Plump, juicy, tart and packed with flavour - gooseberries are a uniquely delicious little fruit, and July is the season when these British beauties come into their own!

One of our absolute favourite ways to make the most of them is to make a batch of delicious gooseberry gin.

Homemade gin is incredibly easy (and affordable) to make and the results are oh-so-rewarding!

When are gooseberries in season?

The gooseberry season is short - lasting from June until August, so you’ll need to be quick to catch them while you can.

At the start of the season you’ll find the younger, greener gooseberries on the shelves (or on the bushes, if you’re going to pick your own!) and these are particularly tart, so better for cooking and baking, where you can include a little sugar or other flavours to balance out the sharpness.

However, once you’re into July or August, the gooseberries are a little more mature, softer and sweeter - easier to eat just as they are.

These berries are less green and will have turned a deeper golden, or even pale red, colour.

Do I have to use sugar in my homemade gooseberry gin?

We have added the optional addition of a little sugar in the recipe below to help counterbalance the tartness of the gooseberries, although this is not strictly necessary.

The more sugar you use, the closer to a gin liqueur the end result will be - similar to sloe gin.

Therefore, do feel free to play with the addition or quantity of sugar, based on the sharpness or natural sweetness of your gooseberries, and to suit your own taste preferences!

What gin should I use to make homemade gooseberry gin?

In terms of the base gin to use, we wouldn’t recommend using any of the beautiful craft gins you’ll find in our Gin of the Month boxes, for example, as you won’t be able to taste any of the beautiful, delicate botanicals. A good quality, neutral London Dry Gin from the shops will work just fine.

Oh, and a final tip - if you’re picking your own gooseberries, or you’ve bought them in their natural state, we recommend using gloves to gather and prepare them, as they can be a bit prickly!

Homemade Gooseberry Gin

One 70cl bottle of gin
300g gooseberries
150g caster sugar (optional - add more for a sweeter, more liqueur-like result)

• Wash, top and tail your gooseberries.

• Prick the berries with a fork so the juice can release.

• (You could also pop the berries into the freezer for a few hours or overnight, then defrost - this will cause the skins to burst, achieving the same result.)

• Add your gooseberries, gin and sugar (if using) to a clean and sterilised jar. Now leave the jar in a cool, dark and dry place to infuse, shaking gently each day.

There is no hard and fast rule here for how long to leave your gin - we recommend at least a week or two, to allow the flavours to steep.

The longer you leave it, the deeper and richer the flavour will become, so you could even leave it for a couple of months (so long as it stays nice and cool) and drink it in the early autumn!

Feel free to taste the gin as you go, to see if you’d like to add a little more sugar or if you want to leave it longer - or if it’s ready to drink!

What do I drink with gooseberry gin?

If you have made ‘clean’ gooseberry gin - without any added sugar - then you’ll probably want to pair your homemade tipple with a mixer; we love an elderflower tonic water, as the delicate sweetness really complements the tart flavour of the gooseberries.

If you added more sugar and created more of a gin liqueur with your gooseberries, try it simply poured over ice! Delicious on a hot summer’s day.

Alternatively, try this sparkling cocktail recipe below with your gooseberry gin! It couldn’t be easier but looks and tastes divine.

Elderflower & Gooseberry Royale

50ml gin
20ml elderflower liqueur or cordial
Prosecco, to top up

Oh - and if you’re wondering what to do with the leftover gin-soaked gooseberries… try them in your next crumble with ice cream! It’s a boozy delight!

Chin chin!