I think Sloe Gin got a bad rap. Many cheap, artificially flavored imitations misled generations with a sickeningly sweet imitation.
Even my own childhood observations led me to think it was just a cheap, glowing red syrup in a sticky, dusty bottle and as I got older, I assumed it was for people who make terrible drinks.
Well, I would like to tell you that the real Sloe Gin is not for people who make terrible drinks and when you taste a good Sloe Gin, you will be able to fully appreciate its traditions and be very pleased with its applications.
Coming up, I’m going to explain what Sloe Gin really is and how it’s made. Plus, if you have your heart set on making a cocktail with Sloe Gin and don’t have any on hand, I can show a few hacks to help you get close to the flavor.
Let’s start with the basics…
What is Sloe Gin and How is it Made?
Sloe Gin is a sweet liqueur or cordial that has been made since the 17th century. It is made by soaking tart and tangy sloe berries in gin and sugar for several months before filtering and diluting down to approximately 26%.
Note that the sloe berries are not part of the initial gin making process. Sloe berries are steeped in distilled gin and sugar is added until achieving the desired flavor profile.
This allows distillers to get very creative because they can begin with a citrusy gin or a highly floral gin and get extremely different results.
As expected, Sloe Gin will mature over time improving its complexity.
What are Sloe Berries?
Sloe berries grow wild all over Britain on Blackthorn shrubs or trees resembling tiny dark purple plums. They are, in fact, related to plums, cherries and roses. They aren’t sweet enough to enjoy fresh because they taste extremely tart and acerbic. Typically, sloe berries need to be blended into jams and cakes.
Weather has a huge effect on the flavor of sloe berries each year and this heavily influences the resulting Sloe Gin. There are makers who mark the bottles with the year of production just like winemakers.
Many in Britain create their own batches of Sloe Gin to enjoy and gift around the winter holidays. In the States, Sloe Gin is more likely used for refreshing drinks in warm weather.
What Does Sloe Gin Taste Like?
Sloe Gin has sweet saturated cherry, plum and currant flavors and unlike London Dry Gin, it is usually very low in heat, citrus and juniper. The spice and floral flavors depend on the gin’s botanicals. The flavor of almond is notable in many brands as well thanks to the pit of the sloe berry.
Plymouth Sloe Gin for example, has the aroma of sweet and tart dried cranberries, cherry and a little almond.
Its flavor is smooth and deep with jammy plum and cherry balanced with just the right amount of citrus and a hint of menthol.
The finish has an excellent fruit freshness lingering as a slight warmth appears.
Is Sloe Gin too sweet?
A common complaint is that Sloe Gin is too sweet. That may be so for some when serving it neat or on the rocks but let’s remember, it’s supposed to be sweet.
Sloe Gin requires a minimum of 100 g sugar per liter so the level of sweetness varies by brand and ABV -Alcohol by Volume (more on that later).
Think of its sweet character not as a problem but an advantage because Sloe Gin has many applications in cocktails and toddies and is a liqueur is excellent with cheeses and desserts.
How to Serve Sloe Gin
Sloe Gin can be served neat, on the rocks or in cocktails. Well-known Sloe Gin drinks are the Charlie Chaplin and the Alabama Slammer and it makes nice variations of the Negroni and the Tom Collins also.
It mixes well with lemonade or hot chocolate making Sloe Gin a good hot or cold weather drink.
The Sloe Gin Fizz
The recipe for a Sloe Gin Fizz has just a few ingredients and is probably the most famous cocktail using Sloe Gin. The fresh lemon juice is a great compliment making it so tasty and refreshing.
Note: Unlike the Gin Fizz, the Sloe Gin Fizz does not require an egg white but feel free if you like the creamy top.
Here’s the easy recipe for a Sloe Gin Fizz.
- 1.5 oz Sloe Gin
- 1 oz fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 oz simple syrup
- club soda
- lemon wedge and cherry for garnish
- Add the first three ingredients to an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake 15-20 seconds until shaker frosts.
- Strain cocktail into ice-filled Tom Collins or Highball glass.
- Add club soda to the top
- Finish with lemon wedge and cherry
Tip: Some recipes say to use powdered sugar but I prefer the results I get when I use simple syrup.
ABV of Sloe Gins by Popular Brands
The alcohol content of sloe gin typically ranges between 15 and 30%. In Europe, it must be at least 25% to qualify as Sloe Gin. Here’s a chart of well-known Sloe Gin brands.
| Sloe Gin ABV By Brand Low To High | ABV |
| Hayman’s Sloe Gin | 26% ABV |
| Plymouth Sloe Gin | 26% ABV |
| Ford’s Sloe Gin | 29% ABV |
| Sipsmith Sloe Gin | 29% ABV |
| Elephant Sloe Gin | 35% ABV |
If you are interested in the ABV of other Gins, you can see my chart here.
Six Substitutions for Sloe Gin
Not having Sloe Gin on the shelf shouldn’t stop you from mixing a cocktail you want to try. You can get close to replicating the flavor of Sloe Gin with things you may already have or don’t mind buying.
Remember, the thing with liqueurs is that they all have their own character. Inevitably, the cocktail you mix will differ slightly based on the flavors unique to the brand you use.
That being said, there is always flavor variations in cocktails so don’t worry about it. What we are trying to do here capture a suitable amount of sweetish plummy, berry flavor with a pleasant level of spice and heat.
So you are usually trying to replace 1- 1.5 oz of Sloe Gin for any given serve. The list of substitutions has an ABV range of 0 to 50% so this factor will certainly have an impact on strength and flavor.
1. Jam
Choose a rich red fruit jam like plum or cherry. I think this is a really good way to capture the sweetness and deep berry fruit flavors of Sloe Gin. Figure on at least a tablespoon of jam per drink. Don’t worry about any fruit fragments as you can strain them after mixing or shaking.
2. Tart Cherry or Cranberry Juice
These tart juices are well known for their medicinal properties but also can be an intense cocktail ingredient. Try 1-2 oz to get the flavor you’re seeking. They are tart so you’ll definitely need to add sweetener unless you are using cranberry cocktail.
Use less if you happen to have tart cherry juice concentrate. The concentrated form is nice and syrupy but definitely needs sweetening.
3. Grenadine
A veritable grenadine is made from pomegranates so it captures the red fruit flavor you are seeking. Use 2 teaspoons to begin with but alter according to taste.
Hopefully you have the real thing and avoid the dyed corn syrup concoction. It will add deep, rich flavor, not just color. Check the label, buy the better stuff because it is worth it. Or, if you happen to have pomegranate juice, you can make your own grenadine.
4. Amarena Cherry Syrup
When you buy a jar of amarena cherries, you are actually getting two great products. The delicious soaked cherries and the fabulous syrup. It is rich and sweet so some acid in the form of lemon or lime juice will balance your drink. Use an ounce or more to taste and you will most likely be able to skip any sweetener.
5. Chambord Liqueur
Chambord Liqueur is made from red and black raspberries, vanilla, citrus peels, honey and cognac. It has an ABV of 16.5% so it certainly won’t overwhelm any cocktail you’re making. Use about 1.5 oz in your cocktail.
6. Plum or Cherry Brandy and Saki
Plum or Cherry Brandy is sweet and juicy and most often features vanilla and almond flavors. This is a definite plus in your quest to replace Sloe Gin. Some brandies are young but most are aged so there may be some oak.
Plum Saki should capture the plum flavor component though the finish may tend toward the sour side. After you taste the plum saki, you’ll know how much sweetener is needed to balance the sourness.
I suggest an ounce of either.
How much is Sloe Gin?
Better brands of Sloe Gin like Hayman’s, Plymouth and Sipsmith cost in the range of $28.99-$42.99 for a 750 ml bottle. The brands that are charging as low as $6.99 are the ones to stay clear from. You would be best advised to create your own facsimile in that case.
The Bottom Line For Sloe Gin
On one hand, the flavor of Sloe Gin can be associated with good quality hard candy and homemade fruit syrups or less favorably, with simulated cherry flavor medecine.
And as far as it sweetness, we shouldn’t blame Sloe Gin for being sweet. It is meant to be so. It just so happens that it is a liqueur with the challenge of having the gin in its name.
The bottom line is that you should always go the for the good stuff. You can serve it neat or on the rocks, mix it with hot or cold items or serve it with or as your dessert. Even though it has several applications, you would be very happy even if you only enjoyed a few Sloe Gin Fizzes. Gin Boss recommends this for your shelf.
