BS: Sloes: When Ripe?

Subject: BS: Sloes: When Ripe?
From: GUEST,Dazbo
Date: 18 Sep 06 - 05:42 AM

How do I tell if sloes are ripe? I know the old adage about picking them after the first frost but last year we didn't really have a frost till November time. There is some give in them when I gently squeeze them so I think they must be about ripe but I want to make sure so I get the best flavour.

Subject: RE: BS: Sloes: When Ripe?
From: Crystal
Date: 18 Sep 06 - 06:42 AM

squeeze them or put them on your mouth and chew, if they are juicy then they are ripe (and of course will make your mouth feel funny!). Are they all blue/ black without any green, if they have a trace of greenness they are underripe and sour.
I eat them straight off the tree usually. Yummy!

Subject: RE: BS: Sloes: When Ripe?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 18 Sep 06 - 06:53 AM

They should be dark and juicy, no need to put yourself through the mouth drying experience of tasting one, just squeeze between thumb and forefinger. Look for a dark reddish juice that stains the fingers.
They can be used with Gin, Whisky, white rum, and vodka too you know!
Giok

Subject: RE: BS: Sloes: When Ripe?
From: Leadfingers
Date: 18 Sep 06 - 06:58 AM

I was given to understand that there was a fairly short period in which to pick Sloes for best result - Hence Victor Sylvester's well known cry - Sloes , Sloes , Quick Quick Sloes ! "

Subject: RE: BS: Sloes: When Ripe?
From: Scooby Doo
Date: 18 Sep 06 - 07:34 AM

You can fork them and put them into jar after picking too.Miskin Man and i often made our sloe gin like that.As long as they squeeze between your fingers they are ready for the Gin etc.
Scooby

Subject: RE: BS: Sloes: When Ripe?
From: GUEST, Topsie
Date: 18 Sep 06 - 07:59 AM

I believe the reason for waiting for a frost is that it will help soften the skins. You can get the same effect by putting the sloes in the freezer overnight.
I have also heard that you should prick the skins with a thorn from the sloe tree (but I may have heard thatfrom Joe Grundy on 'The Archers', so don't take it too seriously).
I don't bother with frost or pricking. The skins soon split once they start soaking up the gin.

Subject: RE: BS: Sloes: When Ripe?
From: GUEST,Dazbo
Date: 18 Sep 06 - 08:33 AM

Thanks. It sounds like they're just about ripe. Good job I brought the gin and sugar on Saturday:-)

Subject: RE: BS: Sloes: When Ripe?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 18 Sep 06 - 08:51 AM

Misread the thread title:

BS: Shoes: When Ripe?

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Sloes: When Ripe?
From: open mike
Date: 18 Sep 06 - 11:58 AM

what are they?

oh...october seems to be the time

http://www.sloe.biz

http://www.sloe.biz/sloes/index.htm

http://www.woolfit.com/sloegin.html

http://www.findonvillage.com/0468_take_some_sloes_and_a_bottle_of_gin.htm

my favorite blackthorn is the cider http://www.dryblackthorncider.com/b/index_B.html

Subject: RE: BS: Sloes: When Ripe?
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 18 Sep 06 - 04:29 PM

Late September/October is the best time but if it's been a dry summer (like most of the UK this year) then pick them when you can because the birds won't leave you many.

Apparently soft fruits are bumper crops this year, the last few wet weeks have filled them out a lot and now many are rotting on the plants because there aren't enough people around to harvest them.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Sloes: When Ripe?
From: Wyrd Sister
Date: 18 Sep 06 - 06:16 PM

Just finished pricking my sloes - my first attempt at sloe gin. Wish me luck!

Subject: RE: BS: Sloes: When Ripe?
From: Bonecruncher
Date: 18 Sep 06 - 08:48 PM

The reason for freezing sloes or other soft fruit when wine-making is so that each cell bursts from the expansion of the water within it.
The burst cells will give forth more juice and hence flavour and colour.
It is also a lot easier than pricking them!
BTW if you prick yourself with a thorn from a sloe tree it is very likely to fester!
Colyn.

Subject: RE: BS: Sloes: When Ripe?
From: Bert
Date: 18 Sep 06 - 11:50 PM

If they are soft when you squeeze them they are ripe.

And if you fork them you must only use a SILVER fork.

Subject: RE: BS: Sloes: When Ripe?
From: GUEST,Cats
Date: 19 Sep 06 - 08:47 AM

I opened my bottle of 25 year old sloe gin last week. It looks like brandy now and clings to the side of the glass as if its life depended on it. If you can hide a bottle that long it really is worth putting some down.

Subject: RE: BS: Sloes: When Ripe?
From: GUEST,Shimrod
Date: 20 Sep 06 - 04:31 AM

I made a couple of bottles of sloe gin last week. 25 years? - my 2 bottles probably won't last long past next Xmas!

Subject: RE: BS: Sloes: When Ripe?
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 20 Sep 06 - 05:34 AM

Mmmmmmmmmmm... my bottle of sloe gin is getting darker daily.... it'll be perfect by Christmas.

I'm going to experiment with other liqueurs today. ANYTHING to take my mind off this toothache (leg waxing didn't work).

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Sloes: When Ripe?
From: Ella who is Sooze
Date: 20 Sep 06 - 05:53 AM

I did a huge amount of it last year and not a bottle made it through to this year... we enjoyed it too much..... So this year I'm going to make 3 demi johns of it... yum yum pigs bum.....

elixir of angels... cor it's lovely.

Can't wait, have been on our honeymoon with the mister (of course) and this weekend we're off picking sloes)... it;s the buying 10 bottles of gin that gets our local Lidls worrying...tee hee

EWIS