The most quintessentially British liqueur - sloe gin has been made for hundreds of years all across the country. But what is it exactly? Sloe gin is high-proof gin that has been infused with sloe berries and a little sugar to create a rich, warming liqueur perfect for autumn and winter!
The reason this liqueur is so popular in Britain is because, to put it simply, we’ve got a ton of sloe berries around! Very common in hedgerows, the sloe berry is a purplish blue colour and has a sharp and extremely astringent taste. Perhaps this not so tasty flavour is why they started being used in gin rather than in pies! Because they are so common, they’re quite easy to pick yourself to make a lovely home-cooked liqueur! If that sounds up your street, that’s great - we’ve got a recipe for you. If that sounds incredibly scary, however, fear not, we’ve got a list of some of our favourite pre-made sloe gins!
How Do You Make Sloe Gin?
Ingredients
500g ripe sloe berries
250g golden caster sugar
1l gin
patience
Method
Rinse the sloes under cold running water and examine them for any mouldy ones. Pat the sloes dry with a dry tea towel and, using a fork, prick the berries*. Tip the berries into a cooled, sterilized 2L jar, or split between two 1L jars. Add the sugar and gin and close the jar. Shake well. Every day for a week, pick up the jar(s) and give a good shake.
Store the jar(s) in a cool, dark place for 2-3 months to infuse. After the months are up (phew), line a plastic sieve with a muslin cloth and place over a bowl. Strain the gin through the cloth and decant into sterilised bottles. Seal and label!
You can drink this gin right away, though the flavour will improve over time. If you’d like, try leaving the gin bottled for a year!
*Handy tip - if you freeze the berries they will naturally split themselves.
Which Sloe Gin Should I Try?
For those not feeling the foraging vibe, fear not. There are plenty of places where you can pick up a bottle of ready made sloe gin. Here are four of our favourites…
Hayman’s Sloe Gin
Hayman’s is the longest serving gin distilling family in England, starting in 1863. Their sloe gin is made by steeping their original recipe gin with sloe berries and sugar in the traditional way. Hayman’s is a perfectly balanced, smooth sloe gin with a bittersweet plum flavour that tastes great with lemon, a little sugar syrup and tonic.
ABV: 26%
Size: 700ml
Find here: £25.20
Plymouth Sloe Gin
Plymouth Sloe Gin is a version of their original Plymouth gin steeped in sloe berries and blended with Dartmouth water. It’s a wonderfully crisp and fruity sloe gin and has a natural berry flavour. Plymouth is one of the most popular sloe gins out there and a big favourite of bartenders and sloe gin lovers alike.
ABV: 26%
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
Find it here: UK £25.39 // US $54.99
6 O’Clock Sloe Gin
6 O’Clock Sloe Gin doesn’t have to be drunk at 6pm, but it’s quite cool if you do. Using the tried and tested method of a high sloe to gin ratio, 6 O’Clock Sloe Gin has a dry and fruit flavour with warming spice. All the sloe berries are handpicked near the distillery in Gloucester, Bramley and Gage.
ABV: 26%
Size: 700ml
Find it here: £24.66
Gentleman Badger’s Sloe Gin
We LOVE the label on this sloe gin, the badger just looks so sophisticated in his top hat. From Thames Distillers, Gentleman’s Badger Sloe Gin is made with a base of Colonel Fox London Dry Gin. It’s beautifully fruity and jammy without being too sweet!
ABV: 26%
Size: 700ml
Find here: £25.25
If you are looking for more delicious gin recommendations, then take a look at The Best Gins for a G&T, The Best Gins for a Martini or The Best Ready Made Garnishes for a Gin and Tonic.