Nettle Wine

Nettle wine
2L Nettle tops
2 Large lemons, grated rind and juice
15g Ginger, bruised
4.5L water
1.1 kg sugar
5ml yeast
5ml nutrient
5ml tannin or 1 cup of strong tea
1 campden tablet

Use young or new leaves. Wash leaves then put in pot with 1/2 of the water, lemon rind and bruised ginger. Bring to boil then simmer for 30mins.
Strain liquid onto sugar in fermenting bin, stir until dissolved. Add rest of water, leave to cool, then add lemon juice,yeast/nutrient and tannin. Cover well and leave for 5-6 days, stirring each day. Strain liquid off through muslin or fine mesh into a demijohn with airlock. leave in warm place to ferment. When SG 1.000 for 3 readings rack into clean demijohn, add campden tablet. Rack again if needed, store for 2-3 months before bottling. Leave wine for between 6-9 months before drinking

[oldbloke]

Near enough what I do, except I take a standard gallon FV out when picking, and fill it, loosely packed, with nettles leaves - just the top 3 pairs from young plants, nice and tender.
So maybe I have slightly more leaves than your recipe.
Just about nettle season hereabouts, too.

What does it turn out like I'd not thought about nettles.There is a country lane near us that has plenty of nettles... and have some empty demijohns. I am planning a dandelion pick on Friday with my mother I could turn that into a dandelion and nettle pick

[oldbloke]

The two come into season at the same time here, so get made about the same time, and drunk about the same time, so I get confused as to which one has a slightly peppery taste to it and which is the slightly creamy one. Logic says nettles peppery, dandelions creamy, so it's probably the other way around. Anyway both are firm favourites.

First time doing nettle wine. Made dandelion wine last year, still got 1 bottle left. Dandelion is the smooth tasting one, it's like a dessert wine. Probably pick dandelions this weekend and make a 2 gallon batch.

Thanks guys didn't manage to get out as the weather was against me got next week off work so will try to get out then

may have to try this one out myself......... too many empty DJ's!

word of warning... been out and picked my nettles today (washed and now in the freezer as started dandelion today) and seeing as though I was only going dandelion picking I took no gloves. Upon seeing the sea of nettles I thought well might as well get both. I used my carrier bag as a glove and started filling my jug...... Only to discover nettle stings can go through plastic carriers even when your not using the bit with the little holes not to be deterred I wrapped a dock leaf round my sore fingers continued with the bag and have 2 l of nettles... must be more organised next time!!! I hope its worth the sore fingers!!

If you hold the nettles firmly they won't sting you with bare hands. I know this because a friend recently showed me how to pick and eat raw nettles

NETTLE WINE
Recipe of two gallons
Ingredients
Nettle tops 4quarts (4 ½ Lt)
2Lt- white grape juice.
2kg- white sugar.
1 strong cup of tea (no leaves or milk)
4 lemons(no pith or pips or skin)
1tsp Ritchies wine yeast.
Water.
Method
To measure fresh nettle tops, cut off and discard stalks and gently press tops in measuring jug. Lightly rinse fresh tops in cold water. Then add to your FV then make some sugar syrup with half of the sugar and then add to the FV then cover and leave to cool when cool add the cup of strong cold tea the juice of the lemons and the grape juice add the tsp of yeast cover and leave. Stir 2 times a day for ten days, after 7 days add the other half of the sugar as a cold sugar syrup, on day ten strain the nettle tops with some fine muslin cloth and then add the liquid to the DJs top up to the neck with cold water. Then leave to fully ferment out, when fermenting as stopped rack add finings rack when clear and leave to mature for about 12 months. very nice wine