[Lardman]

My first batch of damson gin is a few weeks old now and I've been forced to test it 

I cut the sugar down but its still sticky and too sweet, it was 1:1/3 fruit to sugar.  I was aiming at something a little less cough syrup like.

[Kate and her Ducks]

I don't add any sugar to my damson vodka and it is lovely.

[Lardman]

I thought you had to add sugar to start the fermentation off again?   I was saving  the vodka for the chills but now you've mentioned it ....  Oh the decisions 

[Kate and her Ducks]

Nope, fruit gins/vodkas etc are just flavoured. The alcohol content is too high for any further fermentation, even if you added yeast and sugar.

[scabs]

My first attempt is in the cupboard... I shall be testing in a few weeks.

The recipe I followed was off the BBC website:

450g/1lb sloes
225g/8oz caster sugar
1 litre/1¾ pint gin

However, it being too early I didn't have anything like that ampount of ripe sloes. Consequently, my gin is more pink than ruby red.

Still, plenty of time for another try next month!   

[Kate and her Ducks]

I just need to find somewhere I can pick some sloes!

[scabs]

There's a load just near the mill that I work in, give it a few weeks and I'll see what I can get for you.