strimmer_13 Posted December 13, 2018 Report Share Posted December 13, 2018 Just tried the gin and whiskey sloe. Thanks to a member on here who I can't recall who said to make a whiskey (my least favorite tipple) on another topic, I have to say they have turned out absolutely gorgeous. I'm genuinely surprised as when I picked the berries in September, there had been no sign of frost, they were extremely small due to the heat of the summer and being early, but plenty about. I've never attempted to make it that early in the year, but I managed 5 bottles of gin and 2 of whiskey. I can't recall how many lbs of berries I had to cut/*****. A lot. The glass on the left is the whiskey and the right the gin. Absolutely lovely 😍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panoma1 Posted December 13, 2018 Report Share Posted December 13, 2018 Try Damson Vodka! 😋 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pigeon Shredder. Posted December 13, 2018 Report Share Posted December 13, 2018 Masses of sloes at the golf course l shoot, and this weekend l will be picking a few kilos now that we're getting some frost. Never considered whiskey but will give it a try, along with the usual vodka and gin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strimmer_13 Posted December 13, 2018 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2018 20 minutes ago, Pigeon Shredder. said: Masses of sloes at the golf course l shoot, and this weekend l will be picking a few kilos now that we're getting some frost. Never considered whiskey but will give it a try, along with the usual vodka and gin. The whiskey is amazing. Just run of the mill lidl stuff. I'm saying this as a whiskey hater. But it is lovely and ill be making a load next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seadog1408 Posted December 13, 2018 Report Share Posted December 13, 2018 They were small this year, I have just bottled 5 litres and it tastes great. (Gin) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strimmer_13 Posted December 13, 2018 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2018 1 hour ago, panoma1 said: Try Damson Vodka! 😋 I don't like damsons but I didn't like whiskey either. I will try, as the other half enjoys what we make. Then again I don't drink as much, and she don't know when to stop! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panoma1 Posted December 13, 2018 Report Share Posted December 13, 2018 For the cost conscious....I find the cheapest spirit makes the best liqueur! 🤗 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strimmer_13 Posted December 13, 2018 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2018 Dam it I've got the taste now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted December 13, 2018 Report Share Posted December 13, 2018 (edited) For the first time ever we made Bullace vodka this autumn having been lucky enough to come across a Bullace tree the day after a strong wind and the fruit was on the floor. It is very good and very strong, too strong for my wife who tones it down with tonic. Edited December 14, 2018 by JDog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7daysinaweek Posted December 14, 2018 Report Share Posted December 14, 2018 10 hours ago, JDog said: For the first time ever we made Bullace vodka this autumn having been lucky enough to come across a Bullace tree the day after a strong wing and the fruit was on the floor. It is very good and very strong, too strong for my wife who tones it down with tonic. JD are a bullace similar to damsons? Made plenty of damson and sloe vodka in the past but would not know a bullace if it dropped in me lap. atb 7diaw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longstrider Posted December 14, 2018 Report Share Posted December 14, 2018 (edited) Bottled up my sloe gin last weekend .. all 5 litres of it (minus a sip or two 'just to test it' ) and it's simply lovely. The sloes on my perm were the biggest berries and most abundant crop I've ever seen so it only took about and hour and half to pick enough sloes to make 5 litres of gin . I wonder if anyone here also makes a 'prickly board' to perforate the sloes before use ? A piece of hardboard and a couple of dozen staples from a staple gun fired right through the board and you're away. Just gently roll half a dozen sloes at a time under it (the prickly side) on a cutting board and they'll have neat little holes all over. Saves hours of faffing around with a pin Have also done about 3 litres of orange brandy again this year. (Lady Longstriders favourite) Edited December 14, 2018 by Longstrider Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strimmer_13 Posted December 14, 2018 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2018 Tbh the misses used a needle and I used a knife and just sliced. Good idea tho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted December 14, 2018 Report Share Posted December 14, 2018 7 hours ago, 7daysinaweek said: JD are a bullace similar to damsons? Made plenty of damson and sloe vodka in the past but would not know a bullace if it dropped in me lap. atb 7diaw Bullace are similar to Damsons but contrary to what some people think they are not the same. They do belong to the same family of Prunus and somewhere along the line one or both of them could well have been the origin of domesticated plums as we know them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno22rf Posted December 14, 2018 Report Share Posted December 14, 2018 No need to ***** them - put them on a tray in the oven for 10 minutes and they pop open. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markm Posted December 14, 2018 Report Share Posted December 14, 2018 Put them in the freezer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pigeon Shredder. Posted December 15, 2018 Report Share Posted December 15, 2018 Well l went and picked my sloes this afternoon, the bushes were so laden it only took me half an hour, but my it was bloody cold, sleet and howling wind. Made sloe whiskey when l got back home as my mother gave me a bottle of Glenfiddler Malt yesterday, 240g of sloes, 140g of sugar and 1lt of of whisky, a trip out to Asda's has furnished the Vodka and Gin and l shall make those up in the morning prior to going clay busting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strimmer_13 Posted December 15, 2018 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2018 46 minutes ago, Pigeon Shredder. said: Well l went and picked my sloes this afternoon, the bushes were so laden it only took me half an hour, but my it was bloody cold, sleet and howling wind. Made sloe whiskey when l got back home as my mother gave me a bottle of Glenfiddler Malt yesterday, 240g of sloes, 140g of sugar and 1lt of of whisky, a trip out to Asda's has furnished the Vodka and Gin and l shall make those up in the morning prior to going clay busting. Not a single sloe left round here. Or I'd be making more whiskey myself. Was it you that mentioned it back in September? If it was thanks, its bloody lovely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pigeon Shredder. Posted December 15, 2018 Report Share Posted December 15, 2018 No not me, and l've also not had a single alcoholic drink since September. When the sloe tipples are cleaned and bottled next year, March/April l'll let you know what the whiskey ones like. Until then l'll stick to my almond milk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danger-Mouse Posted December 15, 2018 Report Share Posted December 15, 2018 1 hour ago, strimmer_13 said: Not a single sloe left round here. Or I'd be making more whiskey myself. Was it you that mentioned it back in September? If it was thanks, its bloody lovely Maybe me? Although I posted about raspberry whiskey not sloe whiskey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave at kelton Posted December 15, 2018 Report Share Posted December 15, 2018 Hate whiskey but add a couple of pounds of blackberries and a little sugar and it is fabulous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guzzicat Posted December 16, 2018 Report Share Posted December 16, 2018 9 hours ago, Danger-Mouse said: Maybe me? Although I posted about raspberry whiskey not sloe whiskey. I use dried Sloes (bought on line) matures far quicker & no thorns! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strimmer_13 Posted December 17, 2018 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2018 Not gonna lie, I had quite the taste for it the last few days, polished off 1 bottle... Bloody misses has decided to give bottles away as presents. And I've no say in it. 😡 Going to have to make a lot this coming year... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amateur Posted December 17, 2018 Report Share Posted December 17, 2018 2 hours ago, strimmer_13 said: Bloody misses has decided to give bottles away as presents. And I've no say in it. 😡 Some rules for sloe gin making. Save up some small 250ml bottles as well as standard bottles. Wait until the missus is watching Strictly or some old soap. Make a batch and hide it in your mancave to "mature". Only release the small bottles for presents. Imbibe the rest yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted December 17, 2018 Report Share Posted December 17, 2018 2 hours ago, strimmer_13 said: Not gonna lie, I had quite the taste for it the last few days, polished off 1 bottle... Bloody misses has decided to give bottles away as presents. And I've no say in it. 😡 Going to have to make a lot this coming year... I too feel proprietorial over the drinks I make from the fruits of the hedges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strimmer_13 Posted December 17, 2018 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2018 52 minutes ago, JDog said: I too feel proprietorial over the drinks I make from the fruits of the hedges. It annoys me. I have so many friends and family that want to 'try' my drinks, yet when I offered to help them make their own they can't be bothered. Too much work. So I don't offer, but the misses decides to give it away instead. I'm currently sulking in the garage, wishing I'd brought a cup of tea out and my fags. 😤 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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