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Homemade sloe gin

Published: 5 Apr 15
Updated: 18 Mar 24

Harvest sloe berries in autumn and make sloe gin that will be ready come Christmastime. It’s the perfect festive tipple to enjoy yourself or give as a gift.

Don’t forget to sterilise your jars beforehand. You can learn how to do so here or check the video in the tips below.

Easy
October 2006

Test kitchen approved

Makes 1 litre
Hands-on time 20 min, plus resting

Harvest sloe berries in autumn and make sloe gin that will be ready come Christmastime. It’s the perfect festive tipple to enjoy yourself or give as a gift.

Don’t forget to sterilise your jars beforehand. You can learn how to do so here or check the video in the tips below.

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Ingredients

450g sloe berries, washed and pricked
450g caster sugar
70cl gin, a cheap bottle works fine

You’ll also need

A large Kilner jar, sterilised

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Method

Add the sloes, sugar and gin to a Kilner jar and seal. Turn the jar every day for the first week or so to dissolve the sugar and colour the gin evenly.
Keep for at least 3 months before serving – ideally, pick the sloes in September and have the gin at Christmas.
When you’re ready to bottle it, line a sieve with a clean muslin cloth (or clean j-cloth) and set it over a large jug. Pour the contents of the jar through the muslin to strain it, then pour the liqueur into clean, sealable bottles.

Recipe from October 2006 Issue

delicious. tips

Steep the gin for at least 6-8 weeks before serving
Sloe berries that have seen a frost or two are perfect for making sloe gin. The cold helps break down their tough skins and frees the juice within.

If there hasn’t been a frost when you pick your berries, you can replicate the frosty effect by popping the sloes in the freezer for a few hours before using.