Wine making
burton07
Posts: 10,871 Forum Member
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I was clearing a footpath next to my house and there was so many Elderberries, Blackberries and Sloes that I had an idea to make my own wine. Does anyone do it on here and do you have any tips for making Sloe gin?
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I don't have experience of gin but I do make my own wine.
A great website for your first wine is this one
I followed it to the letter and in a couple of months had 6 bottles of white wine made by my own hand sat in front of me. They weren't there for long!
The website also shows you how to make wine from scratch using raspberries/blackberries etc. if that's the route you'd prefer to go down.
Good luck!
This is the best route to go down, far far better than using kits or juice from the supermarket.
Maybe try a "21 day" kit first off, to get the general idea, then go for the raw fruit.
My tip there is invest in a small wine press, to really get the maximum out of your fruit.
You'll have to wait a couple of years though, before you can taste the, erm, fruits of your labour.
1 lb damsons
6 oz granulated sugar
75 cl bottle gin.
wash fruit and fork all over.
place in wide necked glass bottle ( I use a big very clean pickling vinegar bottle) that has been sterilised.
Pour in the gin.
Add sugar.
Shake very well a couple of times a day and keep in a cool dark cupboard.
Decant into bottle after 6 months ish...but you have to have a little taste to check its ok.:D Gets better the longer you leave it but strain off the fruit after a year at the very latest.
Don't chuck the used fruit away, pour a bottle of medium sherry onto them, shake and drink after 3 months.....its bliddy delicious.
Got 10 gallons of plum wine gurgling away like a good 'un at the moment too.;-)
I've never had damson gin before. It sounds absolutely delicious!
My sister bought me a 21 day chardonnay kit for Christmas, and that was fun. So - I went online and bought some basic equipment and picked / froze the fruit yesterday in preparation. I have 10Ibs of fruit waiting to be turned into wine now. Can't wait.
I don't bother with the pricking of the skin malarky - instead wash and dry the sloes, then freeze them solid in the freezer. This makes the skins more permeable so the flavour can come out.
Its supposed to be a very good year for sloes/blackberries/elderberries this year so fill your boots!
I'd also recommend blackberry whiskey too:)
Works with raspberries too. I use a 3 litre kilner jar, with 2.5 litres of gin, caster sugar to taste. Bung it all in, shake it a few times and leave it for approx 3 months. Job done.
Or replace the gin with brandy, and raspberries with blackcurrants.
I've made 1.5L Sloe Gin, 1L Blackberry whiskey and 1L Damson vodka.