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how long do you usually leave this to do its "thing"? so far its tasting pretty damn good and its only been 3 weeks-ish.

im tempted to strain it and chuck another handful of b'berries in to intensify the flavour of it. any thoughts?

and will it work with gin too? not willing to waste a litre of gin if its going to taste rubbish!

I would think it's done, the raspberry version was given as a recipe on the Guardian website a few days ago and that only calls for two weeks.

thanks, ill get it bottled up tomorrow then. i know sloe gin takes much longer and recipes ive seen for blackberry said to leave it for 3 mths! seems a bit long considering how good the colour is and the taste.

There's little harm in leaving it longer, but if the flavour is already what you want you can stop it now. Or if you want to add more blackberries, go ahead :)

Have you sweetened it?

yes, i sweetened it. only half the amount of sugar recommended in the recipe. it was 1lb to every 1lb of fruit! i thought that was too sweet.

the flavour is good im just trying to push for a stronger blackberry taste. i can taste it but want a little more. if that makes sense? i added another handful of berries. will see how it goes :)

Many recipes are meant as a guide, I know when I write them its with the hope that people adapt them. Older recipes certainly have too much sugar in them you'd think they were sponsered by tate and lyle or something.

Quite agree with the above if it tastes nice now why wait?

i added an extra handful of surplus berries. now tastes very blackberry like! just as id hoped. bottle and labeled. have started on another one and have also tried the raspberry vodka too. found a rasp bush while walking in the woods!

now its just starting more sloe gin and try the chocolate and espresso vodka recipe ive been given. might adjust to do a chocolate and mint version too?

Andy's mint liqueur/creme de menthe recipe is very good.. I've made it with chocolate mint, but don't expect it to be green whatever mint you use.

(the mint cordial recipe can be improved by tripling the mint and halving the sugar)

ah, ill have a look for that. all these bottles are for xmas celebrating. except the choc vodka. thats to try out and see if it works and if it tastes good ill make another much closer to when i need it as it has cream in it.

i think ill try the mint one but do a smaller bottle otherwise ill be completely sozzled through december!

I had a Swedish boss years ago who used to make garlic vodka to go with his home-made gravad lax. It was... different. Something you'd want your partner to drink at the same time.