Here are the best sloe gin cocktails to make with this fruity British liqueur! This unique ingredient makes mixed drinks shine.
Got a bottle of sloe gin and not sure what to do with it? Sloe gin is a British red liqueur, a signature liqueur that’s considered the limoncello of the UK. Sure, you can drink it neat: but it’s even more fun dressed up in mixed drinks! As cocktail experts, we love how this unique liqueur adds a fruity, intriguing element to each sip that leaves you wanting more.
The most famous of all sloe gin cocktails is the Sloe Gin Fizz, a spin on the gin fizz that’s likely been around since the 1900’s. But there are other ways to mix up sloe gin: from sophisticated to low brow.
Sloe gin cocktails worth trying
The most popular of all cocktails is the Sloe Gin Fizz! This spin on the classic Gin Fizz is fruity, unique, and even more refreshing than the original. It’s neither gin, nor slow, but it’s absolutely worth finding a bottle to make this cocktail! It’s tart and fizzy, with a fruity finish that makes you want to immediately keep sipping.
This variation on the popular Gin Fizz of the 1900's uses sloe gin instead of gin, and likely originated around the same time. It went on to remain popular throughout the 1960’s.
Ingredients: Sloe gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, egg white (optional), soda water
Got a bottle of sloe gin you’re not sure what else to do with? Try this Elderflower & Sloe Gin cocktail! It’s sweet tart and perfectly balanced: fresh lemon adds just the right zing. But the best part? St Germain. This trendy elderflower liqueur adds subtle floral notes so that everything is in perfect harmony with the fruity and herbal sloe gin. You’ll be sipping it on the porch in no time.
Ingredients: Sloe gin, St Germain, lemon juice, simple syrup
Here’s a 1970’s retro sloe gin cocktail that deserves a new look: the Alabama Slammer. It’s known as a lowbrow college drink made with trendy low quality sloe gin. But step up the liquor quality and you’ve got yourself a first-rate highball cocktail! It’s bold, fruity and balanced: perfect for sipping on the patio, at the lake, or just on a lazy afternoon. Here we’ve given a few little tweaks to the Alabama Slammer to take it up a notch and give it a new and improved vibe.
Note: In the 70's and 80's in America, sloe gin with artificial flavors was easily available: but it wasn't made with actual sloe berries! Make sure to buy "real" sloe gin that's made with the actual fruit.
Ingredients: Amaretto, bourbon, sloe gin, orange juice
Here’s an effortlessly easy sloe gin cocktail to make: Sloe Gin & Champagne! Simply mix the sloe gin with bubbles and you’ve got a sophisticated sloe gin cocktail perfect for celebrations of all kinds. The bubbly sweet tart flavor is refreshing and unexpectedly nuanced for two ingredients. Click over to the recipe, then replace the Chambord with sloe gin.
Ingredients: Sloe gin, champagne (or Prosecco)
More about sloe gin
Turns out, sloe gin is not actually gin! Here are a few things to know about sloe gin:
- Sloe gin is a British red liqueur that’s made with the sloe fruit and gin. Sloes are fruits that are similar to a plum, but the size of a berry. They grow wild in England, and the Brits have been making it for hundreds of years.
- What does sloe gin taste like? Sip a spoonful straight and it’s a little like cherry cough syrup. But add it a cocktail, and it adds a nuanced fruity flavor that’s completely unique.
- Make sure to grab “real: sloe gin, not artificially flavored. Low-quality bottles of sloe gin made with artificial flavors became popular in the US in the 1970’s and 80’s. These days, “real” sloe gin has come back into style and you can find it at your local liquor store or online.
More cocktail recipes
Outside of these sloe gin cocktails, there are so many great cocktail recipes! Try them all:
- These rum cocktails are the best classics to make with either white or dark rum.
- Try mint cocktails from the Mojito to the Southside.
- These Italian cocktails are some of the greatest classics.
- Make great vodka cocktails like the Gimlet and Mule.
- Mix up all the best sour cocktails like the Whiskey Sour, Sidecar, even the Margarita.
- Try vermouth cocktails: all the best drinks using dry or sweet vermouth.
A long time ago I loved a drink made with sloe gin. It wasn’t a sloe gin fizz or coctail. I think it was made with some kind of juice, & it didn’t taste like alcohol. It wasn’t an Alabama slammer. I just cannot remember the name of the drink. If you know, could you please email me &tell me? I would appreciate it so much. Thank you for all you do. Kim
Hi! Was it possibly a Sloe Screwdriver? https://www.thespruceeats.com/sloe-screw-cocktail-760120