Are the new sloes ready? & bitter sloe gin from last year?

niftythrifty33

The sloes bushes I usually pick from seem ready very early this year. The fruit are starting to look shrivelled up, though some are still ok. We haven't had a frost yet so is it okay to pick them?

Also my sloe gin from last year is very bitter and unpleasant. Could I have picked them too early last year? I thought I'd added plenty of sugar, though not sure exactly how much.

Any advice on either of the above would be great

Wanderlust_Nell

Pick them and pop them in the freezer...force the first frost! I still have a freezer full of sloes from last year that I didn't get around to doing anything with.

Horace

Must admit that I have never frozen sloes nor waited for them to be frosted. I made sloe vodka which as turned into a pleasant liqueur.

To rescue the gin, maybe add some sugar to it, if it is bitter.