[ciderman]

hi all sloes do have 2 pick them after a frost  i waited last year and they had all gone the trees now are busting and they r all purpe l  but hard any info would b good cheers ciderman

[cochin]

I pick them when they are ripe - but haven't been frosted then I put them in the freezer, it's the same as if they had been frosted

[sunshineband]

At work, ours are falling off the bushes now, they are so ripe so won't be waiting until frosts 

[8doubles]

If you get plenty of sloes don`t just limit yourself to sloe gin you can use them with vodka, whisky , bacardi , pocheen (a good one). If you were given a bottle of spirit that you are not fond of you can transform it to a sloe liqueur.
People that will not drink gin will drink sloe gin and the same happens with whisky and rum.
One way of using that bottle lurking in the drinks cabinet.

[pushrod]

Was out today collecting blackberries and found two blackthorns laden with sloes. Wasn't quite sure what they were and whether to pick them or not- have done a bit of research tonight  and will be back for them tomorrow  Will call in at asda on the way home for the gin!!!
Seems that sloes are ripening earlier this year and that the frost thing is just to give them max time to ripen.

[Harry Flashman VC]

Went up to check the hedgerows yesterday found loads of bushes packed with sloes quite a few unripe ones but couldn't resist picking enough for a bottle full.  Only went for a look. 

One wine bottle done now will wait till the end of the month.

[pushrod]

Do you wash the sloes thoroughly or leave the bloom on. I notice that all the recipes say to put sugar in - Is this for sweetness or is there some fermentation going on ?

[Harry Flashman VC]

Theres no fermentation the sugar helps draw the juice out of the sloes.  Its up to you I didn't bother washing them last year, some say wash others say don't.

Gin turned out great

[maverick]

There are so many conflicting opinions on whether you should pick after the first frost or not.

I've always wanted to try making it but have seen any near me. My wife took the kids to a different park in a nearby village a few weeks ago and her mother spotted some bushes. 

10 days ago, I decided to pick some as I didn't want to risk going after the first frost to see that there were none left.

I washed them briefly, froze them for a few hours and mixed 1lb of sloes with either 250g or 500g of sugar (recipe in house) and topped up with 2 70cl bottles of cheap gin.

Ive been shaking it daily and having a smell. It's getting pinkier by the day and last night I noticed that the 'gin' smell seemed to have gone, so I couldn't resist trying a bit. It was fantastic  I can't really describe the taste (and it's early days yet), but I reckon it will be fab within a few months.

For experimental reasons, I will pick some after the first frost if there are some left so that I can compare.

[pushrod]

For experimental reasons, I will pick some after the first frost if there are some left so that I can compare.

Making mine tomorrow  , but will be doing the same experiment, although will have to find some bushes off the beaten track as the ones i first found were almost stripped bare by the time i got back to them.

[flowerpower]

My dear hubby opens a bottle of fizz on Christmas Eve and then proceeds to decant the various bootles with sloes and gin in. We then add a splash of sloe gin into the fizz. Needless to say that the evening becomes very mellow! I gather it's called a Sloe-gasm. (Am I allowed to say that? -''blush")

[sunshineband]

I never wash sloes, just pick out any bits of dried leaf or twiggy bits (or bugs of course  )

Sugar is essential as sloes are so bitter. Bite one and see if you never have ... everyone should try this once  Carefully, mind 

[tiptopchickendon]

I have picked a load of Sloes with the intention of making Sloe Gin...but noticed that the local Aldi has bottles of a clear alcohol/Sprit called Svarus... Described as a blend of premium fermented Alcohol and Spirit !

Anyway it only cost £4.49 for 70cl, so used that instead of Gin, didn't use a great deal of sugar in as it appears to be abit sweet anyway. So far after 3 days the liquad has a nice reddy colour and is beginning to taste quite nice 

Also, used the same stuff to make Black Sambuca with essence from the local homebrew shop...now that does taste nice 

Still plenty of sloes left in the freezer, so on the look out for some cheap Gin now?

[scabs]

The sloes up here are definitely ripe or ripening; I've one large jar of sloe gin on the go, a load of them in the freezer, waiting to be used and I've got my eye on a few more bushes near work...

my first attempt smells amazingly good but have resisted the temptation... how long do people usually let it steep for? Also, do you leave the sloes in or not... my recipe didn't specifiy (I assumed leave in.)

[smileysal]

I'm well chuffed I've got a tree in my garden but they're not ripe yet and the damsons seem to be taking forever too!