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We're having a Midsummer's Eve party for the Aberdeenshire Ishers and other like-minded people, so what better to drink than nettle ale. However, my usual recipe is probably a bit too subtle for a barbecue, so something simpler and stronger was called for.

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)

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.

This is much stronger in flavour and alcohol than my other recipe. If you want to add finings, do it at day three, leave for 24 hours and then bottle or keg.

Cheers!

Stonehead

PS Shirlz took a few pics of the alchemist's lab...

Oh, and if you have too many nettles for your ale, try this for dinner...

Four cloves of garlic
1/3lb nettles, cleaned and shredded
1/3lb spinach, cleaned and shredded
1/3lb turnip tops, cleaned and shredded
Fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Extar virgin olive oil
Fresh tagliatelle

Saute garlic in a little olive oil, then add the nettles, spinach and turnip tops. Cook until wilted, but do not allow them to turn brown.

Add salt and pepper to taste, then add the sauce and grated Parmigiano Reggiano to the hot pasta, and toss to mix.

Yum!

Stonehead

I think that might have been a hint!!!

Here is Mrs Stoney picking the nettles....



and here is the alchemist at work (multi-tasking might I add as he was cooking dinner at the same time... )



oh... and for good measure... a pic on the way to stoney's house....

Shirlz2005 wrote:oh... and for good measure... a pic on the way to stoney's house....

Whoa! Now everyone will start thinking I'm the mad druid alchemist of Insch...

Oh, they already do!

Stonehead

PS Mrs Stoney (vastly amused by that description) wishes to point out that it is entirely normal for all non-cooking parties to stand back and do nothing while the mad druid alchemist is at work. She claims trying to help usually results in extreme volatility and explosions... (Gross defamation I wish to point out.)

Impressive Trilithon - and alchemist as well! Just hope he doesn't go all druidic on us and revive human sacrifice.....................

Nev

LMAO Nev.... he didn't mention anything about longpig on the menu hehehe

Roughly how long does that beer last for, Stonehead? I want to have a go at making a batch but I don't want it to go off before I've drank it.

The Chili Monster wrote:Roughly how long does that beer last for, Stonehead?

Knowing Stonehead and his friends, not very long!

The Chili Monster wrote:Roughly how long does that beer last for, Stonehead? I want to have a go at making a batch but I don't want it to go off before I've drank it.

I haven't the foggiest - five gallons never seems to last very long.

Incidentally, I kegged the latest batch on Friday and sampled some today. It has a good herbal flavour, still slightly sweet (but should be drier by the end of the week) and a brilliant, buttery head.

It's not quite up to my best, yet, but it's showing definite potential. I think we picked the nettles at just the right point - old enough for good flavour and good sugar content, but not too old to have started going woody.

Stonehead

Hmm ... I'll have a bash ... I'm sure I'll find a couple of like-minded saps to share it with.

ina wrote:

The Chili Monster wrote:Roughly how long does that beer last for, Stonehead?

Knowing Stonehead and his friends, not very long!

Cheeky!

Mind you, I don't know many other people who get their drinks in by the gallon...

Stonehead

The Chili Monster wrote:Hmm ... I'll have a bash ... I'm sure I'll find a couple of like-minded saps to share it with.

I should add one small warning. If you eat (or drink) enough nettles, they have a slightly laxative effect. Drinking two or three pints is very good for you as well as being delicious, but I'd definitely recommend against going on a bender and drinking 8-10 pints!

Nettle beer is an old treatment for gout and rheumatism, it helps the digestion and purifies the blood. It's also full of vitamins and as nettle juice is an anti-asthmatic, the beer probably has similar effects.

See, you have to drink some for your health!

Stonehead

Stonehead wrote:

If you eat (or drink) enough nettles, they have a slightly laxative effect.

Believe me, the way some of my friends drink, they'd never notice.

Stonehead wrote: nettle juice is an anti-asthmatic,

that is very interesting my girlfriend emma is asmatic will have to try and feed her some.

Andy Hamilton wrote:

Stonehead wrote: nettle juice is an anti-asthmatic,

that is very interesting my girlfriend emma is asmatic will have to try and feed her some.

Have a look at the Plants for a Future database for other anti-asthmatics, as well as uses for many, many plants.

Stonehead