Making sloe gin & sloe vodka has become quite the tradition for me. Sloe by name, slow by nature, this alcohol infusion takes its time to make, unlike the quick and easy Rhubarb gin I shared earlier in the season.  Patience is important, but I know that when I make my sloe gin at this time of the year, that I’ll have a really special treat for Christmas next year to enjoy on a frosty evening, or to gift as a very coveted Christmas present in 2022.

Let’s Brew!

Wash the foraged sloe berries, picking out leaves or twigs.  Freeze the sloes overnight, removing from the freezer on the day you want to make the gin.

As the sloes defrost, the skin will crack, allowing the juice of the berries to escape (if you decide to skip the freezing part of this process, you will be tasked with having to pin prick each berry individually to release the juices).  Pour the defrosted berries into a 2litre Kilner-style jar, covering them with the sugar.  Seal the jar and shake well, at this point the sloes will resemble fruit pastilles as they are covered in sugar. 

Leave them aside overnight to allow the sugar to draw the juice out of the berries. 

After the sloes have been resting in the sugar for about 12 hours, add the gin.  Any brand of gin will do here, there is need to reach for the top shelf.  Remember, the simpler the better so the gin takes on the flavour of the sloes. If you are using a pre-flavoured gin or one with special botanicals, the flavour of the sloes will be diluted.  Lower priced, simple gin works best.

Seal the jar up, give it a good shake and store in a cool dark place for at least 6 months.

Once you are ready to drink it, all you have to do is strain the liquid off the berries, bottle it up and enjoy it. Compost the used berries.

You can drink sloe gin neat, or with a splash of prosecco for a very special cocktail.  You can expect a plum and vanilla flavour from your beautiful Sloe Gin Infusion.

To make Sloe Vodka, simply follow these steps, replacing gin with vodka.