Some years ago I made a litre of sloe gin. I had to leave it in a dark cupboard for a year before it was ready to drink. After a year, the day of tasting arrived and we opened the demi-john in great anticipation. My wife, who likes the odd G&T took one sip and exclaimed that it was a waste of a perfectly good litre of gin!! She was right, too. No more hedgerow alcohol adventures for me after that. I have made elderberry wine as well in the past, but it took a lot of time and effort and never tasted as good as a decent half-price French red from the local supermarket.