Foragers Gin
This is a really easy way to make your own fruit gin using whatever is in season from the hedgerows.
Sloes are the classic choice, but damsons, bullaces, blackberries, blueberries and similar fruits all work well too. Use one fruit on its own, or experiment with a mixture of whatever the hedgerow gives you.
For every 1 litre of gin you will need:
Fruit ideas:
sloes, damsons, bullaces, blackberries, blueberries,
or a mixture of whatever is available.
The gin doesn’t need to be expensive either —
Lidl’s own gin is one of the most cost-effective options I’ve found.
Method
Simple steps · Great resultsPrepare the fruit
Give your fruit a good check over and remove any leaves, stalks or damaged fruit. Put it into a clean glass container that can be sealed. A demijohn with a bung is ideal, especially for a larger batch.
Add the ingredients
Add everything in this order: fruit → sugar → gin. Seal the container securely when you’re finished.
Seal and shake
Give it a good shake and keep it at room temperature for the first couple of weeks. Shake once each day until all of the sugar has dissolved — normally within about two weeks.
Let it mature
Once the sugar has dissolved, move the container somewhere cooler with a fairly steady ambient temperature and leave the fruit and gin to mature for around 3 months.
Strain and bottle
After three months, strain the gin through a fine sieve or muslin to remove the fruit. Pour into clean bottles and seal.
Enjoy — and be patient!
You can drink it straight away, but it normally becomes smoother and richer if you leave it to mature a little longer. Kept somewhere cool and dark in properly sealed bottles, it will store for years.
