# Sloe Gin versus Deadly Nightshade



## Draedan (May 30, 2011)

Good afternoon all

I am normally keen on collecting fresh fruit (wild if possible) for most of my fruit recipes but have a problem positively identifying a Sloe bush (Blackthorn).

My worry is - and if you search the internet sites for it- the Deadly Nightshade aka - Belladonna, is worryingly close to the look of the Sloe.

I was hoping there are any of you who can point me to the differences between the two for me to pick this berry with confidence.



Many thanks


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## Tom (May 30, 2011)

tell us something,
just what wine have you made and what's aging


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## Tom (May 30, 2011)

The internet is great!
Use it and GOOGLE it
http://www.countrylovers.co.uk/wfs/wfsberries.htm

Now this is pointless as you would not be making wine from it.

Please respond to msg # 2


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## Draedan (May 30, 2011)

*Reply to Tom*

Hi Tom

OK, so I started with about 10 wine kits (small scale everytime) over of a period of a year, white wine, red wine, black cherry, elderflower etc. - following the instructions on the tin and using a heater mat throughout - these were OK, some had ended up too sweet (stuck fermentations, adding too much sugar at the end etc.) Ironed out most of my mistakes on my own but wanted to do something a bit more challenging.

Bought a fermentation bin and tried some fruit from local supermarket over time using refined sugar or brown sugar:-
Apple x 4 (demijohns 4.5litre size)
Cranberry x 2 ; 1 sweet ; 1 dry
Damson x 3 - pectin haze an issue but the fruit was cheap anyway
Lemon x 1
Grape (red) x 1
Pomegranate x 1

Tried a few root veg:- potatoes, parsnip and carrots but nothing to cry home about so Ive left this area alone for now.

Again a couple of problems with sticking and final sugar additions (especially on the apple but I think I have sorted these things out)

Next tried a few "specials"
1 x Rose petal - very disappointed with the nose
2 x mead ; 1st at 12% next to 16% (ish) but I'm working on that one
3 x Wheat wine - having clearing issues with this one but tastes OK
4 x elderfower ; 1 of grape and 1 of apple blend (latter is clearing)
2 x Maple syrup

And whilst these were going on as the clearing takes longer I have put some more kits on for friends but trying different low temperature yeasts out especially over winter where the temperature makes the yeast pretty sluggish.

And thats about it, I'm looking to try out lots of new things this summer ie. mushroom, Oak leaf, lemon thyme, nettle, sloe gin - find the ones I like and then stick to them.

Is that OK with you Tom ????

Lee


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## grapeman (May 30, 2011)

You probably haven't gotten any responses because nobody over here is familiar with that berry. It should be easy to tell apart as it is picked since the blackthorn is a type of shrubby tree, while deadly nightshade is a plant related to tomatoes (solanacea). I have had deadly nightshade ingested by cattle and almost lost them. We also have a shrub similar to the black thorn called buck thorn. I have found dead birds under those shrubs where when they eat the berries from the bush, the birds drop dead.

Another one you may want to try is elderberries themselves. That is one fruit that is better in a small quantity since it has such a strong flavor. That is another one that is slightly toxic, but when made into a wine, it is fine to drink. It has medicinal qualities to it also. The cultivated varieties seem to work better than the small wild ones here.

Good luck with your quest and let us know how you make out with it.


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