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.
Leave a reply
Hi, Dave
I wouldn’t waste my precious raspberried or gin by adding any other ingredients but sugar. You may spoil the lot and the raspberry gin is supurb without additives. Not tried the cherry brandy, so can’t comment. Re the lemonade bottles – I don’t see a problem if they are glass, wouldn’t use plastic though. Only snag is posting all those little raspberries through the small neck of the lemonade bottles!!! Jars really would be better. Good luck.
Miriam
Hello Dave
Raspberry gin – without extras is to die for. I’m not sure about cherry brandy as I’ve never made this.
Personally I would always start out with the virgin mix and then a bit further along the line experiment.
A few years ago I ruined a five litre batch of sloe gin adding almond essence preserved in oil. It tasted like moonlight disel and still does.
Hi, this is my first post and I can’t wait to get started. I am just about to go and pick the fruit to make my raspberry gin and a cherry brandy. Does anyone know if this still works if i just use a lemonade bottle instead? Additionaly, I have come across loads of extra ingrediants such as coriander seeds, cloves, nutmeg and cinnomen sticks. Is there anything that spells disaster or is it really jus a case of trial and error.
Thank You
Dave
Hi, Rebecca
Raspberry Gin is delicious drunk on it’s own, but quite a strong taste as you are actually drinking neat gin! However, I have tried it with tonic and ice (just like Gin & Tonic) and it is really good, especially as a longer drink in the summer. I am afraid I have not tried it in any cocktails, but as it has a distinctive flavour I would think it would do well as a basis for any cocktais where you would normally use gin. I have also made fruits of the forest and blackberry gin (both using frozen fruit)and now have some quite delicious drinks in my cabinet!!!
Hi,
I’ve had some raspberry gin working away for 3 months waiting for my birthday in a couple of weeks 🙂 but I was just wondering on recommendations for drinking?
Can you have with tonic? or cocktails? or straight?
any suggestions greatly received!
Rebecca
Hi, Brendan
I’m afraid that I can’t come up with any good suggestions on how to improve what you have made already, but I have read somewhere on this site previously that you should only leave the fruit (especially Blackberries) in the spirit for 3 months or it will taste woody. Perhaps you could have another go next year and not leave it so long to strain it. Miriam
last August i made blackberry whisky which i bottled at the beginning of May. It tasted not horrible but maybe i can call it ‘woody’. Is there anything i can do to recover this – maybe add some more whisky?
I have a similar problem with damson vodka made in August but bottled in early May . It just doesn’t taste ‘Wow’ again any suggestions on how to improve.
I suspect that in both cases i left the fruit for too log before bottling.
Thanks Miriam!
In am sure that everyone has their own favourite way of making fruit gins. However, I have successfully made raspberry gin, and I only shook the bottle until the sugar dissolved (twice a day for about a week or so). I then left it for 3 months untouched in a dark cupboard, after which I strained it through a muslin cloth and bottled it. Put the muslin in a colandar and when the gin seems to have drained through put a plate on top of the colandar with a couple of baked bean tins on it to press the last of the gin and juice out). I think the gin improves with keeping – if you can leave it long enough – but it was so delicious I am afraid it didn’t last long. Shall have to make a double lot next year!!!
I love this recipe – first thing I did on my 18th birthday was make raspberry gin!I have a few questions though.
Firstly, how long do you recommend leaving in the fruit for?
And secondly, do you continue to shake the bottle after the sugar has dissolved?
Thanks,
T