Raspberry gin recipe
Posted by Fiona Nevile in Liqueurs | 246 comments
Autumn raspberries are a late fruiting variety with great flavour
This recipe can also be used for blackberry gin and vodka
Our autumn fruiting raspberries are late, but they’re finally here. Just a few of them. Succulent and tempting and the promise of more to follow. If you grow autumn fruiting raspberries you might like to have a go at making this delicious raspberry gin. The liqueur is delicate yet has a fresh raspberry bite that makes a change from the raunchiness of sloe gin. (This is a fresh review. I nipped out to the barn this evening to try some of our July 2006 vintage and it was superb. Fragrant and tasty). At it’s best, raspberry gin totally overshadows sloe gin. We had a tasting of a wide selection of our fruit gin at a dinner party, a few months ago. The clear winner was the raspberry gin.
You can make raspberry vodka using the same method detailed below for gin with similar ingredients, just a little more sugar. We’ve tried both and think that the gin wins hands down. Both are quite drinkable in three months so would be ready for Christmas. I love a dash of this in a fresh fruit salad.We had to buy the raspberries for our gin this summer but the end result will be well worth the outlay. In July we feasted off our early raspberries. We guzzled large bowls of them, sprinkled with castor sugar and had heated discussions as to how to use the rest of the fruit. Unfortunately, I had not secured the netting tightly enough and when I went out with my trug a couple of days later the canes were bare. Raspberries are my favourite fruit and raspberry gin is the biz. It always puts people in the best of moods. People have said the most complimentary things about us after a glass or three of our raspberry gin.
Tips and tricks for making fruit infused gin/vodka:
- If you are using the original gin bottles and you find that you don’t have quite enough gin to fill each one to the neck, don’t worry. We often do the final fill up the next day when we have got more gin.
- Make notes on a label of your fruit/gin/sugar ratio and stick it onto the bottle(s) so that you have a record, if you make a particularly good batch. The best labels are made from decorator’s masking tape as these can be peeled off and passed from bottle to bottle. We also note our responses at the grog matures. Yucky after sixth months can be to die for in a year (you will probably not remember without notes). Notes seem boring when you are making the grog. But they are so worthwhile when you start again the next year. It won’t be long before you will get a feel of what works well for your taste (and the notes will come into their own).
- Make more than you need the first year. So you can compare different vintages. This liqueur does improve over time.
- Some people drain the grog through muslin after a couple of months, to clarify the liqueur and bottle. We don’t bother as one old soak tipped that, once the gin is drunk, you can pour medium sherry on the fruit and start all over again! The latter is devilish and drinkable within three months.
- Keep your fruit gin away from the light as this will maintain the colour. Unless the bottle is dark green or brown. If you are stuck with clear bottles, wrap them in brown paper to keep out the light.
- Every couple of months take a tiny sip. At this time a add sugar if it tastes too sharp.
- If you want to make your own labels check out the post for 26 October 2006 to see how we make our labels.
| Raspberry gin recipe |
- Recipe for raspberry gin:
- 300g of raspberries
- 330g of white granulated sugar
- 1.5 litres (or more) of medium quality gin
- Steriiised 2 litre Le Parfait jar or 2 or 3 (70 cl) washed and sterilised gin bottles
- Wash raspberries and discard any bruised fruit. Place rasberries in either a large 2 litre Kilner/Le Parfait jar or divide the raspberries between 2 or 3 (70 cl) saved gin bottles.
- Using a funnel, add the sugar (divide the amounts if using several bottles) and top up with gin to the rim.
- Shake every day until the sugar is dissolved and then store in a cool, dark place until you can resist it no longer (leave for at least three months, we usually let it mature for a year).
- If you are making blackberry gin remove the fruit after 3 months (pour through muslin) to stop the woody taste developing and mature for at least a year.
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Some thoughts on raspberry, damson, sloe gins and cassis:
My demi johns were about two thirds full as I can’t lift them if they are full to the top. This hasn’t been a problem. The damson gin is the best, followed by the raspberry, then cassis then sloe (disappointing). All had the fruit in for around 12 months. Too long in the case of the sloes I think, but the rest tastes fine. One question: the final two demi johns were vigorously shaken and because there is space at the top of the bottle, they have dried debris on the inside. It looks a bit mucky. Will it have spoiled? I suppose there’s only one way to find out…
Hi Maressa
I’m also in NZ and have made the rasbperry gin as well as damson gin this autumn. Lovely flavours! Very drinkable! I’m sure that frozen fruits would work just as well. I’m going to try cranberry vodka this summer, as soon as I can get my hands on some cranberries. Yum!
Maressa
I have used frozen fruit in several recipies and find it just as good as fresh fruit. Just use the same quantities as you would for fresh fruit.
Hi there,
I’m from Nz, and its the middle of a freezing, wet winter here, and I really want to make some of the above drinks so when summer rolls around we have something tasty to drink.
Being that its winter, there arent any fresh berries available (unless we buy imported, and go brok in the process), and I was wondering if it is ok to use frozen fruits?
I know it wont taste as good as fresh fruit, but we dont really have any options!
Hi Maressa
Lots of people in the UK freeze fruit to make jam later – it works fine!
Last year I made quince gin using ornamental quinces from my japonica, which are normally inedible. It was brilliant, but needed lots of sugar. About a third sugar, a third fruit and top up with gin, as for a sweet sloe gin recipe.
You probably didn’t strain your gin fully. You should use a jelly bag and not try and press any of the strained fruit through to get a bit more juice out if it. You should also store your gin in darkened bottles (green or brown)as storing in clear bottles can damage the colour of your fruit gins. Having said all this, you often get a small amount of sediment in the bottom of a wine bottle if it is lest standing for some time, and I would just not drink the final one inch of gin. I don’t think it will do you any harm if you do, but it won’t look very nice in the glass. The fruit has been stored in gin, after all, which will have preserved it anyway. You could try straining it again, but I don’t think it will hurt you, it just doesn’t look very nice. Miriam
Hi,
Some of the raspberry gin i made was cloudy after i made it but cleared apart from a cloudy substance resting at the bottom. This same substance has developed in a previously clear bottle bottle of raspberry gin i made earlier. Do you know what this substance is and if my gin will still be ok to drink?
Hi,
I’m gonna try your raspberry gin recipe, but have you ever tried mulberry gin? It’s quite hard to find mulberries, but it’s totally worth it! We haven’t even managed to save ours for a year to see how it matures.
Caitlin
Dear Fiona, thank you for the raspberry gin recipe – I just tasted a batch I made in early August to check the sugar level and it already tastes amazing. I could really taste the raspberries (organic, home grown). Far superior to the blackcurrant vodka, damson & orange gin, and damson gin I started at the same time. This is my second year of dabbling and I can see I’ll have to make more of the raspberry gin next year.
Hi Helen
Thanks for dropping by. Just taking a break from making Autumn raspberry vodka – even better than the Summer raspberries – well worth investing in a few canes if you have the room 🙂
Hi, Richard H
Hope all goes well with the all the experiments you have done with your fruit. Sounds good.
Miriam