Sloe Gin

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Sloes are the fruit of the blackthorn tree and are very sour.  As you can see they look like very small, dark purple plums & you will find them in hedgerows from September - November. The ideal is to pick them after the 1st frosts because this improves the flavour (but where Christmas Matters lives other foragers get there long before then). Don't pick sloes which are growing near busy roads because they will be contaminated by exhaust fumes.  

You will need:

500g sloes
125g sugar
1 70cl bottle of gin (Plymouth or Tanqueray is best)
Large preserving jar
Skewer/large needle
Sealable bottles

Wash then prick the sloes to break the skin using a skewer or a large needle so that they will infuse into the gin. Alternatively you can freeze the fruit for a couple of days then leave them to defrost - the skins will mostly split. Then put the sloes into a very large sterilized jar with a lid (a 2 litre preserving jar is ideal).  

Shake or stir every day for a couple of weeks or so, and then whenever you remember thereafter.  It will be ready for bottling after 6-8 weeks.  It will look very cloudy & most unpromising at this stage (as you can see in the photograph) but don't worry, as long as it smells appetizing you are ok. 

Strain the liqueur through a triple layer of muslin or coffee filters (you might have to do this more than once) into a large jug then pour into clean sterilised bottles. It can be drunk straight away but is better left (for up to a year) to mature.