Friday 23 September 2016

Another weekend is here :)

The damson vodka that I made last weekend is starting to have a decidedly pink undertone to it (pictured pre pinkness!)  The kilner jar seals must need replacing as it leaked when I turned it on its head.  So Steven had the idea of using two together until I can replace them.  The jars are 3 litre jars and when I looked on ebay, they all seem to be up to 2 litre max which is a slightly smaller diameter to the ones I have, according to their measurements.  So that’s raspberry vodka and damson vodka on the go.  I hope they taste nice as I actually don’t like vodka!
For the raspberry vodka, I’ll decant it in December and use the raspberries for ice cream topping for adults at Christmas, or even for the middle of a special cake.  I’m hoping this drink will be like drinking summer in winter and warm us through the cold and dark nights.
This weekend I’ll be picking sloes for sloe gin.  I’ve never make it before, well I’ve never made any of these actually, so it’s all great learning.  I must remember to make a note of the recipe I use though, as if it tastes lovely next year, I’ll struggle to remember which one I made!
Now Autumn is here, we’re also going to be foraging the elderberries in an attempt to make wine and some elderberry winter syrup.  I’ll take photos of each step to share on a post dedicated to that.

Have a lovely weekend all.

10 comments:

  1. I found my jars leaked so I had to put it in large pickling jars. I eventually got new seals from The Range.

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  2. Its a bit early to pick the sloes they are better when the frost has nipped them, although you can pop them in the freezer before hand, Martin starts his end of October.

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    1. I am in competition with other sloe foragers so if there's plenty I'll leave them otherwise I'll need to use the freezer method. Thanks for the tip

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  3. Enjoy your drink making, sounds as though it is all going to be delicious! xx

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    1. December shall be merry shall we say 😊

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  4. hi tracy - even when making the liqueurs I always soak the orange seals in boiling water quickly dry and then add to the jar and then lock the lid down. I have found it holds the seal better that way. Raspberry vodka or gin is yummy as is sloe gin especially on a cold winters day goes down a treat. Dawn is quite right in that they are better for the frost on them or shoved in the freezer to freeze them. One for you to consider next year is Rumptopf. That really is pokey. We had the fruits with home made cinnamon ice cream and then drank the liqueur separately. Take care. pattypanxx

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    1. I'll do that from now on thank you. I'll Google rumtopf as never heard of it. Will check your blog too. Great ideas PP thanks xx

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  5. Its a German Recipe using Dark Rum.you add a layer of fruit and sugar then a finger of Rum for each layer i.e. strawberries, blueberries, blackcurrants, cherries, blackberries, plums, redcurrants. My parents had never had it until I made it one year and they were bowled over by it. it is ideal to make in kilner jars and give away as pressies as well. In the past I have used a proper Rumptopf pot which is a stone crock with a lid that my brother bought me back from Germany - unfortunately that got broken quite recently and I keep eying them up on Ebay and looking for them in the charity shops. I also used one to do my mincemeat in - I make it the old fashioned fermented way. However this is strictly adults only indulgence. pattypan x

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  6. If your seal isn't too brilliant on the jar, just swirl instead of inverting, that's what I tend to do as I use my old cereal plastic containers for Damson Gin and the lids on those are bloody useless ;-)

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