Nettle Beer

[Bromd123]

Hi Guys

I have tried the nettle beer using the recipe by andy with a couple of alterations, It was my Dad that found the recipe but he didnt think that it would be enough sugar so he put 600grams in without telling me lol. it has been brewing in a bucket for the last four days and seems to have stopped but because of the extra sugar and others saying that they lost a few bottles owing to explosions i have syphoned it off into a demijohn to make sure fermentation has stopped is this the right thing to do?

Also it is very cloudy but i am thinking that this might be why it says in the recipe to leave for another week am i right? or is to enhance the flavour?

How will i know when it is safe to drink?

Sorry for all the questions but this is my first attempt and have really enjoyed it so far but would hate for it to turn into a failure lol

P.S.

I have had a quiet word with my old man and will be making my own must from now on lol

[benner]

Did mine with 300g of candi sugar and ale yeast instead, I left it for 5 days and bottled this evening, going away for a week now so better put the bottles in the shed.

If you leave the bottles somewhere cold they should clear but don't reckon you should hang onto them for too long , previous experience tells me that for some reason these ales do tend to explode!

Will let you know next weekend how it turns out and if I have any casualties!

Ben

[Andy Hamilton]

When the water in the airlock goes back to zero it will be ready. by this I mean when it has stopped bubbling. Although it will be safe to drink now, ancient brews such as millet beer are always drunk when still fermenting. Not saying that you should as nettle beer is much tastier when it has finished. Judging by the time your post was made I would say that it will be ready very soon!

[Bromd123]

I will be bottling tomorrow with a little sugar and will let everyone know how it goes and what it tastes like

[benner]

Got back this afternoon and pleased to report no explosions while I was away, so bunged a couple in the fridge

Have just opened one and poured a lovely clear 'sample' tastes pretty good and a bit pokey too!

Found this in the off license in Perranporth anyone else tried it? It's almost completely clear... tastes good though.

http://www.foodswild.com/page2.htm

[Bromd123]

hey guys

ive bottled my nettle beer and on the first tasting i think something has gone wrong. it is really bitter and smells like it did when it was fermenting ie a bit like vomit, the air lock had gone to zero so it is no longer fermenting but it leaves a very astringent after taste i am worried that it may make me ill if i drink it but dont want to throw it away!! is this normal or is there something wrong?

[benner]

Have you tasted nettle ale before? ... It is quite an acquired taste!

[lauram]

Hi, I've just joined the site, stumbled upon when I was looking for a recipie for nettle beer.

On the recipie it mentions fresh yeast, would dried yeast do the same job?

Also how strong does it get?

[benner]

Hi lauram,

Just use a teaspoon or two of dried yeast and skip the bread bit! Strength of alcohol depends on how much sugar you use really.

I reckon mine ended up somewhere between 3 - 4%.

Best of luck

Ben

[Carltonian Man]

Hi Lauram.
I make it in five gallon batches and add two kilo of demerara plus one kilo of white sugar which gives an end result of 6.4%.

[elvgrengirl]

Hey. just wondering since we have a Nettle "Hedge" at the end of the garden...we are thinking about making some beer.....OH's Dad got one of those http://www.beveragefactory.com/draftbee ... _kit.shtml a few years ago for christmas and hasn't used it since (it's gathering dust in the shed) can I put the mixture into this yoke instead of the brewers bucket instead? just wondering, if that would work

[Carltonian Man]

Hey. just wondering since we have a Nettle "Hedge" at the end of the garden...we are thinking about making some beer.....OH's Dad got one of those http://www.beveragefactory.com/draftbee ... _kit.shtml a few years ago for christmas and hasn't used it since (it's gathering dust in the shed) can I put the mixture into this yoke instead of the brewers bucket instead? just wondering, if that would work

I guess it would probably work ok. Nettle beer does leave quite a sediment in the bottle though and shortly after opening it tends to bubble up making the beer cloudy again.
Re the nettle supply, it might pay to hack them back and pick the tips from the new growth.