How do you make Plum Gin? | English Plum Gin | National Dish of England
The time of year is late August and my two Plum tree varieties – Mirebelle and Victoria are ready to harvest.
I could make Jam but that means eating bread and that ain’t gonna happen. So I’m making Gin!
How do you make Plum Gin? This recipe will have it ready for Christmas.
This isn't really a recipe, it's a process - a little bit of work up front, especially around sterilising your Kilner Jar, give it a shake for a week and then leave it the hell alone for 3 months - simples...
| Prep Time | 30 minutes |
| Cook Time | 0 |
| Passive Time | 3 months |
| Servings | litre |
Ingredients
- 1 litre gin use a mid range Gin that you can improve rather than budget stuff
- 1 kg plums any variety, I have two Mirrebelle and Victoria, both homegrown
- 250 g caster sugar disolves better
- Pinch cardamom pods
- Pinch juniper berries
Ingredients
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Instructions
- Sterilise your Kilner Jar, wash your plums and measure out your ingredients.
- Get a clean fork and stab your plums all over, this will release all the juices into the Gin. Any plums that look a little ropey throw away, we want to avoid excess nasty bacteria.
- Now add all the ingredients to the jar and give it a shake and seal - place in a cool, dry and dark cupboard.
- For the next week, shake on a daily basis to dissolve the sugar and then leave alone for at least 3 months. Should be perfect for Christmas. If you want to make more, just double all the ingredients.
- After three months and you were good at sterilising you'll have some kick ass plum gin. Just look how much the colour changes and I promise you, this goes in to the flavour.
- You'll need to filter the sediment out, I used a jar with a tap and ran it through clean muslin into a pan.
- More sterilising, hopefully you had the sense to keep some old gin bottles, or any bottle, in anticipation of this day - make sure they are ultra clean. Fill em up and cap it off. You might want to sellotape the lids, as if they were bought from a shop - further fermentation could force the them off.
- My homemade Plum Gin made great Christmas gifts - not all of it though...
- Thank you England
Recipe Notes
I'm sorry, I know this looks like an old man having a wee - although, he's got issues if it's that colour, tastes good though. But, I filmed it so I might as well post it. If videos of gin filtering into a pan gets you going, sit back, grab some Kleenex and enjoy...
Morning. Prepping my utensils !!!! One question though do I remove the stones of the plums. Other recipes say remove but then the weight of the plums are reduced. Your method seems perfect
Hey Carol, I don’t remove the stones, just give them a wash, stab them lots with a fork and plop em in.
Hi there I wanted you to know I’ve made this for several years and it’s a keeper recipe. I never leave room at the top and I just noticed for the first time that you do, is it necessary I mean I seem to think it’s not since mine has turned out delicious haha, but thought I would inquire.
Hey Barbara, It’s not something I have ever paid much notice to if I am honest. I’ve probably always left a gap – they turn out the same each time though.
Hi Wayne. I’ve been brewing a batch of greengage gin for 6 weeks. I’ve given it a taste and a stir. I noticed some of the plumbs had gone black, and some going black. Is this what should happen or should I scoop them out? Thanks.
Hi – can I get away with leaving out the pinch of cardamom & pinch of juniper – not something I have in my store cupboard. Thank you – Trudi
Hi Trudi – yes you can. Juniper forms the very core of a Gin’s flavour, so you’re already loaded. The cardamom pods are a gentle touch to inject a little extra seasoning, but gin is laced with herbs and spices. This recipe is so plum heavy, your gin won’t suffer in the slightest without either. Have fun. W
Hi Wayne we have made plum gin and greengage gin, I am a little concerned that the plums are looking as if they are going off where they are exposed to the air at the top of the Kilmer jar .is this normal ?
Thanks for sharing
Hi Louise – this could be possible if the sterilisation process didn’t go well or the fruit itself wasn’t in good shape. If you made the jam from the same batch, that might also start to go off. If it was the sterilisation process, the jam jar may be affected in the same way. I would say, floating plums doesn’t sound ideal. For me, the gin deepens in colour so much that you can barely make out the plums. However, when it comes to tasting it for the first time, there is always some trepidation that bacteria have had the run of things and everything has gone off. Might as well stick with it for the three months – either way, nothing you can do now. Always time to get a new batch in for Christmas if you’re concerned. Good luck.
Can you make this in a plastic container rather than glass. Or will the plastic affect the process or the taste. Thanks
Hey Helen, I would agree with you and give that a swerve. It’s a slow infusion process and I would be very concerned it would take on the plastic flavour. W
Thanks for the recipe, I’m thinking about trying to make plum gin as we have a heap this year. I was just going to use Standard Gordon’s gin but would be great to hear any other suggestions.
Cheers
That’s a good shout. This recipe will unrecognisably change the gin anyway – I have used Tesco own brand in the past, was just as good.
do you no how to loose some of the sweetness in my plumb gin ??
Hello Pete, yah, good question. Plum Gin can be very sweet, especially this recipe – we drink it neat, but also use dry mixers to tone it down. Tonic works well or Soda Water. I did try to dilute a batch once, with more Gin – it wasn’t ideal.
I did use less sugar in other Gin infusions, they didn’t turn out as well as the plum Gin – it’s almost liqueur like, but more boozy.
The only thing that really works to make a less sweeter drink, are good mixers.
I’m looking to make this also, what quantities would you recommend. Thanks
Hello Shane, I’m rather curious myself. They’re two very contrasting options. With the plum the added sugar plays a huge part – we drink it neat, it’s so lovely. Sloe berries are more tart and dry and also needs sugar. I’d lump for 50/50 – you guys have got to tell me how it goes. It could be great or not work, at all. I can tell you, plum gin is different to slow gin, for sure.
can I flavour gin with a mixture of sloes and plums
Hey Pamela, I think that sounds like a great idea. Sweet and dry in one Gin – stop it! I’ve never tried it – I think experimenting with Gin flavours is a big part of the fun. Let me know how it goes…in three months! @NationalDish