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Author Topic: Nettle beer  (Read 18257 times)

The Relic

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • County Down
Nettle beer
« on: April 21, 2009, 02:01:00 pm »
started a brew today anyone else have a go at this.

gillandtom

  • Joined Feb 2009
  • Stirling
Re: Nettle beer
« Reply #1 on: April 21, 2009, 02:26:48 pm »
Tried some from the 'River Cottage' hamper before but never made it.  My OH is wanting to give it a go this year - Do post your recipe if it is a good one! :yum:

The Relic

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • County Down
Re: Nettle beer
« Reply #2 on: April 21, 2009, 02:42:30 pm »
no problem i'll let u know how it goes

The Relic

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • County Down
Re: Nettle beer
« Reply #3 on: April 21, 2009, 04:08:21 pm »
one thing i noticed when making it i had to use several pots to boil the water some of which could have been cleaner. should have given them a good aul scrub before had as you can see some residue on top of the water.

BadgerFace

  • Joined Jan 2009
  • Sussex
Re: Nettle beer
« Reply #4 on: April 21, 2009, 04:50:26 pm »
I made 40 pints on Sunday  ;) once this batch is in the keg, I'll start another brew off. Made this lot with fair trade brown sugar from lidl, will be interesting to see how it turns out. Last year I made it 50/50 white sugar and molasses.

The basic recipe is..
40 pints of water
10 lbs nettle tips (top six leaves) roughly a large 25kg feed sack full
Juice & rind of 10 lemons
5lbs of sugar (whatever I have in the cupboard or feed shed !!)
5oz cream of tartar
Yeast (one dry sachet)

Place sugar, lemons, cream of tartar in fermenting bin.
Boil the nettles for 15 mins strain into bin, (I have to do mine in batches - two large stock pots at a time). Top up bin to 40 pints level. Sprinkle on yeast when cooled to hand hot. I leave to ferment for 10 days (though I've seen recipes when they rack off after 4 ??), then rack off into keg with extra half pound of sugar. Place in cool place, drinkable in ten days, but best left until clears.

Cheers  ;D

ETA - the piggies liked the cooked nettles  :pig:
Breeder of Pedigree Torddu Badger Face Welsh Mountain Sheep & Anglo Nubian Goats

The Relic

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • County Down
Re: Nettle beer
« Reply #5 on: April 22, 2009, 11:35:26 pm »
just had a little look there tonight seems to be working the smell of the boiled nettles has gone replaced by a more pleasant citrus smell (added some lemon and orange juice) and seems to be fizzing away also the colour is changing from mucky green to a more beery colour.

xxmillyxx

  • Joined Jan 2009
  • East Yorkshire
Re: Nettle beer
« Reply #6 on: April 23, 2009, 02:46:49 am »
I've been dying to make some if this since I moved up here and I have just received my new kegs, yeast and tartaric acid from ebay so starting it this week.  Everyone is being roped in to collect the nettles (family thing LOL - if they want to drink it they need to pick it)

Keep us informed how yours is going on please - I am very interested and I will do the same when I get mine started.

Good Luck

The Relic

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • County Down
Re: Nettle beer
« Reply #7 on: April 23, 2009, 12:57:31 pm »
 i have one of those cheapo fermenting bins with a sealable top. when its sealed the gases cant escape so i have just placed it on top with a towel over it. does it need to be sealed and the gases can escape when i open to check on how things are going or is it ok the way it is. ive seen people just throw muslin over the top.

BadgerFace

  • Joined Jan 2009
  • Sussex
Re: Nettle beer
« Reply #8 on: April 23, 2009, 03:07:03 pm »
Mine's also just a cheapo white fermenting bin. I been using it for years with no problems. The lid is just 'clicked' on 3/4 of the way round to allow gases out and the lead to the heater in. I also have a large 'wine' fermenter that holds 40 pints and can be fitted with an airlock. I've found no difference in the speed of fermentation or quality of the finished beer. :yum:

I only rack it off into a keg, cos' I'm too lazy/lack of time to be bothered with bottles !!
« Last Edit: April 23, 2009, 03:09:07 pm by BadgerFace »
Breeder of Pedigree Torddu Badger Face Welsh Mountain Sheep & Anglo Nubian Goats

The Relic

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • County Down
Re: Nettle beer
« Reply #9 on: April 24, 2009, 07:40:15 pm »
after bottling that tonight dont know what way its gonna turn out. still a very pond water colour. only a litttle bit of froth when going onto bottles. stuck a hyrometer into it think it read a measly 2%. taste and smell not 2 bad tho. hope it clears

chickens

  • Joined Jan 2008
Re: Nettle beer
« Reply #10 on: April 24, 2009, 08:37:28 pm »
Hi

Is there any way this nettle beer can be made without cream of tartar or is there a substitute that is cheaper please?

Thanks

The Relic

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • County Down
Re: Nettle beer
« Reply #11 on: April 24, 2009, 08:54:54 pm »
i think you can add more lemon juice.

sandy

  • Guest
Re: Nettle beer
« Reply #12 on: April 25, 2009, 07:17:50 pm »
I would LOVE to try this, running the B&B with my partner having to work is difficult, I only have just enough time to do the everyday chours, if I had my partner at home I would be brewing as it is one of the things I would love to do. Love forraging and living as b est as I can for free!!!

xxmillyxx

  • Joined Jan 2009
  • East Yorkshire
Re: Nettle beer
« Reply #13 on: April 26, 2009, 03:38:52 pm »
Ok just made my nettle beer - its in the fermenting bucket - so hopefully in 10 days we'll have some.

Even if we don't we've just had great fun picking the nettles - daughter, son-in-law, 2 grandaughter's, OH & me.  In between I made lemonade with the lemons left and we had some fresh tiger prawns (golden fried in egg batter) for lunch, followed by the Fudge Cake (recipe off this site) that we made last night.  Everyone's just gone home happy and I'm now having a well deserved rest.

Lovely Sunday and hopefully as a bonus lovely beer in 10 days.

sandy

  • Guest
Re: Nettle beer
« Reply #14 on: April 26, 2009, 05:51:09 pm »
I'm drooling just reading ;D

 

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