Where can I get Sloe Berries

mirakl

You're actually a bit late for picking your own sloes. Although the general rule of thumb is to pick after th frost, the climate is getting warmer and therefore picking after the frost isn't practical. Instead hunt hedgerows, from mid September to mid october looking for them. Sticking them in the freezer induces the effect the first frost would have if we still had that in sept - Oct.

If you're not too sure how they look on the bushes http://www.walkcarmarthenshire.com/art/uploaded/webres.18.9.05.DSCN3814%20Sloes%20beside%20Sarn%20Helen%20SN522407.JPG

Lillibet_2

You can artfically frost them in the freezer by open freezing them for a few days. It softens the cells so that they are effectively juicer. Also when piercing them be sure to go through to the stone as you need this to be exposed & therefore release it's chemicals directly into the liquer.

HTH;)

Mrs_pbradley936

Why not go for a walk and pick some? There are loads around here.

Zed42

Cheapest place I found round here for gin was Morrisons. HTH.

Which reminds me, I must shake the sloe gin and sloe voddie today

janeawej

i made blackberry vodka for xmas pressies but my neighbour and i attacked it the other day!! none left now! will have to make more from the bberries i froze, it was extrememly good and we ate the blackberries too! i highly recoment it!!!!

mrs_baggins

still quite a few here in solihull in the west midlandsm already made 2 litres and have some in the freezer to make a bit more to go with the fufge vodka i started the weekend. wouldnt mind but I dont drink that much myself but may make an exception since I made it!

Red_sky_2

Excellent idea about frosting them in the freezer, I never thought of that!:doh:
But theres supposed to be a frost tonight, so I will try to pick mine tomorrow if I get time, theres tons of them in the hedges near me!:j

doddsy

zulubabe wrote:

Managed to find some today quite hard work but felt really rewarding - unfortunately didn't wear long sleeves and I've had a reaction to something - so if you picking wear long sleeves and preferrably gloves too!
Good Luck!

Sloes are the fruit of the Blackkthorn. The thorns on this tree are particularly nasty and can cause infections if the tips break off in the skin. Still worth picking though:D

morganlefay

Keep hunting for them Zulubabe ! I have to admit that I'm a bit of a dangerous driver along country lanes as I'm always so busy in autumn looking for free fruit growing in hedgerows. The thing I've noticed is that sloes are very hard to spot, even when there are millions of them as there seem to be round here this year, and even when you know what they look like and know they're there. Get someone to drive you down a quiet country lane while you peer at the bushes. You'll see a sort of purple haze and there they'll be - usually much too high up to get easily (take walking stick, garden rake, anything to get the branches to bend a bit for you) and long sleeves and gloves. It's too late for this year but I have to say that my damson vodka was spectacular and much better than the sloe stuff last year, and there's more on the go for this Xmas. We have a pick your own farm which does damsons (which are exceptionally easy to pick - half an hour got me more than I could carry !), so why not try to find some of those next year ? Meantime I think there are still masses of sloes out there if you can only see the little rotters. Good hunting !

Lulubells

Blimey, could make my fortune here (if they are still there). Our fields hedgerows are laden this year, I did contemplate making some sloe gin or wine but forgot - I will look tomorrow, watch out Ebay here I come !