I've been nettled (1) - Nettle Wine

This morning started well with walking Missy down the river bank to a nature reserve area called the Boardwalks and then back by a different route. It was a beautiful peaceful morning. We walked her quite a distance and then on the way back I started to collect nettles for making some Nettle Wine I got stung in the process and my hands are only just starting to settle down. They have been very tingly all day.  Not something I would do by choice - although funnily enough my granddad did because its supposed to stop you developing arthritis!  I don't think so.  Anyway I managed to pick  two carrier bags full.  I intend to go again at the weekend and then get some nettle beer made.

The recipe I intend to use is a C J Berry one.

Mum made this on a regular basis when I was younger but it is something I have never made.

The ingredients are:

Young nettle tops   - Metric 2 litres           British 2 quarts                  USA 4 pints

Sugar                     1.5 kgs                    3lb                                    2 1/2 lb

Lemons                   2                            2                                      2

Root ginger             10g                         1/2 oz                              1/2 oz

Water                     4.5 litres                  1 gallon                            1 gallon

Method

Pick only the young tops of the nettles top two to three leaves and leaves in the top should be lighter indicating their youth.  Rinse them in water and drain.  Simmer them in some of the water with some of the bruised ginger and lemon peel (please do not put any pith in as this will spoil the delicate flavour of the finished wine) for 45 minutes.  Strain and make the liquor up to 4.5 litres/1 gallon by adding more water.  Pour this hot liquor over the sugar add the juice of the lemons and the yeast nutrient and stir until sugar dissolves and when the liquor is cooled to 21 degrees C add the yeast preferably a general purpose wine yeast.  Keep the bucket closely covered in a warm place and after four days stir thoroughly and transfer the liquor to a fermentation vessel and fit an airlock.  When the wine begins to clear rack off into fresh bottles and leave for another three months before the final bottling.

I am just waiting for tea to be finished and then I will be completing what I started earlier on.

Catch you later

Pattypan

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