Nettle beer
by
- Drink
- Easy
- Makes 6 750ml bottles
- 30 minutes
PT30M
Don't throw those nettles on the compost – this nettle beer recipe from Food Urchin is just the thing to quench your thirst after a busy day in the garden. A light and fizzy tipple that is a great start for any budding home-brewer.
Note: the nettles in this image are dead nettles rather than stinging nettles. Dead nettles are edible and can be used to make beer, but have a stronger, more aromatic flavour. Use regular stinging nettles for a lighter, mellower taste.
Ingredients
Nettle beer
- 1kg nettle tops
- 4l water
- 1 lemon , juiced
- 750g of sugar
- 25g of cream of tartar
- 1 sachet of ale yeast
Equipment
- Demijohn bottle with airlock and bung
- 750ml brown bottles (6)
Method
1
First, give the nettles tops a thorough wash in the sink and then drain. If you have a salad spinner, that is quite useful for ejecting any creepy crawlies that may be lurking in the leaves
2
Next, bring the water to the boil in a stock pot and throw the nettle tops in. Boil hard for 15 minutes, then carefully strain into another stock pot
3
Stir in the sugar, lemon juice and cream of tartar until everything has dissolved, and leave to cool to room temperature
4
Pitch (or sprinkle) the ale yeast over the surface of the nettle brew, then cover with muslin cloth or a tea towel and leave overnight
5
The next day, take a demijohn bottle and pour in the brew using a funnel. Top with a bung and a water airlock then leave to ferment and bubble for up to 6 days
6
Siphon into clean brown bottles, cap them and then leave to chill in the fridge for another week before drinking
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Nettle beer
