Sloe Gin Fizz

The marvellous long drink, the Sloe Gin Fizz may be somewhat of a modern classic these days but it might have never have been created if not for the meddling of the government…

As far back as the 17th century, the British government created the ‘Enclosure Acts’ that carved common land into individual properties, meaning that land that was once open, had to be split into individual fields. To do this, local landowners planted hedge rows to contain and protect their own land - a popular choice to form the new boundaries was the prickly Blackthorn bush.

Fortunately for the history of the marvellous Sloe Gin Fizz, here is where our story takes a more positive turn… A side effect of this growth spurt of hedges, was the huge, accidental, crop of sloe berries that grew on the bushes. The good folk of the countryside quickly realised that these astringent berries could be quite delicious if soaked in alcohol and sugar and of course, the British classic Sloe Gin was created quite soon after.

After all, necessity is the mother of all invention!