How Brave Beer Ye?

[AL WORRELLS KID]

Stinging Nettles are traditionally eaten now in the early spring as they are one of the first edible green shoots to appear, known as a “pot-herb”.
 In Scotland, Stinging Nettle Kail was a traditional Shrove Tuesday soup to welcome in the Spring.



Stinging Nettle-Picking Tips
Nettles are best when very tender, so pick in the spring when the nettles are just coming up or later in the season. Pick the young leaves from the tips.
Use rubber gloves or pinch the leaves hard, so you don’t get stung. Once picked, lay the nettles out on a tray to wilt. Once wilted they can no longer sting you. The sting relies on erect hairs to penetrate the skin and inject the stinging formic acid. When wilted strip the leaves off the stems.

(Always cook Nettles, which destroys the stinging formic acid. Nettles are not suitable for salads, but make a good Tea. For something new try making
 "Stinging Nettle Beer"

1kg nettle tops (approximately one carrier bag stuffed to bursting)
5 litres water
450g sugar
Juice of two lemons
50g cream of tartar
A sachet of beer yeast
Boil the nettles with the finings for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain through a colander or sieve into a sterilised (rinse with Campden tablet solution then boiled water) food-grade plastic bucket.

Stir in the sugar until dissolved. Leave to cool to room temperature. Add the lemon juice and the yeast. You will probably need to "activate" the yeast first – it will tell you on the sachet. Cover and leave for three days.

Siphon into sterilized swing-top bottles making sure not to disturb the sediment that will have accumulated at the bottom of the bucket. The beer will continue to ferment, gradually building up a head of steam, and is ready to drink in a week, though longer will be better.

Gently release the pressure on one of the bottles every now and then to check that the "steam" isn't building up too much. Despite the finings this beer can sometimes be a little cloudy - remember that this is a homebrew, so it is simply considered as character. And do not concern yourself about a little sediment at the bottom of the bottle – just pour carefully!


1. Don't pick Stinging Nettles when in Flower
At the first sign of flowers you must stop picking. The plant will now start producing cystoliths - microscopic rods of calium carbonate - which can be absorbed by  the body where they will mechanically interfere with kidney function.



Nettles are not just tasty but can be beneficial as a natural diuretic, in aiding digestion, and as a rich source of vitamins and minerals, including iron. By trimming a Stinging Nettle Patch you can extend the season to the whole summer, with a steady supply of young growth.

[Jake Dogfish]

Sounds good.  I like them cooked, similar to spinach. 

[pianoman9701]

I eat lots of nettles. They also have several medicinal advantages. Drinking the tea/broth after boiling them can help lung function, especially in asthmatics. Rubbing raw nettles on arthritic joints hurts for a few hours and can relieve arthritic pain for weeks or even months.

[NRA4LIFE]

I don't know if it is there anymore, but the little brewery between Enumclaw and Buckley (called Elk Head or something like that) brewed a nettle beer.  It was quite good.

[trophyhunt]

I don't know if it is there anymore, but the little brewery between Enumclaw and Buckley (called Elk Head or something like that) brewed a nettle beer.  It was quite good.

Drove by the other day, they were still there from what I saw.

[trophyhunt]

I friggin hate nettles, have a ton of them around us.  I do like tea though, I'll have to YouTube and see how to make the tea.

[NRA4LIFE]

There doesn't seem to be enough Roundup on the planet to get rid of that crap.

[pianoman9701]

I friggin hate nettles, have a ton of them around us.  I do like tea though, I'll have to YouTube and see how to make the tea.

You boil the nettles.

[trophyhunt]

I friggin hate nettles, have a ton of them around us.  I do like tea though, I'll have to YouTube and see how to make the tea.

You boil the nettles.

I'm going to try that, it looks like the plant has tons of good things for your body. 

[pianoman9701]

I friggin hate nettles, have a ton of them around us.  I do like tea though, I'll have to YouTube and see how to make the tea.

You boil the nettles.

I'm going to try that, it looks like the plant has tons of good things for your body.

Harvest them until the tassel on top turns brown. They're good if it's blond or tan.