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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Re Lya’s question – Any jars will do. I am sure your coffee jars will be fine, as will your preserving jars. Try to almost fill the jars as aiyou don’t really want any air in the top. I buy the basic gin from the local supermarket. Most is 35-40% proof and this will be fine. I made some damson gin last year which was great – unfortunately there is now none left!!! I have just finished a batch of raspberry gin which was delicious, and have a batch of blackberry vodka and fruits of the forest gin(all three using frozen fruit). From my quick sampling of these last 2 I think that gin makes the better tasting drink, so will continue to use gin in future, rather than vodka. Good luck with you gin making.
By the way – use the fruit pulp that remains after straining, in apple crumbles or on ice cream etc. This is delichioush!!
Re uses for sloe gin. We’ve made great champagne cocktails with sloe gin and cava – a fantastic sloe starter for new year parties! Just started some raspberry vodka with the BBQ season in mind, here’s hoping we get some sunshine…
Hi all,
what strength (proof) vodka would you use in making the fruit vodkas? I’m told it makes a difference as the fruit’s juices dilute the vodka. As I’m a novice I’d really appreciate some advice. And (not living in UK), what are Le Parfait jars? Has anyone got a picture? I have Moccona coffee jars, with the plastic inside the lids, will they do? Or would preserving jars do with the screw top bands?
Hello Miriam
There’s a strawberry gin recipe here on this site
https://www.cottagesmallholder.com/irenes-strawberry-liqueur-recipe-750
Has anybody tried Strawberry Gin/Vodka. If so, can you let me have the quantities for this. I have made my first damson gin this year and it was delicious.
Found some raspberries on sale in the supermarket – and thought I’d give raspberry bacardi a go – so came across your brilliant discussion. Now you have started me off. Have raspbery barcardi; and vodka on the go along with Nigella’s Winter spiced vodka. Need to go buy some gin to make the raspberry gin. and SOOOO need to try the bramble whisky
we make blackberry vodka and brandy then once made, use the blackberries to make the BEST blackberry and apple crumble/pie – it really is to die for!
Give away, my dear Sloe Gin has strings attached, one gives away with the intention of recieving better in return, Sloe GIN IS USED BY MI5 MI6, AND THE secret services across the the world, it is after all the universal tongue looosener
I love this thread- you are all every bit as mad and obsessed as me… Have made six bottles of sloe gin. Was planning to give it away for X-mas, but it tastes so good……..
Hx
COMING UP TO NOVEMBER, towards the end of November is a very dangerous time, it goes some thing like this. “I think I will taste the sloe gin, open jar take tea spoon, and sip, try another jar take soup spoon and slurp, open third jar take small ladle and glass, and….well I have eight jars on the go….amen