Sloes picked for making Sloe Gin

I like - there are lots of sloes on our tree this year, the birds are having a great time with them. I don't make it but my friend does and she is always bringing some up to us, dare not drink too much of it, too much sugar would send my sugar levels too high.

Oh Amy, you've got some already. How do you know when they are ready?

Thats a shame Oliveoil ... even if you can only have a little sip it's nice to get a taste . :o)
When they are as bluey/ black as this Dawn with no sign of any green , they will 'give ' a little to touch , we use to say pick after the first frost but we would have to wait to long these days ... some people freeze them so that the skins split to save pricking them but I think it would make them to watery ... We made 2 bottles last night ... big grin :o)))

Oh my, 2 bottles, wonderful Amy. Looks like I better get myself going on this. Hey Amy, would you believe we had a frost on Saturday morning. I looked out and could see white on the tiles and I went outside to touched the top of the cars and they were solid with ice. No plant damage though so maybe an air frost.

Wow, I thought they were blackcurrants......mmmmm.....sloe gin...that'll be great in the cold weather Amy...hic!

Try making some Janey. I followed Amy's recipe last year and its been sitting tempting us for almost a year now, we'll be drinking this Christmas. We did try a drop when it was ready, before storing - it was wonderful.

We must go sloe hunting this is one of our favourite tipples, have been making it on on off for over 25 years.......

What a great crop, must say I have never tried sloe gin, but it sounds very potent and warming Cheers!

Your sloes will be waiting for you Dawn , they should be perfect after a frost we didn't have one .....
You must try it Janey , it's expensive to buy and much nicer home made but don't tell your neighbours they will be making any excuse to come round at Christmas when they know it's ready lol.......
Now is the time Dd , I'm glad you like it , sometimes you need reminding to do these things ... :o)
It's nice Carole and definitely leaves you glowing LOL... you can drink it like a liqueur a small tot or add lemonade to make it a long drink .......

Must give your recipe a go Amy,remember seeing it last year, we have loads on the hedges this year.

We had loads last year but very few this year.
Daisy picked ans ate one last year thinking it was a giant blueberry..Hehehe she'll not do that again in a hurry...:o))

It's well worth it Kathy especially if you have the sloes there ....

I bet she wont Mushy YUK ... a taste never to be forgotten .. lol......

I better get picking Amy ;-)

Lovely Amy. Never tried the sloe gin. Thought they were blueberries when I first saw pic. :o))

I made some at the beginning of September, Amy! Saw them up the lane, the house was being sold and the owner was cutting them down and leaving them to rot!! I collected them and put them in the greenhouse to ripen, then froze them for a week before adding sugar and gin. It is now sitting in the cupboard waiting to mature. I was hoping to make a more 'natural' second lot but the bushes have been completely hacked down now :(

Yes you had Dawn .. you don't want to miss them .. :o) ..You wouldn't want to taste a Sloe Linda they are so sour but do make lovely sloe gin , you will have to try it one day !
Well done Gee , you couldn't let them go to waste , what a shame they have all gone , it's best if it's left to mature for a year so 2 bottles is ideal you can have one and save one .. .. ......

I've one smallish bottle waiting for the finished product, Amy, and I will just have to drink up the Strawberry Sloe Gin that my daughter bought for me from the Lake District earlier in the year, so that I will have a second bottle ready :)

brilliant amy, have you finished last years Gin yet ;o))

Ooh Gee Strawberry sloe gin sounds mouth watering ... I can't imagine how you make that without the strawberries breaking up in it like mush unless you strain it out at the end .. do you know how it's done ?
We still have a bottle left San but it's been opened , I entered it in the local show and it won first prize , off cause they had to open it to try it , it's a good job they didn't get breathalized on the way out ..LOL........

The strawberry was a commercial one, Amy so I suppose they would have the appropriate filtering equipment - it is delicious :)

lol amy well done on first prize ;o) hick!

It sounds lovely Gee , I suppose it could be strained through a jelly bag ... !

Thanks San ...LOL.......