Sloe whisky

[scubadog]

I was recently at a food show and sampled some sloe whisky.
Being a fan of sloe gin I have to say I quite fancied trying a variation of the annual sloe gin.
So does any one have any sloe whisky recipies?

 

[countrryboy]

I rarely bother with sloe gin now and usually make either sloe whisky, vodka or even tequila.

I'm sure some folk will come in with there own recipes but basiclly u just subsitite the gin for whisky (or any other spirt) i just use supermarket''s finest cheapest brand of spirt, used to always be a 1:1;1 type ratio ie 1 litre to 1lb sloe/fruit to1lb sugar, but now tend s to be less sugar mibee only 1/2lb per pb fruit. U can always add more sugar if bitter u can't take it away if too sweet (althou u can dilute with a 2nd more purposely made bitter batch)

Just experiment u can vary anything u want to suit ur taste, more fruit etc, even hear off someone recently who brews it twice (ie once the first batch is ready decant's puts more sloes into the already sloe spirt and leaves again).
The only spirt i tried which i didn't like was morgans spiced rum, waste off good morgans, or atleast it was with sloes possibly be better with other fruit.


Biggest problem this year is no sloes up here, again. Think going to have a go with branmbles this year!

 

[nuttyspaniel]

Sloe whiskey rocks. 1lb to 1lb per ltre. I use Countryboys 1 : 1 : 1 ratio... CB I may hae access to some hopefully this year if it comes off Ill send some down.


Nutty

 

[bogtrotter]

Yes much prefer it to sloe gin, as others have said same recipe just replace the gin with whisky,the only thing you loose out on is the fruit after you have finished for doing something else with,coating in chocolate, making a fruit cake, slider etc. when making sloe whisky for some reason the fruit goes all wizened and looks like currants.

 

[waldini]

sloe vodka here buti like to add a vanilla pod for a day. only one day mind other wise u get vanilla vodka

 

[bogtrotter]

I rarely bother with sloe gin now and usually make either sloe whisky, vodka or even tequila.

I'm sure some folk will come in with there own recipes but basiclly u just subsitite the gin for whisky (or any other spirt) i just use supermarket''s finest cheapest brand of spirt, used to always be a 1:1;1 type ratio ie 1 litre to 1lb sloe/fruit to1lb sugar, but now tend s to be less sugar mibee only 1/2lb per pb fruit. U can always add more sugar if bitter u can't take it away if too sweet (althou u can dilute with a 2nd more purposely made bitter batch)

Just experiment u can vary anything u want to suit ur taste, more fruit etc, even hear off someone recently who brews it twice (ie once the first batch is ready decant's puts more sloes into the already sloe spirt and leaves again).
The only spirt i tried which i didn't like was morgans spiced rum, waste off good morgans, or atleast it was with sloes possibly be better with other fruit.


Biggest problem this year is no sloes up here, again. Think going to have a go with branmbles this year!

Bramble is very good, just don't try victoria plums, tasted OK but I had to drink it in the dark it looked like skitter

 

[scubadog]

Country boy, if I can find enough I can send you some if you like.

 

[david1976]

I tried sloe whisky, vodka and gin two years ago (no berries last year) and the whisky was my favourite by far.

 

[stratts]

Never tried whiskey but a mate gave me a bottle of Sloe brandy last year which I'm going to try as it was scrummy!!

 

[sauer]

bought a bottle o sloe whisky ....bloody brilliant!!! will be giving it a go if get amount of sloes

paul

 

[deerhunter270]

I've been making and drinking raspberry vodka for years , love it

 

[Jinga]

Bramble whisky is outstanding

 

[nigelg]

We have some 8 year old sloe vodka its like rocket fuel just a small glass required! 1lb sloes 1lb sugar 1litre vodka and a large amount of time.

 

[Timbo61]

MMM. Sounds like my kinda Whiskey.I dont think we get Sloes in NZ unfortunately though, unless I go to a specialised deli and pay a kings ransom.
One I tried for laugh recently was Chilli Vodka. Simply put 4 small red Chillis into a bottle of Smirnoff and leave at the back of the fridge for as long as you can. It is that good (IMO) that I even considered going commercial
Another one I was given at a recent party was Vodka/malteser....VERY moorish and dangerous. Vodka & Maltezers into blender. Freeze. Get stinking.

 

[countrryboy]

Timbo, dunno if u know but sloes are the fruit/berries of the Blackthorn tree (similar to Hawthorn tree) often used for hedges etc, really easy to spot in the uk in early spring as the first tree to flower (a small white flower) before it has any leaves or any other trees have any leaves. No idea if u do have it in kiwi but we introduced most other prickly (well whins atleast) things so it would not surprise me.
Just thinking. Now may be the ideal time to look for trees in NZ (guessing ur just coming into early spring) usually march april time in southern scot not sure wot month that actually relates to over there


Still got a few places to try as well as my top secert bushes to try they usually produce the goods, althou a bad year last year, a few on some bushes but not enough to pick. Still got a good few bottles left from previous years so won't go thirsty

Might have a wee experiment with brambles this year, like the sound of bramble whisky and might do a wee batch of vodka too, plenty brambles about


Slightly off topic but Is there any berries u can't use to flavour spirts?

Bumper year for Haws and rowan berries, i always thought both were fairly posionous to humans but i think i'm right in saying u can make jellies/jam out off both. I'm no great cook so have never done it, sure folk do something with rosehips too?

 

[Timbo61]

Thanks Countryboy. I come from south east England, so I am familiar with the trees. In fact I have a lovely blackthorn walking stick with antler handle.
Pretty much sub tropical in my part of NZ, so doubt if it grows here. Maybe on south island. It is mid spring here right now by the way, which means the deer will be hitting the grass .

 

[countrryboy]

Surprised they let u into the country with it!! (the stick)

Aye i was over this time last year for a wedding, and managed to fit in a whitebaiting trip with some mates down in fiordland, went out with rifle a couple of times but bush was far to thick, right on the south coast, and had been posioned round about the doc hut we were staying in althou still a bit of sign of pigs and deer. Hoped to try a do some alpine stuff in mid south island for a few days but time was tight and still a fair bit of snow around and some avalnce risk so i bottled it and stayed in the pub Bloody dear out there now for drink

was beautiful weather this time last year over there, better than our bloody summers usually

 

[bogtrotter]

Timbo, dunno if u know but sloes are the fruit/berries of the Blackthorn tree (similar to Hawthorn tree) often used for hedges etc, really easy to spot in the uk in early spring as the first tree to flower (a small white flower) before it has any leaves or any other trees have any leaves. No idea if u do have it in kiwi but we introduced most other prickly (well whins atleast) things so it would not surprise me.
Just thinking. Now may be the ideal time to look for trees in NZ (guessing ur just coming into early spring) usually march april time in southern scot not sure wot month that actually relates to over there


Still got a few places to try as well as my top secert bushes to try they usually produce the goods, althou a bad year last year, a few on some bushes but not enough to pick. Still got a good few bottles left from previous years so won't go thirsty

Might have a wee experiment with brambles this year, like the sound of bramble whisky and might do a wee batch of vodka too, plenty brambles about


Slightly off topic but Is there any berries u can't use to flavour spirts?

Bumper year for Haws and rowan berries, i always thought both were fairly poisonous to humans but i think I'm right in saying u can make jellies/jam out off both. I'm no great cook so have never done it, sure folk do something with rosehips too?

Not sure about Haws but Rowan's and Rosehips most definitely Rosehip syrup, rosehip jam, Rosehip tea just a few thinks that can be made from Rosehips there will be more.


Rosehip syrup was high in several vitamins and was especially recommended for children much like a multi vitamin tablet today, when I was at primary school ( in the dark ages) Country schools entered into a scheme with the manufacturers whereby the schools were used as collection centres for the hips, pupils were paid three old pence per pound for collecting them not bad pocket money at that time, in addition the manufactures give out badges for different amounts collected, and a special award to the pupil who had collected the most in each school and I believe one for the most collected by anyone taking part in the scheme.
End of ancient history lesson.

Rowan's are not poisonous but are high in pectin and bitter and think you would have an upset stomach if you ate them in the raw state, due to the high pectin content they are sometimes added to jelly's to help make them set.


They are also used at times for their flavour Apple and Rowan jelly being a popular combination.

Rowan jelly on its own is a perfect accompaniment to venison or Game.

 

[limulus]

I boil the sloes up with a tiny amount of water then strain it through a colander to remove the stones and skins.
I then pour this into empty 500ml water bottles and freeze it so I can make whatever sloe drink I want.
Sloe whisky is delushish,

 

[Donkey Basher]

We have some 8 year old sloe vodka its like rocket fuel just a small glass required! 1lb sloes 1lb sugar 1litre vodka and a large amount of time.

Sloe Vodka is the 'Mutts'... 1lb of fruit: 1/2lb of sugar; 1 litre of vodka - can add more sugar later if needed.

Trick is to let it sit in a dark cool cupboard somewhere and not touch it for at least 12 months after it was made.

Best Sloe Gin I ever had was some I found about 10-12 years back stashed in the back of a cupboard - it was put away in a hurry when I moved house, label had September 1988 written on it... a couple of glasses of that and a hot bath after a cold wet day shooting...

Been given 6lb of Bullaces (wild plum - bit bigger than a sloe but most certainly not a Damson) recently so got a couple of demi johns on the go right now, shake daily to dissolve sugar etc, roll on 2014 season I say!