Nettle beer recipe
Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 5:34 pm
In reponse (and welcome) to Kitchenwitch and Justkate, I present my nettle beer recipe...
Ingredients
5 gallons of water
3 bags of nettle tips
2 lemons, juiced
2 oranges, juiced
3kg sugar
100g cream of tartar
Yeast (Girvan 5 is good, but if I haven't any I just use bread yeast, beer yeast or even my rye leaven!)
Large dandelion root, chopped (optional)
Large ginger root, chopped (optional)
Don't use both the dandelion and the ginger, use either or none!
Method
Boil the water - either in batches or get a brewing boiler (a 6-gallon one is good for doing 5 gallons as you get less splashing).
Put the nettle tips in a large tub (at least 6 gallons), and pour the boiling water over them. Leave to infuse until cooled to around 35-36C (usually takes a couple of hours).
Strain back into your boiler (or a multitude of pots!). Add the lemon and orange juice, the sugar and the cream of tartar. Heat gently and stir until the sugar has dissolved - do not boil - and then transfer into a brewing vat.
Leave to cool to about 20C (overnight is usually best), then pitch the yeast. If using leaven, I spread it on a piece of toast and then float the toast on the liquid.
Cover the vat loosely with muslin and leave to stand in a warm place for about three days. (Or use a brewing heater set to 20C.)
Carefully skim any scum off the surface, then rack the beer into beer bottles, taking care not to disturb the sediment. Leave to condition for a week or so, then serve cold.
Stonehead
PS I'll post my nettle wine recipe shortly and, if people are interested, some of my other recipes. They include barley wine, treacle ale, stout, potato wine, rhubarb wine, ginger beer and lotsh of other loverly shtuff. Hic!
Ingredients
5 gallons of water
3 bags of nettle tips
2 lemons, juiced
2 oranges, juiced
3kg sugar
100g cream of tartar
Yeast (Girvan 5 is good, but if I haven't any I just use bread yeast, beer yeast or even my rye leaven!)
Large dandelion root, chopped (optional)
Large ginger root, chopped (optional)
Don't use both the dandelion and the ginger, use either or none!
Method
Boil the water - either in batches or get a brewing boiler (a 6-gallon one is good for doing 5 gallons as you get less splashing).
Put the nettle tips in a large tub (at least 6 gallons), and pour the boiling water over them. Leave to infuse until cooled to around 35-36C (usually takes a couple of hours).
Strain back into your boiler (or a multitude of pots!). Add the lemon and orange juice, the sugar and the cream of tartar. Heat gently and stir until the sugar has dissolved - do not boil - and then transfer into a brewing vat.
Leave to cool to about 20C (overnight is usually best), then pitch the yeast. If using leaven, I spread it on a piece of toast and then float the toast on the liquid.
Cover the vat loosely with muslin and leave to stand in a warm place for about three days. (Or use a brewing heater set to 20C.)
Carefully skim any scum off the surface, then rack the beer into beer bottles, taking care not to disturb the sediment. Leave to condition for a week or so, then serve cold.
Stonehead
PS I'll post my nettle wine recipe shortly and, if people are interested, some of my other recipes. They include barley wine, treacle ale, stout, potato wine, rhubarb wine, ginger beer and lotsh of other loverly shtuff. Hic!
The cash paid for more sugar, ginger and yeast! 
but cheers Stonehead it's a good recipe. one question though: do you reckon i should put the bottles in cold water to stop the fermentation, as i might be a while before it's all drunk?