How to make the perfect sloe gin

I have often been told I should wait until after the first frost to pick sloes, but I find if I pick them in autumn, when the berries are more abundant, and then freeze them afterwards, there is no need to prick them. That just makes everything so much simpler!

Ingredients

500g ripe sloes

250g golden caster sugar

1 litre of gin

Method

1.     Give your sloes a wash and pick-over, then pat dry in a clean tea towel, and put into a 2 litre Kilner jar or divide between two smaller jars.

2.     Add the sugar and gin then seal the jar. Shake well. Once a day for seven days, give the jar a good shake. Store the jar in a cool, dark place and leave for 2-3 months.

3.     Line a plastic sieve with a square of muslin set over a bowl and strain the slow gin through it and decant into clean, dry bottles, then seal and label. Your sloe gin is now ready to drink, but it’ll improve and mature over time – so, if possible, make it one year to drink the next.