Hello this is my first post here and I'm a first time sloe gin brewer. I'm hoping for a few hints to help me salvage my sloe gin please.
I collected what few sloes that were left in our local hedge rows in late September. They were not overly ripe but neither were they unripe. I folllowed the instructions and put the sloes and sugar into gin after having frozen the berries overnight.
3 months on after occasional shaking of the jars I seem to be left with slightly lack lustre gin. I thought it tasted ok until I sampled some of my mother in laws sloe gin which was made a month later but with French sloes that were undoubtedly much riper and had experienced a lot more sunshine in their little lives. The French gin already has a deep liquery flavour whilst mine is a bit thin and not particulaly fruity. Not unpleasant but still not up to much really. After filtering MILs sloes out I noticed that all the berries had shrivelled up no doubt as they secreted their fruity loveliness into the gin but my berries still look round and fat. At this late stage (I was intending on bottling for Christmas presents) is there anyting at all I can do to improve my gin? Add more sugar? Tip some raspberry liquer in (cheating I know but I'm feeling a bit desperate) or can I tip it into bottles complete with berries to let the proces continue in the recipients house? Any sugestions gratefully recieved, thanks.
I collected what few sloes that were left in our local hedge rows in late September. They were not overly ripe but neither were they unripe. I folllowed the instructions and put the sloes and sugar into gin after having frozen the berries overnight.
3 months on after occasional shaking of the jars I seem to be left with slightly lack lustre gin. I thought it tasted ok until I sampled some of my mother in laws sloe gin which was made a month later but with French sloes that were undoubtedly much riper and had experienced a lot more sunshine in their little lives. The French gin already has a deep liquery flavour whilst mine is a bit thin and not particulaly fruity. Not unpleasant but still not up to much really. After filtering MILs sloes out I noticed that all the berries had shrivelled up no doubt as they secreted their fruity loveliness into the gin but my berries still look round and fat. At this late stage (I was intending on bottling for Christmas presents) is there anyting at all I can do to improve my gin? Add more sugar? Tip some raspberry liquer in (cheating I know but I'm feeling a bit desperate) or can I tip it into bottles complete with berries to let the proces continue in the recipients house? Any sugestions gratefully recieved, thanks.
