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Post by Sleepy on Sept 27, 2007 17:15:23 GMT 1
I'd love to make some this year - when will they be ready for picking from the hedgerows?  About now. They should be dark with a bloom on them |
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Post by 4pygmies on Sept 27, 2007 21:00:54 GMT 1
There will be lots this year I think - there seem to be loads of berries about - either a sign of a good summer or a really bad winter to come (depending on your point of view).....I have made Sloe Gin in the past and have found it's best to pick them as soon as you find them!
Ooo, I might do some this year, The witch.......who cares if OH hates it - all the more for me......
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Post by Sleepy on Sept 27, 2007 22:03:37 GMT 1
There will be lots this year I think - there seem to be loads of berries about - either a sign of a good summer or a really bad winter to come (depending on your point of view).....I have made Sloe Gin in the past and have found it's best to pick them as soon as you find them! Ooo, I might do some this year, The witch.......who cares if OH hates it - all the more for me...... Make at least 2 bottles. One you drink as soon as you think it's ready - the other leave at least a year. I have a 12 year old bottle of damson gin under trhe stairs, and a 10 year old bottle of recurrant bacardi in the kitchen ;D |
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Post by 4pygmies on Sept 27, 2007 22:08:05 GMT 1
Coo...we'll remember that for next year's BBQ!
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Post by Sleepy on Sept 27, 2007 22:11:30 GMT 1
Coo...we'll remember that for next year's BBQ! What about this years halloween get together? |
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Post by 4pygmies on Sept 27, 2007 22:14:44 GMT 1
I can't do Halloween anywhere but here - smallest LOVES it! We have to do the whole dressing up bit and everything.....sorry!
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Post by Sleepy on Sept 27, 2007 22:18:43 GMT 1
I can't do Halloween anywhere but here - smallest LOVES it! We have to do the whole dressing up bit and everything.....sorry! Now remind me, as you are a family of dwarfs I forget, is smallest your child or your OH? |
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Post by 4pygmies on Sept 27, 2007 22:23:57 GMT 1
My 7yr old child and I am still taller than her - just! OH is 5'10" I am NOT a dwarf...sigh.......not really...dwarves are tiny......or is that leprechauns?
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Post by alicat on Sept 27, 2007 22:31:40 GMT 1
There will be lots this year I think - there seem to be loads of berries about - either a sign of a good summer or a really bad winter to come (depending on your point of view).....I have made Sloe Gin in the past and have found it's best to pick them as soon as you find them! Ooo, I might do some this year, The witch.......who cares if OH hates it - all the more for me...... Make at least 2 bottles. One you drink as soon as you think it's ready - the other leave at least a year. I have a 12 year old bottle of damson gin under trhe stairs, and a 10 year old bottle of recurrant bacardi in the kitchen ;D   sorry that made me laugh for some reason. ;D 4P - my children like to dress up for haloween also, we also have to decorate the house, go trick or treating ( only to good neighbours though) and sometimes we have a party. - it's great fun. |
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Post by Sleepy on Sept 27, 2007 22:39:12 GMT 1
Make at least 2 bottles. One you drink as soon as you think it's ready - the other leave at least a year. I have a 12 year old bottle of damson gin under trhe stairs, and a 10 year old bottle of recurrant bacardi in the kitchen ;D sorry that made me laugh for some reason. ;D 4P - my children like to dress up for haloween also, we also have to decorate the house, go trick or treating ( only to good neighbours though) and sometimes we have a party. - it's great fun. I dress up for halloween too. But with only me here it always seems a bit of a waste of time. I don't go trick or treating though. I did one year as I was strapped for cash, but ended up with half a dozen boiled sweets and 25p cash - not really worth the effort when you are 50! |
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Post by alicat on Sept 27, 2007 22:51:29 GMT 1
sorry that made me laugh for some reason. ;D 4P - my children like to dress up for haloween also, we also have to decorate the house, go trick or treating ( only to good neighbours though) and sometimes we have a party. - it's great fun. I dress up for halloween too. But with only me here it always seems a bit of a waste of time. I don't go trick or treating though. I did one year as I was strapped for cash, but ended up with half a dozen boiled sweets and 25p cash - not really worth the effort when you are 50! Maybe you can come to ours sometime - i'm sure you you will fit in just great. ;D |
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Post by plocket on Sept 28, 2007 12:46:48 GMT 1
The sloes should be ready now - we harvested some a couple of weeks ago, along with some damsons, so have lots of gin doing it's thing ;D
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Post by mickthecactus on Oct 1, 2007 8:49:53 GMT 1
So tell us how to do it then.......
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Post by Sleepy on Oct 1, 2007 9:22:14 GMT 1
You need a bottle with a plastic screw top (a 1 litre mineral water bottle is ideal). Gather the sloes and prick them with a pin. You can make a mass sloe pricker by pushing a number of needles into a cork).
Fill the bottle 1/3 up with sloes
The fill to 2/3 with granulated sugar
Then fill the bottle with gin (cheap gin - not Bombay Saphire)
Turn daily to disturb the sugar for a week or two until the sugar has dissolved, then store in a dark place for a few months (preferrably a year - and then the longer the better)
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Post by sweetleaf on Oct 1, 2007 10:46:12 GMT 1
That was because the alternative back then was iron ....no stainless steel, the acids in fruit would have reacted with the metal, the same advice was given for making preserves, silver or wood in that case. |
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Post by 4pygmies on Oct 1, 2007 15:33:21 GMT 1
Or I have frozen the sloes and then crushed them slightly before adding them to gin, if you haven't the time or patience to prick sloes..... It might make the sloe gin slightly cloudy but usually it settles out.
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Post by madmonk on Oct 16, 2007 23:27:09 GMT 1
Now got Sloe Gin on the go. Great site I have made eld wine, cordial and nowSloe Gin. This to go with my Damson wine and jam, and freezer full of fish |
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Post by Sleepy on Oct 17, 2007 9:27:47 GMT 1
Now got Sloe Gin on the go. Great site I have made eld wine, cordial and nowSloe Gin. This to go with my Damson wine and jam, and freezer full of fish Excellent. It sounds like the party is round your place next summer ;D |
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Post by debbiem on Oct 17, 2007 10:33:03 GMT 1
Now got Sloe Gin on the go. Great site I have made eld wine, cordial and nowSloe Gin. This to go with my Damson wine and jam, and freezer full of fish What a great stash - sounds brilliant!! |
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Post by mickthecactus on Oct 17, 2007 13:30:26 GMT 1
Freezer full of fish? Are you a spare time poacher madmonk?  |
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Post by Sweetleaf on Oct 27, 2007 11:14:25 GMT 1
I made Sloe Gin yesterday, I am ridiculously impressed.  |
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Post by Sweetleaf on Oct 27, 2007 12:33:12 GMT 1
I made Sloe Gin yesterday, I am ridiculously impressed. How many bottles did you make? Only one, Im afraid. |
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Post by Sleepy on Oct 27, 2007 15:40:31 GMT 1
How many bottles did you make? Only one, Im afraid. I made one too. And the sloes left over have gone to my sister who is making another one. |
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Post by bogmyrtle on Oct 30, 2007 21:20:38 GMT 1
Hope you don't mind me chiming in here, but last year we made a second batch with our sloes - not as flavoured as the first but still good.
Also, a friend of ours used hers to make sloe gin preserve after she removed them from the gin. I have a jar in the cupboard to try (swopped for a jar of my spiced plum chutney).
I have also made plum brandy this year - just have to keep tasting it to make sure it is ok!
Myrtle
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Post by Sleepy on Oct 30, 2007 21:23:08 GMT 1
Hope you don't mind me chiming in here, but last year we made a second batch with our sloes - not as flavoured as the first but still good. Also, a friend of ours used hers to make sloe gin preserve after she removed them from the gin. I have a jar in the cupboard to try (swopped for a jar of my spiced plum chutney). I have also made plum brandy this year - just have to keep tasting it to make sure it is ok! Myrtle Chiming in is what it's all about Myrtle. I fancy trying Sloe Brandy next year ;D |
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