Sloe Gin

Sloe gin isn’t really gin — it’s a liqueur made by steeping sloe berries (blackthorn fruit) in gin with sugar. The result is a tart, berry-forward spirit around 25-30% ABV. The Sloe Gin Fizz is the classic cocktail: sloe gin, lemon, simple syrup, topped with soda. Plymouth and Hayman’s make proper versions with real fruit, unlike the cheap neon-red bottles. In England, making homemade sloe gin each autumn is practically a tradition — pick the berries after the first frost, prick them with a pin, and wait three months.

Last modified on October 15, 2026