Home Brew recipes

[Chuckles]

Just picked up on a comment that Wee made about home made Sloe Gin. I love it but have never made it.

Does anyone else make any kind of home brew ;D

This is a recipe I was given.

Freeze Sloes to split them then put them in a Demi John, about 2/3rds full

Cover with 6oz of white Castor Sugar and top up to brim with Gin
Shake well and leave for at least 3 months

Sample and add more sugar to taste

You can substitute Gin with Vodka or Sloes with Blueberries or whatever else takes your fancy

OVER TO YOU GUYS

[Weeterrier]

Not a brew, but a concoction. That means.............no waiting!!!!!

Egg Nog.

6 eggs
1/4 pint cream
1/4 pint brandy
3/4 lb. demerara sugar

Beat all together, stir till sugar dissolves, strain.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[Weeterrier]

Here is another, which, if you leave it long enough, will blow your socks off. Non-alcoholic if drunk within a week or so.

Elderflower Sparkler

6 Elderflower Heads
2lbs. Sugar
Juice of 2 lemons, and bung the rest in too
1 cup white wine vinegar
1 gallon cold water

Stir till sugar dissolves
Stand for three days, strain and bottle.

If keeping for any length of time, release the stopper regularly, or the bottle will explode.

Now, how do I know that

[Chuckles]

Have been to Lincoln Xmas Market today and as it was so cold I had to try lots of German Mulled Wine to keep me warm ;D

Any recipes anyone ;D

[Weeterrier]

It seems strange I'm on this discussion as I am the one who is meant not to be a drinker
My mulled wine is never as good as I hope it might be. And I feel buying it is cheating. But at a gathering once, we all had to take a bottle of the stuff along with us, and I just popped up to Lidl, which is really handy for me. Everyone kept asking who had brought it, it was by far the best. Probably only cost tuppence.

[Missredhead]

I love the smell of Mulled Wine, but can't say I've ever tried it.
Whenever it's on offer, it's always my turn to drive home.... .

[Chuckles]

Well Wee, strange you should mention Lidl because since last night one of the mates I was with yesterday has already txt'd me and said they are doing some German Mulled wine in Lidl ;D

I'm sure people must have their own recipes and just thought it would be nice to share. Years ago I did have a pack of little bags of whatever it is you add to wine but that was years ago, just wondered what was the latest way to make it or is there a really old fashioned recipe about

[Shrubrose]

This thread got me looking in some of my old cookery books. I came across a whole section on 'beverages' ;D And funnily enough found this one. It's called 'Shrub' so I have no option but to try it, do I?

Mix 1 pint of seville orange juice into 3 pints of rum. (If seville oranges not available, use three fourths ordinary oranges and one fourth lemons). Strain the mixture, then stir in 1 quart of white sugar syrup and bottle.

Doesn't say for how long! Sounds 'Christmassy' too I think ;D

Here's one I found for mulled wine

1 pint of red wine heated to near boiling, add a half pint of boiling water, then add sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon to personal taste.

Not sure that I'd bother with the water mind you!!! ;D

[Weeterrier]

3 pints of rum..........they really went for it years ago, didn't they? Like Mrs Beeton, take 50 egg yolks
I'll look at my books tonight.

Lidl are particularly good for Christmas stuff. Though I'm a great fan all year. i have taught my Grandson to put his wee thumbs up if I say 'Lidl' and down if I say 'Tesco'
Oh, the riotous fun we have

[Shrubrose]

weeterrier said:

3 pints of rum..........they really went for it years ago, didn't they? Like Mrs Beeton, take 50 egg yolks
I'll look at my books tonight.

Lidl are particularly good for Christmas stuff. Though I'm a great fan all year. i have taught my Grandson to put his wee thumbs up if I say 'Lidl' and down if I say 'Tesco'
Oh, the riotous fun we have

I know! It's like money wasn't a problem! Er, please......I beg to differ. I shall scale it down Wee to match my rather modest budget.

So, what have you turned up today then?

[Deleted]

Now I know I asked for the recipe for sloe gin at some point but I'm buggered if I can find the thread.

I am determined to make some this year so could someone please give me the recipe & instructions.

Thanks
FA x

[Ruthie]

Sloes, sugar, gin. Mix together and leave for as long as you can!!! Sorry I don't know the proportions. I think when I made it it was equal amounts of sugar and sloes but mine was too sweet for me. A load of us at work made it and took it in for a tasting (long time ago in the days when civil servants didn't get hung drawn and quartered for bringing alcohol to work). The one made with muscavado sugar was.....interesting!!

[Deleted]

Thanks Chuckles

I'll have to get myself a demi john. Are there any methods/recipes that don't use one ?

Thanks
FA x

[Tig]

Maybe

www.sloe.biz/

x Tig

[Plocket]

You don't have to use a demi john FA, just a container that you can seal (make airtight) and one that you can get the sloes in and out of Don't use metal though because that will taint the taste.

For each 70cl of gin you use, you need 1lb of damsons or sloes, 3oz sugar and 2 drops of almond essence.

Make sure your container/bottle is clean and prick or slit the fruits as you put them in. Add the gin, sugar and almond essence, shake well and put in a dark place for about 3 months. Shake occasionally.

After three months open the container and strain the liquor through a muslin. Re-bottle (we use the original gin bottle) and store until required. It does improve with storing but won't keep for decades!

[oldmoleskins]

If we've 'done' sloe gin before, I may well have said this before - but anyway...

Try to keep some beyond month 4. It makes a lovely fruity summertime drink topped with lots of tonic and ice. When I say lots, think tall lager-glass lots.

OM.

[Susie Snowdrop]

Still got that recipe for carrot whisky FA ;D

S x

[Deleted]

The last batch of Sloe Gin I made had 2oz flaked almonds instead of the essence ... it was / still is the biz!!


... handy tip for pricking sloes: .....

cut wine bottle cork in half sideways, stick several sewing pins through the cork up to their ends ... instant sloe pricker ... ;D

[Deleted]

Jul 15, 2008 9:52:24 GMT Susie Snowdrop said:

Still got that recipe for carrot whisky FA ;D

S x

Ahhh yes, I remember it well......... ;D

FA x

[Deleted]

Thanks for your recipes & tips everyone. I'm determined to do it this year.

FA x

[Shrubrose]

It's bloomin' gorgeous FA. Did some about three years ago and have laid a bit down for years to come. Apparently tastes bestest after about 15 years (but must have supremely air tight bottle). I just fill a kilner jar with berries, bang about 2 ozs sugar in (dont like it sweet and syrupy) and top up with gin. Leave it for two weeks, turning every day to make sure the sugar dissolves, top up with more gin if needed. When sugar has dissolved, leave it another week or two, then decant into air tight bottles and Bob's your uncle. Lovely!

[Shrubrose]

Forgot, make sure the fruit is clean before you start, as you dont want to import natural yeasts/bacteria that'll start off the fermentation process.

[Deleted]

When you say "airtight" bottle, would it be ok to put it back into the gin bottle once it's "cooked" ? I've also got a whisky bottle I'm keeping. I hope that will suffice.

FA x

[Shrubrose]

I guess so FA. Did that myself and then put an additional seal round it using insulation tape - it's worked so far. Although I guess corks would do too.

[Deleted]

Thanks Shrub.

By the way, 4.42am ? Have you not got a bed to go to ? ;D

FA x

[Missredhead]

Shes probably been spring cleaning The Diggit........

Any chance of serving sloe gin in there?

[nightowl]

A friend of mine who has made lots of Sloe Gin told me that he found if you freeze the sloes first, when you defrost them they let more juice out into the gin.

[Chuckles]

Thats right NO, this is the recipe I gave FA a link to earlier

This is a recipe I was given.

Freeze Sloes to split them then put them in a Demi John, about 2/3rds full

Cover with 6oz of white Castor Sugar and top up to brim with Gin
Shake well and leave for at least 3 months

Sample and add more sugar to taste

You can substitute Gin with Vodka or Sloes with Blueberries or whatever else takes your fancy

[MamIDdau]

so... potentially.... could I get some raspberries, mush them a little, put some sugar and vodka in a bottle, try to leave it alone for 3 months and end up with raspberry vodka?!

Ooooooooh skittles vodka is lovely too.

[Plocket]

Probably! It's worth a try April! ;D

And FA I put my "cooked" sloe gin back into the gin bottles