Autumn Treats for Christmas-Sloe Gin

A special request a repost of how to make SLOE GIN

You Still have time to collect the last sloes and make some wonderful warming liqeure drink in time for Christmas, and its really simple.
Don't be put off if you dont like the taste of plain gin, sloe gin tastes nothing like it.
First pick some sloes, fruit of the blackthorn bush, Picking late, in October means the sloes will reach their maximum ripeness - and flavour.
Sloes picked late rarely need pricking with a pin this is usually done to the early collected ones August,early September which are very hard and will produce a drier tasting sloe gin, which I did this year so after decanting I had to add another two desert spoons of sugar to the gin mix.
You will need.....
1 lb or 2lb of Sloes, depending on how much you want to make.
Granulated sugar
Gin
Funnel
Empty Bottles
Gather and wash your sloes remove any stems,leaves, and badly squashed fruit.
Turn out on an old clean towel or similiar to dry, (sloe juice will stain clothing).
1. Fill your bottle with sloes to half way up the main body of the bottle.
2. Pop a funnel in the neck of the bottle, and pour in enough sugar to come to the top of the sloes level.
3. Fill the bottle to the top with Gin.
4. Screw on the Lid
5. Give the bottle a shake to get the sugar disolving.
After care...
Recipe 1. Turn the bottle up and back gently a couple of times,just once a day, for a week with the later ripe fruits.
((4 weeks with the early(as they are more resistant))
You can decant now or carry on after turning just once a week for the next few months,Then a week or two before Christmas, Strain your sloe gin through a coffee filter into a clean bottle.))
My Recipe 2. Its just preference, but I have noticed if left that long, there is more pulp and residue to strain as the sloes will break down in the bottle, Clouding, thereby wasting Gin!!! so my choice is to decant after a month of turning just once a day,every day of that month whatever the sloes are like, there is no loss in flavour.
Decanting;
I strain my bottles of sloe gin mix through coffee filters which removes any residue of fruit pulp, and results in a lovely clear Sloe Gin. During the filtering I go through up to about 5 coffee filters in the process. It just takes time, have patience. Pre wet the coffee filters with water before pouring the gin through, (you can use plain white kitchen roll in a sieve, but be careful get the strong kitchen roll) pouring carefully, most of the sloes will stay behind in the bottles, and you can shake them out child's money box style to clear the bottles, once washed you can pour the decanted gin back into the bottles.
You can now taste the decanted Sloe Gin, adding a small amount of sugar to your own taste if necessary, if the gin being too dry for you. Thats it..

Label,Rest on your laurels, Keep or store to Christmas or beyond.Enjoy :)