of days.

Or do as I do - pick them when they are fully ripe but BEFORE the frost and freeze them for a week or more.

Frost makes sloes sweeter and milder.

Direction:


•Rinse the sloes carefully and remove all stems.


•Leave them to dry in the shadow - on paper towel.


•Freeze them for a week or more.


•Use a clean glass jar with tight-fitting lid.


•Fill the jar with frozen sloes.


•Fill up with clear, unflavoured vodka - 40% (80 proof).


•Steep for 3-8 weeks in a dark place at room temperature,
18-20°C (64-68°F).


•Shake lightly and taste it from time to time.


•Strain and filter your infusion into a clean glass bottle or jar with tight-fitting lid.


•Store (age) for 2 -3 weeks in a dark place at room temperature before serving.


•You may need to filter once more.


Serve your sloe schnapps at room temperature in suitable glasses. And remember to keep your schnapps bottle tightly closed and in a dark place before and between servings.

Originally Posted by bigbird67

I've just come home with a huge bag of sloes, already ripe! Any ideas for using them other than gin,brandy,port etc??

I fear you may have blown it - they really do need to have had a frost on them or at least been in the freezer for a bit - you should probably up the sugar content a wee bit to make up for them being immature.

As for other uses, unless theyve been used first for making alchohol taste even nicer, I have never managed to find another use for them.

I picked my first crop yesterday, they have been in the freezer today and will this week attempt my first batch of gin - Licks lips in anticipation

Originally Posted by Mr_C_Hinecap

Seems to be a very bad season this year - for most fruits, but especially sloes.

I'd recommend freezing them after you've picked and rinsed them. Then, take a bottle-worth at a time, put them in a sieve and run under a warm tap for 30 sec to defrost them before putting in the bottle - it bursts the skins perfectly and avoids that awful pricking bit.

Vanilla sugar works really well - makes it smooth. Don't leave the sloes in the alcohol for longer than 6 months - the natural form of cyanide can start to leach out - gives a bitter almondy taste to the gin.

We've got apple schnapps / vodka on the go as well this year - we'll see.

CYANIDE Did you say Cyanide?

Could you give a few more details. This stuff sounds good but would not want to poison friends (or self). Is the cyanide in the pit? Would it be better to de-pit before the soakin/aging part.