Sloes are good this year – just managed to pick 9lbs in less than half an hour.

Here’s a recipe for sloe wine with honey:

Ingredients

• 3lb sloes;
• 3.5lb honey;
• 1 gallon of water;
• red wine yeast;
• yeast nutrient.

Method

• Pick through the sloes and remove stalks, leaves etc;
• Wash the fruit;
• Boil the water;
• Pour boiling water on the fruit then mash with stainless steel masher;
• Cover and leave for 5 days stirring daily;
• Strain off the fruit and pour the liquor over the honey, stir till dissolved;
• Add the yeast and nutrient;
• Cover again and leave for a week while ferment dies down a bit;
• Pour into demijohn, fit airlock and leave till ferment is finished;
• Siphon off the lees and leave for a year;
• Pour it down the lavatory.

Update 30.1.14 – this wine is now fermented out, it is crystal clear rich crimson in colour and very drinkable – if a little sweet.

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