Top Tips
I very much advise you wash your sloes before freezing otherwise you might end up with a few (used to be) living hedgerow beings in your finished gin. I’m not sure anybody would appreciate you pouring them a spider.
When you go out to pick your sloes I must warn you that 1kg of sloes is a good couple of hours of work, scratched wrists, attack of the stinging nettles and excellent fun if you take a friend. I’m not making it sound very appealing but what you get at the end of all the work makes it so worthwhile. You can take a look at this handy guide if you’re new to foraging to help you identify the sloes. I also have a few golden nuggets of foraging advice too.
Variations
I have two batches on the go currently. One is pure sloe gin and the other is mostly sloes but with some blackberries and rosehips thrown in; Hedgerow Gin as I like to call it. The recipes for both are below.
I have used gin in these recipes but you can also try using vodka or rum. See the recipe notes below for different fruits you can try too. Raspberries, plums or strawberries will need less sugar adding to the mix.
Homemade Sloe Gin
Equipment
- 1.5 or 2 litre sterilised jar or lidded container
Ingredients
- 1 kg sloes
- 1 l gin see recipe notes
- 300 g caster sugar see recipe notes
Instructions
- After you've picked the sloes give them a thorough wash and put them into a lidded container. Pop them in the freezer for a few days to split the skins. You can always get yourself a pin and prick each and every sloe a few times before adding the gin if you'd rather not freeze them. Whichever way you split the skin it is important in order to let the gin and sloes mingle.
- After a few days in the freezer the sloes will be ready.Get the sloes out of the container you used; the reason for this is that any additional insects that may have got their way through should be stuck to the bottom or sides of the container. Be somewhat cautious when removing the sloes as one false move could see them flying all over the kitchen and floor. Put the sloes into a container big enough to hold them and the other gin ingredients.
- Pour in the gin and add the sugar. Put the lid on and give it a swirl or a shake every day for about a week until the sugar has dissolved. After this just shake it when you remember.
- There is potential for it to be ready to drink in as little as six weeks but I'll leave mine until it starts getting dark at 4pm, the blankets are out and there is true frost on the ground. I can't wait.
For Hedgerow Gin
- Follow the recipe above but add other hedgerow fruits like blackberries, plums or raspberries or you could add a few rosehips too. You will probably need a little less sugar if you are adding sweeter fruits.It's important to taste the gin regularly as sometimes blackberries can turn a bit sour if left to mingle too long. Drain the gin off as soon as you think it's ready.
Notes
See how it turned out after it was left to steep for a few months! After you’ve decanted the gin from the sloes, the sloes can be used again to make some homemade sloe port.
Pin my Sloe Gin recipe for later!
How many seconds did it take for me to arrive here?! Fabulous. I’m of course completely envious of your sloes and picking from the hedgerow. I DID pick the raspberries for my batch but it was not nearly as romantic as my vision of your excursion!
Now that is a great afternoon activity with a treat at the end!
Sounds like fun.
They look like blueberries!
I’ve heard of sloe berries but I’m not sure they’re readily available here sadly … and I’m certain this would be a drink I would love 🙂
thanks for teaching me something new 🙂 looks like a good mix. I love Gin
What a cool blog. It is so english. I am from California and I love reading about life and food adventures across the world. I have absolutely no experience with sloe and hedgerow so it was awesome reading about making this tastey treat.
I write a blog on food, too but with my musings on life and relationships. Please stop by and visit. Maybe follow if you like.
Can I just say…. GIN?
Oh, boy, this would be fun to make for a party! No spiders allowed!!!
I would love to make this, gin is my favourite!
wow, this is so cool!
What a coincidence – my brother has just made a vat of sloe gin and sent me a photo. I tried his last year and it was amazing. I might have to go on the hunt for some sloes!
I have to be honest with you. I have no clue what a sloe and hedgerow is, but I do know gin. 1 out of 3 is not bad =)
Do you ship international?
How awesome! I don’t know if there is anywhere to pick sloes around here, but if I find some, I’m definitely making my own gin =)
I’ve always wondered about the sloe berries – we have lots along the roadside here, but I’ve never quite known what to do with them – gin it is!
Ooooh I love this, looks fabulous. What a well written blog. Just started a teeny food/eating blog myself, would love it if you could have a look and follow if you like xxx
Anna
southmoltonststarving.blogspot.com
We did this last year and picked so many sloes that I bagged and froze the ones we didn’t use so I could use them this year. The tragedy is that the plug accidentally got pulled on our garage freezer one weekend and I had to ditch them. This happened just after it was too late to pick any more. It will be a sloe gin desert this Xmas. 🙁
I’m just about to make my own batches of sloe gin! I was wondering, when do you take the sloes out of the gin? Can you leave them in there for ages?
I had no clue how to make gin before I read this. It looks like an awesome adventure! I think I’d add bacon instead of raspberries to mine….. 😉
Found it!
So that’s how gin is made! I have never come across Sloe before, it looks like some kind of a blueberry to me.