 With beer and the like being so heavy on the hills most lightweight backpackers choose to take a small hip flask of spirits up the hills will them on a wild camp. Obviosly caution needs to be used when it comes to alcohol and mountains but we are all adults so... With the first frost on the way I thought I would make a post on my blog showing how to make sloe gin/vodka. There are no photos at the moment as I am away from home at the moment but I'll put some on this weekend. For anyone thats never made it it is very simple. If you have never made sloe gin before then try it this year as it seems to be a really good year for the sloes which surprised me due to the dodgy weather we have had. http://thesecretcamper.blogspot.com/2011/10/how-to-make-sloe-gin-easy-way-photos-on.html If I can turn just one responsible person here into a sloe gin addict then my job here is done!:cool:
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I've always put a pound of sloes (picked after the first frost,then washed and pricked) with a pound of sugar and a pint of gin in a large sealable jar. and shaken until the sugar is dissolved. Give them a shake daily for a week then leave for as long as you wish (the longer the better). When the sloe gin is poured off the sloes, add a pint of good cider, shake well and leave to settle. The resulting drink (called slider by my daughter in law) is to be treated with respect 
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| Edited: 18/10/11 21:00 |
 Erm, that's the only way I know how to make sloe gin  What is the hard way?
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 yes, the hard way is drinking the gin before you put the sloes in the bottle.....
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.JPG) Pricking each individual sloe? isn't that the hard way? The easy way is to pick them on a nice dry sunny day, then freeze them in a bag, then at a time you choose, bash em about inside the bag whilst frozen(on a chopping board with a wooden rolling pin or meat tenderiser) to spilt the skins... then.....carry on as other recipes
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I don't reckon you need to leave sloes until the first frost -- just until they're ripe, which a lot around here in Cumbria are now. They should be nice and soft when you squeeze them, to coin a phrase. I usually reckon to pour the gin off and bottle it after about five or six months, otherwise it can get a bit of a woody taste, maybe from the stones. Damson gin is nice too at a wild camp. Much less sugar needed than for sloe gin. And don't throw the damsons away afterwards -- served with cream they're one of the most intociating puddings known.
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I agree Guy - We mainly freeze so as to allow choice as to time to do the rest of the job. I find fruit (sloe/damson?blackcurrant etc.) vodka a more drinkable brew - not so 'medicine' tasting as gin based drinks
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There are many ways to skin a cat. @mole Pricking them aint such a hardship. The easy part in the title is with reference to the measurements. 1 quarter sloes, 1 quarter sugar, pour the gin back in...simples. Its good to see so many p***heads on this forum! lol
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I make it most years and indeed have a batch of both sloe gin and vodka on the go (we keep some and the rest goes as Xmas presents). Personally, I like to prick the sloes by hand- I find it quite therapeutic. This year I've added a vanilla pod to the batch for a bit more depth of flavour. A nip of sloe gin on a chilly day takes a lot of beating in my opinion.
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 Try adding a cinamon stick or two for a subtle but tasty twist! A friend of mine, who is a much better cook than I am, takes the Sloes out of the Gin and makes the most delicious dark chocolate and Sloe truffles.
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| Edited: 23/10/11 15:08 |
 really really easy method: get the wife to do it
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