Hello guys and welcome back,
Today I decide it to show you how to make homemade Sloe Gin. This is my second year I am using this method and have to say that all my friends and family love my Sloe gin. This 4 easy steps show you that you never have to buy Sloe gin again. Are you ready?? Lets do it...
1) First and most important are Sloes. Without Sloes you can not make a Sloe gin. I am having a secret place I pick mine as they are not polluted by car fumes or farming chemicals. What are Sloes?? They are wild plums, same family as ordinary plums but fruit is much smaller and taste is rather tart then sweet. This trees growing all over the UK and this time of the year is the best time to pick them. Fruit can vary in size and I would recommend that you pay attention while you walking your dog or just went for walk and I can guarantee that you will find them. I know that you can purchase Sloes at Doncaster market as I was told by my mother in law. This year was great for Sloes despite heat wave destroying parts of the UK. Sloes are usually ready for picking late September to early November. Before you pick them make sure that fruit is not stone hard. Berries must be slightly soft and fully ripen to give your Sloe Gin full flavour.
2) Step 2 is a bit time consuming as you need to make sure that you do not put any debris like leaves or berries that are not good in to your jar. I am using 1.5 L jars from Wilko. You need cut some of the berries open if you want just give your gin extra flavour. As you can see on picture it will take a time. I am usually doing 1/3 cut berries and 2/3 whole berries.
3) Then you need your Gin. I am using this Asda brand gin 1L for £15, demerara sugar from my cupboard but you can use just ordinary caster sugar and that's all you need. You don't have to use sugar at all but I like my Sloe gin slightly sweet and I drink it neat as liquor. If you don't put any sugar in it will be dry gin ready for mixing with tonic or lemonade. If you using sugar put less then required as you can taste your gin any time and add sugar at any stage.
4) Last step is very easy. Once you got all berries in (1.5 kilo per 1 litre of gin), sugar as desired by your taste just pour full bottle of gin all over your berries. Seal the jar and tipped it over couple of times to start dissolving sugar. You have to tip your jar every day as sugar dissolving in alcohol much slower then in the water. But it is not a problem because you have to leave your gin in this jar for minimum of 6 weeks. Longer you leave berries soaking that more flavour you get.
If your jar looks like this congratulations as your Homemade Sloe Gin is ready to go. You can keep jar on your kitchen counter to remind you tipped over on daily basis for minimum of 6 weeks.
After you tip your jar, liquid could became discoloured or cloudy its ok as this settles once sugar is dissolved. You may wondering that how berries can stay in this jar for minimum of 6 weeks without getting bad, mouldy etc. Because gin is high percentage alcohol it preserves fruit and there fore berries still absolutely fine.
As you see on picture above (only 3 days in jar) berries starting loosing colour and gin getting lightly red. You should achieve dark ruby colour and strong flavour end of this process. My Sloe gin will be ready for Xmas. Watch out for my blog again.
This method is so easy and give you so many options that you never buy over priced lover alcohol and very sweet sloe gin from the shop again. You will make it how you like and its nothing best then achievement feeling. If you need any help or advise please contact me thru my website.
How much I spend??
2 reusable jars from Wilko 1.5 L £6 both
Handpicked Sloes - £0
Asda Gin brand 2L - £30
Total for 2L of Sloe Gin 37.5 % - £36
Happy Gin making guys, thank you for reading and see you soon here. Please share it if you like it.
Jerry xxxx