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Damson or Sloe Gin

Contributed by Drew

Damsons are not readily available everywhere in the UK however, if you have access to some wild damson trees or can buy some fruit, Damson Gin is well worth the effort. I use this recipe for Sloe Gin too. I always think it is a good idea to use the sugar sparingly as you can always add a little more but it is a heck of as job to get it out.

Ideally you need a large vessel. I use one of those old glass sweet jars that the shop keepers used to pour the sweeties from onto the scales. .

You will need a good couple of pounds of damsons. The amount is not critical in fact I always err on the more fruit than less to give it that all important flavour and wonderful colour.

A good thing to do before you make the gin is to freeze the damsons first. Just two or three days in the freezer does the trick. This breaks down the fruit releasing the flavours more readily.

Wash the damsons thoroughly as they will be covered with natural yeasts which may start a fermentation once in the jar. This you do not want. Then roughly dry the excess water from them and prick each of the fruit with a fork. One stab for each will suffice. Drop them into the jar and add 6 ozs. of white sugar. I always shake them around so that each damson has a sugar coating however, I don't think that is essential, merely my own idiosyncratic method.

It is at this stage that you add the gin. One litre should do the trick. Now, I don't know about you but I really like the taste of stronger spirit such as Plymouth Gin. It is a little more expensive than the more common 38% abv. stuff and probably does not make that much difference. So, don't worry too much about using the less expensive varieties.

Label the jar and write the start date on it. Give the jar an occasional shake and have a look at the stuff. After about 3 weeks or so all the sugar will have been dissolved. Time for a little taste. If it is sweet enough for you fine. If it isn't add another oz. or two of sugar and continue daily shaking until it is dissolved. Another little taster will confirm all is well.

It is important to remove the fruit and any sediment as soon as you have the taste you like. Leaving the stones within the fruit in the gin for too long will cause the liqueur to taste like almonds. OK for cherry brandy but not so good for Damson Gin.

I use a coarse filter at first, leave it for a few days to settle, then fine filter once before bottling. I only fine filter once so as not to lose any flavour. And, no one likes bits in their gin, or do they ? I generally try to save nicely shaped bottles then, with the addition of a festive label, you have some perfect presents for Christmas.
Same method for Sloes.