Sloe gin tips please!

Drachenfach

My sloes are in the freezer. It's been wet and mild here recently and I was worried they'd mildew before the first frost. I shan't bother pricking them as they've been frozen.

Remember to pick them over before bottling to remove errant foliage and the odd earwig.

I find it easiest to make the gin in a couple of large jars and then decant it once it's ready. Posting sloes one at a time through the neck of a gin bottle gets old quickly.

LameWolf

Drachenfach wrote: »

Posting sloes one at a time through the neck of a gin bottle gets old quickly.

Agreed; a demijohn and a jam funnel is the way we do it.;)

beedeedee

Large coffee jars do it for me......!

force_ten

MSE_Andrea wrote: »

Anyway, I've heard all sorts of queries about how long to have them in the freezer to simulate a frost (it was before the first frost), how often to turn the bottles, sugar first or last etc etc.

If you've made it before can you post and let me know what worked for you please?

they say to pick your sloe berries after the first frost and the reason for that is more about leaving them on the bush until they are fully ripened, by putting them in the freezer you will simulate the first frost but it will not help fully ripening the sloe berries

the large commercial producers freeze sloes because they are ready in october/november and they need to preserve them to extend the sloe gin producing season

the other thing is the large volume producers freeze the sloes and then put the frozen sloes in a container and pour over the gin and this is supposed to shock the sloes and cause them to split

I use 500G of sloe berries 250G of caster sugar and one litre of gin, it is best to leave the sloes in the gin for at least four months and if possible as long as six months, strain and decant the sloe gin and then a few days later filter again through coffee filters and decant again and then leave for around six months in the bottle to mature

good sloe gin is not something for the impatient, sloe gin made now will be at its best for christmas 2016

force_ten

the question was asked about what a blackthorn bush is like

about-ireland/blackthorn-bushes

the first image on that page shows what the blackthorn bush looks like at this time of year when the leaves have started to drop, earlier in the season the bush in full leaf it will hide the thorns but you will know they are there when you pick the sloes

it is best if you can leave the sloes on the bush until fully ripened and when you pick the sloe a gentle squeeze should see the sloe split, if the sloe is still hard then it is not fully ripened

LameWolf

force_ten wrote: »

it is best if you can leave the sloes on the bush until fully ripened and when you pick the sloe a gentle squeeze should see the sloe split, if the sloe is still hard then it is not fully ripened

Where I used to live, it was a fine line between leaving them to ripen, so that they were at their best, and finding them all gone because Sara at Number 9 got there first! :rotfl:

force_ten

that is the last of my sloes picked and packed for the freezer where they will remain until christmas and then i will make my third batch of 2015 sloe gin, when i decant the first batch made it will free up the kilner jars i will start a batch that i will leave until christmas 2016

start at christmas leave the sloes in the gin for six months and then decant and leave in the bottles until christmas 2016

force_ten

LameWolf wrote: »

Where I used to live, it was a fine line between leaving them to ripen, so that they were at their best, and finding them all gone because Sara at Number 9 got there first! :rotfl:

that can be a problem in a popular spot you have to pick them early or miss out

The place that i went picking today still has loads of sloe berries going to waste on the bush now the leaves are starting to drop the berries are shriveling on the bush

that is about eight pounds of sloes i have picked this year

Former_MSE_Andrea

How's everyone's going?

I'm decanting mine this week ready for a taste test in the office on Thursday! I don't think I'll be short on volunteers

I will be leaving some to store for next Christmas too - I'm looking forward to seeing how much better it is a year on

beetlebug1

Still shaking mine it can wait a little longer