SLOE GIN

[filfoster]

Proof of Satan's existence? Or, merely a comfort for those who doubt God's. I will post my own further thoughts later. What do you have to say about this 'drink'?

 

[Geesie]

I've used it now and again, a splash in bourbon when I'm in the mood for something sweet.

 

[filfoster]

Sloe Learner

I must conclude from the paucity of posts that the denizens of this board are above sloe gin, except for Geesie who has the sense to use it only as a livener for bourbon. This disdain for sloe gin is gratifying indeed and the thread will die its deserved death.
That said, I can think of no other potent potable so loathesom, so vile, so useless and injurious to the palate and the senses as sloe gin. It is cough syrup without the medicinal value; it is liquor that makes moonshine taste like single malt Scotch. I am only sorry that none of us can look forward to a world without it. Who drinks this? My own encounter with it occured in high school and college when it was the only poison available at a particular time and place, both now forgotten by the trauma of sloe gin poisoning. Even Galliano is useful in a Harvey Wallbanger.

 

[storman113]

One gets the idea that "filfoster" doesn't like sloe gin!

It is kinda like cough syrup but high school girls in the 60's sure did like it!!

 

[Ethan Bentley]

I must conclude from the paucity of posts that the denizens of this board are above sloe gin, except for Geesie who has the sense to use it only as a livener for bourbon. This disdain for sloe gin is gratifying indeed and the thread will die its deserved death.
That said, I can think of no other potent potable so loathesom, so vile, so useless and injurious to the palate and the senses as sloe gin. It is cough syrup without the medicinal value; it is liquor that makes moonshine taste like single malt Scotch. I am only sorry that none of us can look forward to a world without it. Who drinks this? My own encounter with it occured in high school and college when it was the only poison available at a particular time and place, both now forgotten by the trauma of sloe gin poisoning. Even Galliano is useful in a Harvey Wallbanger.

I think you might be drinking the wrong stuff.
What brand were you drinking?
A good Sloe Gin (home made) is not too sweet at all and I'm not adverse to the odd tipple.

Something that is sickly sweet would, I agree, be a little too much.

 

[filfoster]

One gets the idea that "filfoster" doesn't like sloe gin!

It is kinda like cough syrup but high school girls in the 60's sure did like it!!

Bartender edit: As above,please keep vulgarities out of the discussion. Thanks.

 

[cooncatbob]

I remember at Christmas time my parents would make Sloe Gin Fizzes, sloe gin and ginger ale and we kid were allowed a sip.

 

[dr greg]

Acquired taste

I tried a Plymouth Sloe and tonic recently, it was neither exciting nor repellent, but reasonably refreshing....

 

[filfoster]

Bartender edit: As above,please keep vulgarities out of the discussion. Thanks.

"Third Base" is a vulgarity? It's a baseball term.

 

[Brad Bowers]

"Third Base" is a vulgarity? It's a baseball term.

It's not a baseball term the way you used it. Discussion of sexual conquests is considered a vulgarity; we run a classy joint here.

Brad

 

[filfoster]

Chaste and chastened

It's not a baseball term the way you used it. Discussion of sexual conquests is considered a vulgarity; we run a classy joint here.

Brad

I apologize and it will not happen again!! It is unseemly enough to publicly admit consuming sloe gin, let alone compounding the indignity by pubicizing any amorous exploits fueled by it.
Visitors to this thread: Imagine amorous adventures spawned by sloe gin. And run.

 

[Ethan Bentley]

I tried a Plymouth Sloe and tonic recently, it was neither exciting nor repellent, but reasonably refreshing....

Ah yes I know the one, they used to do a Damson Liqueur too but stopped that to increase the capacity for making Sloe. I find bitter lemon complements it rather well.

I believe that the reason why, in Plymouth's case, the Sloe Gin is a Gin and the Damson is a Liqueur is because the Sloe was produced before the new definition guidelines for liqueurs came into place. The Damson was introduced afterwards.

 

[Missy Hellfire]

I don't like commercially made Sloe Gin but I do like to make my own. I freeze the sloes first to make them extra pulpy, then add a good gin such as plymouth and some sugar and then let the magic happen! The only problem is the thorns on the sloe bushes can be somewhat painful, but the end product is worth it!

 

[Methuselah]

Don't buy it, make it - totally different beast.

Rather annoyingly I've only happened upon enough sloes this year to produce 1 litre of the good stuff...

...so I'm improvising and trying to make some Hawthorn gin too. Will let you know how it went in about 6 months.

(patience is a virtue)

 

[Ethan Bentley]

Don't buy it, make it - totally different beast.

Rather annoyingly I've only happened upon enough sloes this year to produce 1 litre of the good stuff...

...so I'm improvising and trying to make some Hawthorn gin too. Will let you know how it went in about 6 months.

(patience is a virtue)

Methuselah, first off - welcome to The Lounge, great to have you here.
Sloe pickings do seem a bit down this year, not blackberries though.
It's seems like a few folks in the Lounge are making Sloe Gin at home, one the fine benefits of which is that you can decide how much sugar you want in it.

 

[Missy Hellfire]

Mine always seems to evaporate at an alarming rate...

Can't think why.

*hic* :whistling

 

[Methuselah]

Thanks for the welcome

Thanks for the warm welcome Ethan.

It was high time that I signed up here -
I've noticed over the past few months that every time I search on Google for a topic I want to know more about, the Fedora Lounge is invariably in the top 10 search results.

Favourite gin? I tend to have long drinks rather than pink gins etc, so the differences aren't that noticeable, but I do like Seagram's Extra Dry. In fact pink gin with plenty of tonic is one of my favourites. Any body who calls it a girly drink is welcome to have a drinking competition with me! (so long as they're buying of course)

I used Beefeater for my recent Sloe gin batch though.

 

[Medvssa]

...so I'm improvising and trying to make some Hawthorn gin too.

Hehee, funny, I did the same thing! (a tiny tiny bit though). I used to pick hawthorn berries with my dad as a kid (and we would eat them). So when I found some sloe berries, I also picked a few hawthorn berries as well.
And I also put a few sloe berries in Ouzo (because I didn't have any Anís and they are very similar) to make some sort of pseudo-Patxaran.
We'll see! I will have very small amounts, though, because I could only find a couple of handfuls of berries.

 

[Methuselah]

I went to pick hawthorns yesterday, but spotted some perfect rosehips instead. I came back with 3kgs of rosehips, I don't usually manage to find this many as most are by roads so I don't want to pick them because of pollution.

- so I might try rosehip gin instead! Or rosehip brandy?

It shows how much difference there is from one country to another, I see so many hawthorns round here you could literally harvest tons of them if it was done commercially.

 

[Ethan Bentley]

- so I might try rosehip gin instead! Or rosehip brandy?

Sounds quite excellent, especially the brandy . Lots of the early bar/cocktail/drinks books contain recipes for making your own flavoured spirits and liqueurs, I imagine these were cheaper and there were less large spirit-producing corporations. Making your own pre-mix bottled cocktails seemed to be quite popular too.

Nice, and slightly unusual for a UK resident, choice of favoured Gin. I really like Seagrams but know hardly anyone else who's a fan. I believe it is one of the best selling gins in the USA.