It's time to sample the Gin!

Yesterday afternoon I felt it was time to rack off my Sloe Gin. Since the end of September, when we collected the first sloes and added them to the gin, we have religiously turned the bottles everyday (well almost every day) and I felt the time was right to get the coffee filters out and strain the liquid into the prepared bottles. We started off with15 bottles and ended up, once the Sloes were removed, with eleven full bottles and one 3/4 full. The Gin had turned a deep red and had a wonderful clarity to it.

When Ian returned from his continuing task of making the new topbox ( he has the use of ECP&DA workshop) he took one look at the part full bottle and just had to sample it. Now by rights it should be left for at least a year before drinking but the temptation was just to great to resist so a small measure was poured into a glass. It was tasted, savoured and rapidly devoured so we then both just had to have another, and another, and another hic hic. Before we knew it the bottle was empty. I can honestly say this years brew is the best yet. So although it's a bit late to make for this year here is the recipe I use.

• Buy as many bottles of cheap gin as you want
• Pick the Sloes from late September onwards (when they come away from the branch without to much tugging they are ripe)
• Wash and then prick the sloes all over with a fork ( I have tried freezing and then thawing which by rights means you dont have to prick them. I found I lost to much of the juice and flavour this way but it's personal choice.)
• Add the Sloes to an empty wine or Gin bottle with screw top, filling it about halfway.
• Add 100gr of caster sugar and then pour in the Gin to about an inch from the top.
• Keep turning the bottle daily until roughly mid December.
• Rack (strain) off using filters into another clean wine of Gin bottle.
• Try to keep for a year before drinking ( very hard to do!)
• Enjoy!

Both of us woke with a fuzzy head this morning so for Ian continuing with the topbox was not on his list of priorities. Instead he set himself the task of printing out our designed Sloe Gin bottle lables. Meanwhile I took to the fresh air hoping to blow away the cobwebs and took Jade for her walk. On route I suddenly saw a flash of blue as a bird flew past and, watching where it landed, spied something bright orange and blue hidden in the hedge on the opposite side of the towpath. Sure enough it was a Kingfisher, the first I have seen on this section of the Erewash for quite a while. I do hope it will become the resident Kingfisher and that the weather will be kind to it. Purely selfish, you see, as I'm hoping for more Kingfisher photos!

I was very surprised to see the grass cutting gang still about. I would have thought it to wet and cold for them to venture out!

The mist rising on this beautiful winters morning.

 This afternoon, with Ian now having finished the Top box, I took the lid off the grey primer and gave it it's first coat. With the weather forecast for high winds and colder temperatures later this week I need to get the painting finished before it arrives. I think thats tomorrows job sorted!

And finally:-