[Jamie Butterworth]

This question is on behalf of my grandad

He wants to know about nettle beer, after seeing a bit about it on river cottage hes interested in having a go but doesnt have a clue where to start, what does he need (other than nettles) to make it including equipment and ignredients. And how does he go about making it?

Thanks

[arugula]

Hm, it shold be available on the Channel 4 River Cottage and/or Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall pages, but having been led there by a search it doesn't seem to be... 

[nickmcmechan]

here you go...

http://www.harvington.org.uk/hic/nettlebeer.html

Ingredients:

2 lb young nettle tops
2 lemons
1 oz cream of tartar
1 lb brown sugar
water
Lager Yeast
Method:

Wash the nettle tops and boil in 4 pints of water for 15 minutes.

Strain and add the juice of the lemons, the cream of tartar and the sugar - stir until the sugar dissolves.

Add another 3 pints of water and transfer to a gallon jar and add the yeast.

Fit a fermentation lock and allow to work until nearly dry.

Rack and transfer into beer bottles and keep for a week or so before drinking.

 

I think you might get away with using an Ale Yeast but  not sure which one. That way you could brew at 18-20 rather than the 12C which a lager yeast would require - I don't have a spot anywhere in or around my house that keeps 12C so I tend to use lager kits that use Ale yeasts i.e. you can brew some lager types with Ale yeasts

[Jamie Butterworth]

Thanks very much

[mike1987]

on a side note to this please be carefull when botteling i.e ensure that it has nearly finished the ferment or better still ferment to dry and thenn when botteling add one teaspoon of sugar to each liter of brew this way you can avoid the risk of explodeing bottles

also as (yet another) side note ive just looked in my recpie book and it says that this drink is best drank young and not left to mature as it doesnt age well (bit like me really)

[nickmcmechan]

on a side note to this please be carefull when botteling i.e ensure that it has nearly finished the ferment or better still ferment to dry and thenn when botteling add one teaspoon of sugar to each liter of brew this way you can avoid the risk of explodeing bottles

also as (yet another) side note ive just looked in my recpie book and it says that this drink is best drank young and not left to mature as it doesnt age well (bit like me really)

good point!

i leave all mine in primary FV for two weeks, bottle for 2 weeks and then wait as long as possible to mature (about 2 minutes!) to start drinking, but I guess 'young' would be drink within a month or two?

[mike1987]

good point!

i leave all mine in primary FV for two weeks, bottle for 2 weeks and then wait as long as possible to mature (about 2 minutes!)

the recpie i have says that it can be drank after just a week in the bottle but is best after 3
it also says to drink within 2 months as after that off tastes will develope
i also have no patince and end up drinking it before its ready

[Jamie Butterworth]

Been to get the nettles for him today

Just a few questions:

1) What do you mean by letting it ferment till its dry?
2) We went into town today for some yeast, but could only find wine yest and normal bread yeast, will either of them do, if not, where do i get some lager yeast from?

[mike1987]

Been to get the nettles for him today

Just a few questions:

1) What do you mean by letting it ferment till its dry?
2) We went into town today for some yeast, but could only find wine yest and normal bread yeast, will either of them do, if not, where do i get some lager yeast from?

1) letting it ferment till all the sugar has been used you should use a hydrometer to do this acuratly but no bubles going threw the airlock is a good sign when you bottle it you will need to add a teaspoon of sugar to give the drink its fiz
2) whatever you do dont use bread yeast if you havnt got a homebrew shop where you can get a lager yeas then use wine yeast

[Jamie Butterworth]

Thanks for the advice mate, we only have a wilkinsons that i am aware of that sells stuff like this, wine yeast it is then

[mike1987]

in essance what you are makeing is really a wine as it doesnt have grain in it so wine yeast winn be fine wilkos is ok for homebrew equiptment but if you can get to one a homebrew store is better and usually cheaper and most will asnwer any questions that you have failing that if you get into homebrew then thers a lot of good stores online one of them advertises on this verry site click here a quick search of your area on yell has brought up these yell results
let us know how the drink turns out  as i may make some myself

[Jamie Butterworth]

The first bottle was oppened tonight, it didnt fizz much but apparently was very nice but strong

Mission success

[mike1987]

excellent jamie ive just started some a few days ago but ive added malt and hops as a little experiment with it not having much fix it may not have finished fermenting what i would do is leave it a week or so longer and try it again

[Alec_Macpherson]

What's the problem with bread yeast?

Also, for this and other brews, is recycling screw-top glass bottles okay? 

[mike1987]

What's the problem with bread yeast?

Also, for this and other brews, is recycling screw-top glass bottles okay? 

bread yeast is a differnt strain to beer or wine yeast and will produce off tastes screw top wine bottles are ok for flat drinks once or twice but the lids dont make an airtight seal after a few goes you would be far better with 1l pop bottles