Sugarfree Sloe Gin

Sloe Gin is one of those quintessential British drinks that you don’t really seem to find anywhere else in the world. For me, it brings back memories of wintery walks in the forest with a nip of Sloe Gin from a hip flask but these days I love it served over ice with tonic or soda in the summer too. It even made an appearance at our wedding! My uncle made a huge batch and we all drank a shot of it during the speeches. It can be full of sugar though which I can’t have so I have to make my own Sugarfree Sloe Gin if I’m going to enjoy it!

The first thing you need to source is your sloe berries. I’m a big fan of foraging and often grab wild garlic or dandelion leaves when I’m out and about (check out my Wild Garlic Pesto – it packs a punch)!

Sloes are usually found in late October to early November in the UK. There’s a myth that you should wait until after the first frost to pick them or else they won’t be ripe. However, the truth is, they’re ripe when they’re ripe! They should be dark purple and should squish when you squeeze them. If they’re hard they’re not ready yet. If some have started to fall from the tree then that is also a good sign of ripeness. You’ll need a couple of handfuls to make a decent amount of Sugarfree Sloe Gin.

Once you are ready to make your Sloe Gin, pick out any twigs or stalks, wash the sloe berries and freeze them overnight. You can always freeze the sloes as soon as you pick them, then they will be ready for you to make the gin at any time. Another myth says that sloes should be pricked with a thorn from the same bush and other recipes require a silver pin to do this. Although this sounds super spell-like it’s completely pointless. If you freeze the berries it has exactly the same effect. The skins will crack a bit and the juice will be able to leach out into the gin. Although if you want to prick each berry with a silver pin, at midnight, under a full moon, wearing a crown of flowers then go right ahead!!

The next morning, add the frozen sloes to an airtight bottle or jar. It should be about two thirds full of berries. Top the bottle up with gin covering the sloes, right up to the neck of the bottle. I personally don’t think it matters what gin you use as the overriding flavour, in the end, are the sloes however some people swear that the better the gin, the better the Sloe Gin will be. I personally wouldn’t use a really expensive gin or a really strong flavoured gin in this recipe but the choice is yours.

Finally, seal the bottle and shake well and store in a cool dark cupboard for at least 3 months. You should shake the bottle once a week or whenever you remember, just to release a bit more of the sloe juice. After at least 3 months it’s time to strain out the sloes.

If the remaining liquid is cloudy you may need to filter it through some muslin and return it to the bottle. If it’s still cloudy you can leave it to settle for a week or so and then filter it again.

This Sugarfree Sloe Gin keeps for about a year but I guarantee it won’t last that long! Serve it to your guests as an aperitif. (I like a Sloe Gin & Tonic or a Sloe Gin & Soda over plenty of ice. However, it’s equally delicious sipped on its own, just as it is. It’s a taste that just can’t be replicated any other way. It’s full of berry flavours and also has an almost almondy note to it as well. I’m on the lookout for some good Sloe Gin cocktails – leave any in the comments if you know a good one!