What is Sloe Gin? Well, Sloe Gin is basically just Gin made with Sloe Berries. That’s it. Question answered. You can stop reading now. But to understand Sloe Gin, you have to understand Gin in general, and all the wonderful flavours that can be infused into it.
Gin is wonderful on its own, but it’s also even better in a Gin based cocktail. But of course we’re going to say that. We’re a cocktail making website! Beyond that though, we’re also a website dedicated to not only sharing cocktail recipes, but also generally educating about great spirits and how to drink them.
Gin is an interesting spirit. While it’s usually recognised as a white spirit that uses juniper berries for flavour, it goes so much more beyond that. We’re not going to go into the big difference between a London Dry Gin and a Plymouth Gin, or all the other types of Gin out there, but ultimately, Gin is a spirit that uses botanicals for flavouring, and one of those botanicals is usually juniper. But then there’s Sloe Gin, which is its own thing altogether.
What Is In Sloe Gin?
Put simply, Sloe Gin is made using Sloes. We keep saying “sloe berries,” but a lot of people just call the berries “sloes.” That seems weird so we say “sloe berries.” Because, after all, it’s the berries of the Sloe plant.
Generally speaking, Sloe Gin is made just like regular Gin, but it’s then steeped in Sloe Berries. This makes the Gin filled with the Sloe Berry goodness, adding Sloe flavour and sweetness. But of course there’s a little bit more than that.
It’s not as simple as just pouring Gin onto a whole bunch on Sloe Berries. To get the real Sloe goodness into the Gin, each Sloe Berry needs to punctured to allow juices and flavour to seep into the Gin as it sits on the berries. Traditionally this is done with with the thorn of a blackthorn bush or a silver fork. If you’re making Sloe Gin at home and want to do this, go for it!
From there, Sloe Gin sometimes adds additional sugar, sometimes it doesn’t. This depends on the specific recipe for that particular kind of Sloe Gin.
This article doesn’t have a specific recipe for Sloe Gin because there are just so many out there! It’s worth finding a recipe that suits your taste and going from there. Alternatively, of course, you can buy one of the many Sloe Gins that are premade for sale.
And that just goes to say, all Sloe Gins are different. After mixing the pre-made Gin with Sloe Berries, the Gin is allowed to sit with the berries while being mixed from time to time (mixing techniques vary). The amount of time the Gin and the Sloe Berries interact depend on the recipe and the maker of the Sloe Gin.
As with normal Gins, Sloe Gins can vary in flavour depending on the original Gin being used as well as how the Sloe Berries have been mixed with that original Gin. As mentioned, making Sloe Gin goes beyond just mixing Gin with Sloe Berries. The amount of Sloe Berries being used, the Gin being used, any added sugar, how long the Gin and the Sloe Berries are mixed affect the final product.
What Does Sloe Gin Taste Like?
Sloe Gin tastes like Gin mixed with Sloe Berries! Obviously there’s more to that though.
Slow Gin has a lovely deep red/purple colour that really suits the flavour of the spirit. But specifically, what does Sloe taste like and how does that related to the Gin that’s been sitting on it?
The Sloe Berries add a bit of sweetness to the Gin, so if you’re trying to get used to the dry aspects of the spirit, starting with a Sloe Gin may be a good idea. Beyond the general sweetness from the berries, Sloe Berries also add elements of Pomegranate to the flavour of the spirit as well as some Cranberry elements. Personally, we find that there’s more Cranberry than Pomegranate, but your mileage may vary.
What really works for Sloe Gin is that it takes away some of the bigger flavour elements of Gin and pushes them to the background. Meanwhile, the Sloe Berries add multiple fruity elements that may seem foreign at first, but mostly because most people aren’t familiar with the taste of Sloe Berries.
Overall, it’s a good introduction to Gin for people who are less familiar with the taste. For Gin lovers out there, it’s just another way to explore and enjoy Gin.
So Go Out And Enjoy Some Sloe Gin
As mentioned, Sloe Gin can be a great way for Gin newbies to get into it if they’re not familiar with the many flavour of Gin our there. For those more familiar with Gin, Sloe Gin can be a great way to further explore along your Gin journey.
Either way you look at it, Sloe Gin is a wonderful additional to your home bar. Maybe it’s not the first bottle you add to your bar, but it’s well worth buying.
