I was thinking of making sloe gin for Christmas, but it comes more naturally to those who have sloe berries growing in their garden. I do not, but I did discover I can buy them readily on the internet. They come in lidded plastic boxes and are, according to friends who’ve gone down this route, pretty good. You can even get frozen ones shipped to you.
The formula is not magic. Sloe berries + sugar + gin has to be added to time. I am told you need to allow about 6-8 weeks. You have to prick each berry so that the juice flows out to flavour the gin, and even then, you are supposed to swirl the bottle round every few days to stir things up. At the end of it you get sloe gin.
I went the shorter route and bought Gordon’s sloe gin, on special offer at £15 a bottle. I tested it neat, and then with ice. On the rocks it’s a fantastic drink, a great cup of Christmas cheer. I will visit friends this Christmas and try their home-made version to compare it with.
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Madsen Pirie 