Nettle wine

[debbiem]

For those of you like 4P and myself, when I had a lovely rampant garden, full of nettles that won't be got rid of whatever you do to them, here's a wonderful recipe for nettle wine, tried and tested several times over. You don't have to leave it for six months to enjoy it, OH and I never did;

4 pints nettle tips
12oz sultanas, washed and chopped
2lb granulated sugar
4fl. oz (120ml)strong black tea, cooked and strained
juice of 2 lemons
8 pints boiling water
quarter oz wine yeast
quarter teaspoon yeast extract or yeast nutrient
4 fl. oz(120ml) warm water
1 teaspoon sugar

'Please make sure you wash the freshly picked nettles, and only use the very topmost young shoots. The less intrepid who believe they will get stung can wear gloves - but don't cheat by using the 'dead nettle', which hasn't the same flavour.

Place nettle tips, sultanas, sugar, tea and lemon juice in a fermentation bucket, pour on the boiling water and stir well. Mix the yeast and yeast nutrient with the warm water and tsp sugar. Leave until it begins to bubble, them stir it into the bucket. Cover and leave for 7 to 10 days, stirring daily.
Strain the wine into a demijohn, top up with cooled boiled water, seal with an airlock and leave for 4 to 5 weeks until it has worked itself out.
Let it rest for about another week, then siphon into another jar, top up again and bung tightly. Keep in a cool place for about 6 months when it should be ready to bottle.'

[debbiem]

I think I've flogged this one to death now - I know I've posted it somewhere before, more than once maybe......

[sweetleaf]

Ive never seen it before Debbie, sounds pretty good too.

[debbiem]

Thanks - the nettles, if you can't beat 'em, drink 'em!

[maggyd]

Sounds facinating Mrs B. but we got rid of demijohns and such years ago now I find it easier to buy it from farmers markets now, mind you dont know if Ive seen Nettle wine! my late Father-in-Law used to do elderberry which I loved but it was very potent and a few others that I enjoyed test driving, the funny thing was he was T.Total.

[sweetleaf]

Nope, the dead ones arent good enough The witch.