Patience. Lots and lots of patience.

Bottling sloe gin today, which still means a three month wait until it's drinkable...

Making it couldn't be easier, though. It's just 450g of sloes* and 450g of sugar per 70cl bottle of gin. Mix and then shake regularly over the next few months. 

*Top Tip: after you've strained the gin off, pour a bottle of sherry over the gin-soaked sloes and leave that for a month. It'll be the best sherry you ever drink outside of Spain!