[jt750]

In wrong section mate ..but not ready here yet

[bluedogge]

i've always been told "after the 1st frost" mate ;)

[Sterry]

Nope leave it till the first frost...turn your face inside out if you were to pop one of those in your mouth...need the frost to do something with the sugar content.

[TOMO]

I have made sloe gin in early september and it tasted great :thumbs: the latest i picked any was between xmas and new year, that also tasted great.

perhaps i dont have a sophisticated pallet :D . leaving it till the first frost will be a long wait :yes: not many frosts till november these days

[mexlad]

I thought you could pick them an freeze
them your self is that right because I'm
going to try and make my own this year.

Atb mexlad

[garethstroud]

I've picked some for the first time as I read you could freeze them briefly to give them the same effect as the first frost.

I froze some for a few hours last Saturday, then let them thaw and added 1lb of sloes to 1/2lb sugar and 1.5ltrs of 'cheap gin'.

As I say, first time, so we'll see how it turns out at Christmas :D

[mexlad]

Lol are they ripe enough at this time of year
and how can you tell.let me know how you
get on mate.

Atb mexlad

[yoggerman]

i usualy pick mine about early to mid october....... buy the cheapest vodka/gin you can get a bag of caster sugar and bobs your uncle....... heres a tip use a 1.5 litre coke/pop bottle fill to the top of the label with fruit then a bag of castor sugar and a 750cl bottle of lidls finest... shake it everyday for the first 2 weeks then a couple of times each week after, youl notice it gert darker anad darker untill it looks like vimto <mmm vimto> after about two months strain it off... and oh yeahh prick em before you bottle em

[yoggerman]

and dont bother adding almond essence thats not needed, the almond aftertaste comes from the pip...
almond essence is only used in the mass produced shite....... same as some say add yeast. theres no need for yeast, youl only ruin it

[Swift]

Has anyone ever tried slow berries? lol

[mexlad]

I think you can eat sloes when you seperate them from the liquid not
sure tho

[Wanna be farmer]

Well i know one thing, after you have made the sloe gin, you can eat the sloes you used to make it because my mums parents used to make it every year when she was younger and she said all of the family used to like them.

[Tis TM]

Try keeping a few of the gin soaked berries in a good storage jar, and adding a few around the roasting tray with the onions and stock/water/wine, when cooking venison, rabbit, duck etc.... gives a lovely flavour!!

I live in Cornwall, and If I waited till the first frost to pick the berries there would be hardly any left! I do wait untill they have lost the dusty whiteish covering though! I normally pick in the end of Oct, and I dont bother freezing them. Just prick em and stuff em in the jars :D
I've made a few batches now (although none last year as the berries failed) Had one that had a bit too much sugar for my liking, and I still have some from 2 years ago in a nice crystal decanter, waiting for the cold days :laugh: Does remind me of Veno's though!! :laugh:

[borntoshoot]

theres no such thing as cheap gin.

made some bramble brandy the other day and was in tescos looking for the cheapes bottle i could find, bloody £5.49 for a quatre( i think thats what its called) 25cl bottle.

gin was £6.00 for the cheapest bottle.