Is sloe gin stronger than gin?
Is sloe gin stronger than gin?
Sloe Gin is not a spirit but a liqueur. It is made with Sloe berries which are from the family of plums. Sloe berries are obtained from the blackthorn bush. It is less alcoholic and sweeter than gin.
How is sloe gin drunk?
Sloe gin is traditionally sipped neat or as a hot toddy cocktail according to Joanne, but it works lovely chilled too. 'I would suggest using ice if drinking in cold cocktails such as a sloe gin and ginger ale,' Joanne recommends. 'Or just add a shot to a chilled glass of Prosecco.
What gin is best for sloe gin?
Add sloe gin, regular gin, 1/2 ounce of lemon juice and simple syrup (or sugar) to a cocktail shaker filled half way with ice. Shake vigorously until chilled. Taste then adjust with additional lemon or simple syrup/sugar. Shake.
What Colour should sloe gin be?
Rich red in colour, and sweet in taste, the fruit liqueur is the perfect winter warmer when the weather starts to turn a little nippier. Sloe gin is a liqueur made with gin, and sloe drupes, a small fruit that has a sharp, sour taste.
What does sloe gin taste like?
“High quality [sloe gin] is going to taste plummy and have an earthy, raisiny like quality. They are often very sweet. Good ones tend to also have notes of almonds, which comes from the pit of the fruit.”
Does sloe gin improve with age?
Sloe Gin improves with age (to a certain point), so make more than you need and keep some for next year.
Do you drink sloe gin on its own?
Sloe gin is traditionally sipped neat or as a hot toddy cocktail according to Joanne, but it works lovely chilled too. 'I would suggest using ice if drinking in cold cocktails such as a sloe gin and ginger ale,' Joanne recommends. 'Or just add a shot to a chilled glass of Prosecco. '
Can you add more sugar to sloe gin?
We recommend not to add any sugar during the maceration process. This is because the sugar will prevent the gin from extracting the natural fruit sugars and flavours from the sloe berries. If you add the sugar after the maceration you can add the exact amount needed to create a well balanced sloe gin.
What do you do with sloes after making sloe gin?
Happily, leftover berries from sloe gin can also be used to re-macerate in other spirits. Brandy is a fine and Christmassy choice: leave yours to steep with 500g of leftover sloe gin berries, red wine, and a wee bit of sugar. In a month or two, you'll have another burgundy-hued treat to toast with this winter.
How do you serve sloe gin?
Sloe gin is traditionally sipped neat or as a hot toddy cocktail according to Joanne, but it works lovely chilled too. 'I would suggest using ice if drinking in cold cocktails such as a sloe gin and ginger ale,' Joanne recommends. 'Or just add a shot to a chilled glass of Prosecco. '
How do you make gin?
The fruits, called sloes, are bluish-black 'drupes', often with a waxy coating. The fruit is round, between 1 and 1.5cm long, and contains one large stone and, normally, not much flesh. They are rich in vitamin C, but very sour to taste.
What is gin made from?
Distilled gin is produced exclusively by redistilling ethanol of agricultural origin with an initial strength of 96% ABV (the azeotrope of water and ethanol) in stills traditionally used for gin, in the presence of juniper berries and of other natural botanicals, provided that the juniper taste is predominant.
Are Sloes good for you?
Sloes are high in vitamin C and a good tonic for stomach and bladder, as well as soothing chest, mouth and throat when troublesome.
When can I pick sloes?
While the berries are usually ripe for picking in October or November, an excess of rain and low temperatures uncommon for the season have caused the sloes to start fruiting early.
Will sloes ripen after picking?
Lovers of sloe gin rejoice: sloe berries, the small purple berries used to create the delicious drink, appear to be ripening ahead of schedule this year. Many people wait to pick them until after the first frost, which they believe softens the skins slightly and helps release the berries' juices.
How can you tell when sloes are ripe?
How do you tell when a sloe's ripe? Well, simply squeeze one. If it feels like a rock, it's not ripe. Ripe sloes yield to the touch like small ripe plums.
Do Sloes have stones?
Sloes, wild damsons, wild cherry plums and bullaces all came from the same family – albeit distant relations. They all have stones and the bushes have similar leaves. Sloe bushes have sharp thorns and wild damson trees do not. Damsons have longer stems so hang and look more like a tiny plum.
Can you buy sloe berries?
The wild fruit will go on sale in a handful of Waitrose stores in London over the next month, giving urbanites to chance to partake in a quintessential country passtime of autumn: making sloe gin. Sloes are so tart that they are almost inedible if eaten raw.
Where do Sloes grow?
Prunus spinosa, called blackthorn or sloe, is a species of flowering plant in the rose family Rosaceae. It is native to Europe, western Asia, and locally in northwest Africa.
Can you buy frozen Sloes?
This means that you can pre-order sloes with us all year round and fresh sloes will be delivered to you once ripened. The good news is we sell frozen and dried sloes which are available all year!