From one of my favorite songs of last year, Loretta Lynn with Jack White “Portland Oregon.”
I decided to actually look up the directions for a Sloe Gin Fizz, and call me crazy if it doesn’t look like a slightly sweeter gin and tonic.
Anybody actually drink these? Is it that different from G&T? And is it the type of drink that only somebody like a Coal Miner’s Daughter would know (that is, is it considered a little low-brow)?
I was inspired to try one by Aerosmith’s Rag Doll. Don’t remember it much, except I remember thinking, “Hrm, that’s why no one drinkis these.” But I was a tyke at the time, and I do enjoy gin now, so maybe I’ll give it another shot.
I’ve never had one, but it doesn’t sounds anything at all like G&T to me (that being my usual tipple). Sloe gin is described as a liqueur; I’m sure the sloe flavoring makes it quite distinct from regular gin. And tonic water has a strong bittersweet flavor that blends marvelously with gin; all plain soda water gives you is the bubbles. Finally, lemon juice doesn’t belong in a G&T; a lime wedge does.
Biffy the Elephant Shrew has it right; Sloe Gin is a very, very different thing that gin. It’s sweet and syrupy, and low in alcohol, at least compared to gin.
Heh, whaddya know. I always just assumed that was nonsense words at the end of Rag Doll. Now I’m curious if the drink’s appeared in any other songs.
This bears repeating:
Sloe Gin Fizz= decent
Gin & Tonic = very good
Gin & Club Soda = worst liquid on the planet (thank you idiot bartender in Vegas)
Okay, I did know the difference (2) already. Somehow it escaped me when I was writing up the OP. Not being a gin drinker (much more for vodka), I didn’t know how different sloe gin and gin gin are.
(1) and (2) ergo (3) makes sense.
Does this mean you actually paid for a drink in Vegas? Or just bitter he’d mess up a freebie?
I once got hammered on Sloe gin plus assorted mixtures (Sloe Screw=Sloe gin and OJ; Sloe Comfortable Screw = Sloe gin, OJ , Southern Comfort), including what amount s to a SG fizz. They are almost sickly sweet. I doubt I could drink more than 1 (if that) now. Almost like alcoholic Kool-Aid.
Gin & club soda - heh heh
The only time I ever blacked out was when drinking Sloe Gin fizz, graduating to Sloe Gin from the bottle when we ran out of fizz. Sweet and fizzy to be sure, but too much will give you one killer hangover.
Man, tell that to the schmucks at O’Leary’s. They’ve done that to me three times. Feh.
The folks I was with insisted that we go see a show and we got freebies to the Folies Bergere (I don’t like cabaret shows at all, and this one particularly sucks) at the Tropicana. I believe you also got a free drink with the show, so no I don’t think I paid for it (tough to remember…ahh Vegas), but the house lights were down by the time I got my first taste of the bleachy goodness that is G&CS. So as not to offend the bluehairs who were enjoying the show, I sat there and listening to caterwauling that passed for singing in that show while I was SOBERING UP :mad: . Triple whammy: cabaret show, sobering up, Gin and Club Soda. The only good thing was that I was able to share the misery with one of my good friends who was also “clubbed”. However, I actually blame only myself…why would I let anyone talk me into spending time at the Trop?
Ok, sorry for the hijack but you asked for it. 
But to further the knowledge, here’s how you can make your own sloe gin
Oh yeah… well, like I (kinda) said, it was a while ago…
I drink these sometimes in the summer, it’s the kind of thing that’s nice for when you come from work and want to relax with a cold drink. As there’s less alcohol in sloe gin, you can drink a nice big glass for the “cool and refreshing” value.
I don’t think it’s considered low brow necessarily, although it’s probably safe to say that it’s considered old-fashioned, for the most part. I tend to think of it as a woman’s drink for a woman who doesn’t want to drink very much, sort of like a baby cocktail.
But gin and club soda (or seltzer) PLUS a wedge of lime is a gin rickey, and is quite refreshing IIRC.
Zounds! People apparently have enjoyed the battery acid of the gods and named it a Gin Rickey. :eek: I can’t believe it, but it’s apparently true. I can’t recommend it though.
Thanks for enlightening me MLS