Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
General => General Chat => Topic started by: Mourneman on November 10, 2011
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It's that time of the year again,time to check on last year brew of sloe gin.I've been making this now for sevaral years and now is the time to collect sloe's the fruit of the blackthorn.There are lots of ways of preparing the sloe,some people prick each sloe allowing the juice to run from the berry,i myself put mine in the freezer over night,this bursts them,saves loads of time.these photo's are my batch from last year.
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6057/6332069407_ea9656f9fd.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69203213@N03/6332069407/)
66685_447229194859_628904859_5131825_1897079_n (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69203213@N03/6332069407/) by surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/69203213@N03/), on Flickr
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6115/6332820242_3acc4497fe.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69203213@N03/6332820242/)
62172_441629554859_628904859_5026284_1208437_n (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69203213@N03/6332820242/) by surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/69203213@N03/), on Flickr
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6094/6332068737_a33541d72c.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69203213@N03/6332068737/)
63350_441629534859_628904859_5026282_3012039_n (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69203213@N03/6332068737/) by surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/69203213@N03/), on Flickr
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6216/6332069257_ce3335da3b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69203213@N03/6332069257/)
76549_458458049859_628904859_5324664_3067900_n (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69203213@N03/6332069257/) by surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/69203213@N03/), on Flickr
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6041/6332820378_1ae316850f.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69203213@N03/6332820378/)
156715_474989834859_628904859_5548242_3335147_n (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69203213@N03/6332820378/) by surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/69203213@N03/), on Flickr
About 500g ripe sloes
About 250g sugar (the more sugar you use the quicker the flavour comes out but, obviously, the sweeter it is)
About 1 litre of gin (any gin, or even vodka if you want a purer flavour)
Prick the sloes with a fork (or don't, or put them in a freezer and then defrost them). Put them in a suitably sized Kilner jar, pour over the sugar and the gin, close the lid, shake, shake every day until the sugar has all dissolved, store in a dark cupboard, strain out the sloes through muslin after about three months, bottle, store in a dark cupboard, and wait.
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Wow thats class, I bet that would keep you warm on a cold night.
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Very nice. Tempted to give this a go so there's something for next year.
Will need to hunt in Belvoir forest for fruit, or failing that Sainsbury's :D
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Very nice. A friend of mine does this in Newry. She also collects sloe's and make it every year. How long does this process take to the final product?