BS: blackberry brandy

Subject: BS: blackberry brandy
From: Ella who is Sooze
Date: 24 Sep 06 - 04:39 PM

Halloo..

As well as my usual Sloe Gin production (doubled quantities from last year it was sooo nice)... this year I'm pondering on Blackberry brandy.

Has anyone else made this and can they warrant for it's taste? It's either that or blackberry gin...

Any ideas? I did the blackberry vodka last year and didn't enjoy it that much.

Regards

Ella who is Suze (newly married!)

Subject: RE: BS: blackberry brandy
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Sep 06 - 04:46 PM

Congrats to your husband.

My vote would be for the gin.

Subject: RE: BS: blackberry brandy
From: Bunnahabhain
Date: 24 Sep 06 - 06:22 PM

Go with the gin. You don't want too strong a flavour. White rum can also work.

PS. Yummmmmmmmm.......

Subject: RE: BS: blackberry brandy
From: GUEST,pickled
Date: 24 Sep 06 - 06:27 PM

i made spicy pickled onions for one xmas..

the leftover fluids in those jars was a bit like
some of the home made booze
i've tasted..

Subject: RE: BS: blackberry brandy
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 24 Sep 06 - 07:42 PM

I take it you mean using the blackberries to flavour the gin or the brandy, rather than using the blackberies to make up the mash for a bit of home distilling. Which might be rather fun to try...

Subject: RE: BS: blackberry brandy
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 24 Sep 06 - 09:56 PM

Blackberry brandy and soda for me please

Subject: RE: BS: blackberry brandy
From: Amos
Date: 24 Sep 06 - 10:12 PM

I was sure this thread was about drinking and reading email at the same time.

A

Subject: RE: BS: blackberry brandy
From: Old Guy
Date: 24 Sep 06 - 10:50 PM

In my opinion, nothing is better than blackberry brandy for warming you up in the winter, either as a fortification before a task like shoveling snow or right after doing a chilling task outdoors.

It is dynomite when you are sitting around a campfire during wintertime camping.

Subject: RE: BS: blackberry brandy
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 25 Sep 06 - 12:39 AM

If it's a berry, and you can eat it¹, it probably makes at least an "adequate" wine; and if you choose to fortify it with plain alky or with a mildly flavored distilled product, it would likely make a fair semblance to a "fruit brandy," although calling this product a "fortified blackberry wine" would be my preference.

Is this what you're thinking of doing?

¹ Gooseberries being the possible exception(?)

John

Subject: RE: BS: blackberry brandy
From: Sooz
Date: 25 Sep 06 - 02:35 AM

Gooseberries make lovely wine.

Subject: RE: BS: blackberry brandy
From: MBSLynne
Date: 25 Sep 06 - 03:17 AM

John, the fruit liqueurs have nothing of wine in them. The fruit is steeped in the alcohol of choice for a few months then strained. It's sweetened either at the start of the process or, as when I do it, to taste before bottling.

I usually use gin or vodka, and would probably use gin in this case...it seems to lend itself well to fruity tastes, but brandy would probably be rather nice too. Or try whisky. I made some orange whisky once and it was gorgeous

Love Lynne

Subject: RE: BS: blackberry brandy
From: GUEST,Dazbo
Date: 25 Sep 06 - 04:19 AM

I started my sloe gin this weekend and as I had some sloes left over I'm trying sloe white rum. I tried sloe vodka a few years ago and didn't like it at all. Hope the rum turns out better.

I think blackberry gin sounds a lot better than the brandy version. I might give that a try. I presume you use a lot less sugar than for sloe gin?

Subject: RE: BS: blackberry brandy
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 25 Sep 06 - 07:27 AM

I've got some ginger rum on the go.... white rum with brown sugar and fresh ginger root peeled and sliced into it. On second thoughts, the brown sugar was a mistake, it just turned it into dark rum, but what the hey.. there's the rest of the bottle to go!

If you have watery flavoured blackberries then stick with the less robust spirits. If you blackberries are full-flavoured, then a brandy should work OK.

As for sugar content... the more sugar the sweeter and thicker the result. Less sugar will give a dryer taste, which may help with some of the lesser flavoured fruits.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: blackberry brandy
From: Ella who is Sooze
Date: 25 Sep 06 - 07:53 AM

Thanks Liz... the reason I didn't like the blackberry vodka, was it was too dry (but then I have plenty of friends who seemed to enjoy it). And it was rather nice when added to champagne. These blackberries are big and juicy ones, and are rather nice. I like the idea of your ginger rum too.. the possibilities are endless it seems...

I have rare and distant memories of different varieties of home made wine that friends have made, one particularly memorable (for all of 2 hours till blackout) was a strawberry wine, which I am sure could have been an answer for a new car fuel.

My Sloe gin prooved (or proofed ha!) a hit for Chrissy pressies, though I'm running a bit late for that this year.

I discovered the medicinal qualities of Calvados whilst on honeymoon. WOW what a gorg drink, fair warmed the cockels (behave!) so it did.

Cheers everyone - or bottoms up.

Ella who is suze

Subject: RE: BS: blackberry brandy
From: Morticia
Date: 25 Sep 06 - 08:28 AM

There is such a fantastic crop of sloes this year, I thought I might make sloe brandy .......I like to experiment and there is usually someone who will drink it ( Catsphiddle and Lady Penelope come to mind for some reason). Try adding fennel seed or caraway seed to some bottles.....flaming marvellous!

Subject: RE: BS: blackberry brandy
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Sep 06 - 09:58 AM

If the bottles are flaming, do NOT drink from them directly.

Subject: RE: BS: blackberry brandy
From: leeneia
Date: 25 Sep 06 - 11:25 PM

Old Guy, I like blackberry brandy too.

Another good thing is ginger brandy - a small amount in a very pretty glass after German or Czech food.

Subject: RE: BS: blackberry brandy
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 25 Sep 06 - 11:36 PM

The only place I've ever experienced sloe gin (no idea if it was homemade) was in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, on the north slope of Alaska, some 20+ years ago. The Norwegian graduate student who was sharing the research camp brought a flask.

I'm sure if I tasted any now I'd have flashbacks, as I do when I hear Annie Lennox (yes, very strange associations with the arctic...)

~ Becky, now in Tucson

Subject: RE: BS: blackberry brandy
From: Ella who is Sooze
Date: 26 Sep 06 - 03:09 AM

I remember the first time I experienced sloe gin I had a wee nip of a taste when I was small . It was during christmas, and my grandma got so drunk on it she had to sleep at my parents house, the funniest thing was trying to haul her over the garden wall as we had a skip in the drive. I was horrified my grandma was so drunk. Funny though.

The effects of sloe gin tend to creep up on you I find. Gorg stuff though. We made the blackberry brandy last night (gin being the cheaper of two drinks). Now we sit back relax and wait for the final result (after some shaking of the bottle)...

Cheers

Ella who is Suze

Subject: RE: BS: blackberry brandy
From: jeffp
Date: 26 Sep 06 - 10:37 AM

We used to use sloe gin and 7-up as a studying drink in college. As long as you sat there and studied and sipped, you were all right. When you were done, you closed your book, stood up and presto! Instant buzz. Great timesaver.

Subject: RE: BS: blackberry brandy
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 26 Sep 06 - 11:44 AM

Now if only I had some Blackberry Brandy to go with my fresh made Blackberry pie....

Subject: RE: BS: blackberry brandy
From: GUEST,maire-aine
Date: 26 Sep 06 - 12:18 PM

Ginger brandy in warm apple cider, yum.

Subject: RE: BS: blackberry brandy
From: Ella who is Sooze
Date: 29 Sep 06 - 07:47 AM

damn it I meant Gin... brandy must have been in my subconcious...

doh!

Subject: RE: BS: blackberry brandy
From: Grab
Date: 29 Sep 06 - 08:07 AM

This is probably a bit late, but an excellent summer drink is my variation on G&T.

Tall glass, good quantity of sloe gin, and a decent splash of limoncello, topped up with tonic and ice.

Limoncello is a slightly sticky sugary lemon liqueur from Sardinia (which is where my folks discovered it and brought us back a bottle). It's too sweet to use with standard gin, but it blends perfectly with sloe gin.

Graham.

Subject: RE: BS: blackberry brandy
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 30 Sep 06 - 03:32 AM

Mmmmmmmm.. I have both those ingredients at home.... is 8.30am too early to try it?

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: blackberry brandy
From: Jos
Date: 30 Sep 06 - 07:19 AM

Depends what plans you have (had?) for the rest of the day, Liz

Subject: RE: BS: blackberry brandy
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 30 Sep 06 - 09:53 AM

Damn... no tonic!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: blackberry brandy
From: GUEST,dax
Date: 30 Sep 06 - 11:31 AM

Liz, 8:30 may seem early or late depending on the benchmark used. If you are waiting for the sun to cross the yardarm you are looking forward but when you look back it has already crossed. Somewhere on earth it isn't early and it would be discrimination to deny you what would be permitted there. As for tonic my uncle , who loved his whisky, was known to say: "The only thing that should be mixed with good scotch is spit." Enjoy!
Slainte Mhor!