Cocktail bar: Sloe gin

Cocktail bar: Sloe gin (Photo: Gemini)

Sloe gin has its origins in the English countryside. In the 1600s, farmers would pick berries from hedgerows and mix them with gin to create a warming winter drink. It became known as “poor man’s port.” By the late 1800s, commercial production had begun, with companies making sloe gin in factories to supply city bars.

When sloe gin reached America, bartenders reinvented how it was enjoyed. Rather than drinking it plain in winter, they added lemon and sparkling water, creating a cold summer cocktail called the Sloe Gin Fizz. It gained popularity in the early 1900s, alongside other inventive drinks such as the Charlie Chaplin, crafted in the grand hotels of New York. Though real sloe gin fell out of fashion for a time, replaced by sugary imitations, it has since had a revival. Today, bartenders return to the traditional recipe, crafting high-quality cocktails with authentic flavour.

INGREDIENTS:

Sloe gin (50ml)

Lemon juice (25ml)

Gin (25ml)

Ice (crushed and cubes) for the juniper syrup

White caster sugar (100g)

Juniper berries (1 tablespoon)

METHOD:

Step 1: Make the juniper syrup. Pour the sugar into a small saucepan, add 100ml of water, and then the juniper berries. Heat the mixture until it boils. Remove from the heat and gently crush the berries using a potato masher. Allow the syrup to steep and cool completely. Once cooled, strain the liquid into a bottle or jar and refrigerate for approximately two weeks to allow the flavour to develop.

Step 2: Prepare the cocktail.

In a cocktail shaker, combine the sloe gin, lemon juice, gin, and two tablespoons of the prepared juniper syrup. Add a few ice cubes and shake well. Strain the mixture into a cocktail glass filled with crushed ice. Serve immediately and enjoy with friends and family.