Now is a great time of year to make some nettle beer. So here is a recipe I have found. It may take me some time to pick 10 carrier bags full of nettles, so I’ll let you know of my progress!
Nettle Beer Recipe
Ingredients
10lb young nettles (the top six leaves or so, easy way to measure is 10 carrier bags full)
40 pints water
10 lemons, (juice them and then cut off the rind)
5lb demerara sugar
1lb white sugar
5oz cream of tartar
1.5 oz yeast (baking yeast is fine)
Method
Rinse the nettles (if you can be bothered!), drain and boil in the water for 15 minutes. Either do this in a six-gallon brewing boiler or do it in batches if you only have smaller pots.
Strain the liquor into a fermentation vat, containing the lemon juice, lemon rind (no pith), sugars and cream of tartar. Stir vigorously and allow to cool to blood temperature.
Sprinkle the yeast over the top, cover the vat loosely with a cloth and leave for 24 hours. Replace the cloth with an airlock and leave to ferment for a further 3-4 days.
Strain and either bottle or keg. If using a keg, it’s worth adding another half pound of white sugar to help get the pressure up.
Leave for at least seven days before drinking. Serve chilled.
Sounds lovely!
