[mrsbean]

Saw posts from 2014, silly question. How much sugar do you use and do you put it in first or at the end. Picked sloes end of last October and in freezer. Loved the look of the kilner jars, bet they tasted fab. Could i use large pickling vinegar jars. Thanks in advance

[snow white]

I have used kilner jars in the past, but I normally use an old wine bottle.  I put about a inch and a half of sugar in the bottle.  Then I fill the rest of the bottle 2/3 up to the top with sloe berries.  Then I fill with gin.  Easy peasy.  Also I have made strawberry vodka this way and raspberry vodka.  Tastes devine.

[Barry C]

Tip for 'puncturing' sloes ....

Put sloes on board, use a cheese grater 

The 'pimply' side, roll it over the sloes pressing gently, lots of pierced sloes, used this method for a while, quicker than pricking individual fruits 

[mrsbean]

Thanks for replies, strawberry  vodka sounds lovely. Good tip about cheese grater. I thought  freezing sloes would do away with pricking them, so will bear grater in mind.

[cc]

Thanks for replies, strawberry  vodka sounds lovely. Good tip about cheese grater. I thought  freezing sloes would do away with pricking them, so will bear grater in mind.

Freezing Sloes does do away with pricking them as the skin breaks. I have never done it any other way. I make about 20-30 bottles every year. Look for a recipe and half the sugar content. You can always add more later.

[sunshineband]

[Freezing Sloes does do away with pricking them as the skin breaks. I have never done it any other way. I make about 20-30 bottles every year. Look for a recipe and half the sugar content. You can always add more later.

Yes that is quite right!!! I use a large kilner jar as it is easier to get he fruit out again than from a bottle, for me. We like ours quite sweet, but not as sweet as my mother's old recipe, which was 12oz of sugar to a 70cc bottle of gin 

I have halved this and it is still pretty sweet

[8doubles]

No need to even freeze sloes , as with most skins sloe skin is permeable and will lose water (and flavour) to alcohol through osmosis .

The main downside to freezing is the skin often ruptures  allowing the flesh into the gin which then needs more filtering .

[sunshineband]

No need to even freeze sloes , as with most skins sloe skin is permeable and will lose water (and flavour) to alcohol through osmosis .

The main downside to freezing is the skin often ruptures  allowing the flesh into the gin which then needs more filtering .

Yes that is true, but I don't mind. I use the jelly bag inside a funnel, which is quite quick

[texas]

does it mater what type of gin i use?

[8doubles]

does it mater what type of gin i use?

Depends how refined your palate is !

In my case the cheaper the better !

[Auntiemogs]

does it mater what type of gin i use?

I tend to use Aldi gin, as it's a good price and just happens to be one of the best around.   

[cc]

does it mater what type of gin i use?

Yes it should be cheap gin. Virtually everyone uses cheap gin. I used expensive gin once it was not good no where as good as Aldi for instance.