How to Make Nettle Beer Recipe | Homestead Honey (2024)

FAQs

How do you make nettle drink? ›

Making stinging nettle tea

Simply add the nettle leaves to the water and bring to the boil. The tea can be made stronger or weaker by adding more, or less, water. Once the water has been simmering for a few minutes strain the mixture into a cup, being sure that no nettles go through the strainer.

- 500ml. A member of our Standard beer range, find out more on our Nettle IPA page.

Aside from making a somewhat pleasant drink, stinging nettles (Urtica dioica) are a great source of vitamin C and apparently help alleviate rheumatic pain.

The leaves have hair-like structures that sting and also produce itching, redness and swelling ( 2 ). However, once it is processed into a supplement, dried, freeze-dried or cooked, stinging nettle can be safely consumed. Studies link it to a number of potential health benefits.

Avoid if you're pregnant or breastfeeding because there isn't enough information on its safety. Use with caution if you're elderly because of the potential of causing low blood pressure. And use stinging nettle with caution if you have diabetes because of the potential that it may lower or raise blood sugar levels.

With fresh leaves, experiment with the ratio of nettle to water you prefer, but a general reference is two cups of water for every cup of leaves. Here's how: Add water to the leaves. Bring the water just to a boil.

When it comes to juicing, nettles are treated the same as leafy greens. It works best in a single auger, twin-gear, or mechanical juicer. Only collect young leaves for juicing. Make sure to harvest with scissors and gloves.

Stinging nettle has been used for hundreds of years to treat painful muscles and joints, eczema, arthritis, gout, and anemia. Today, many people use it to treat urinary problems during the early stages of an enlarged prostate (called benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH).

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.

Generally, the higher the sugar content of your wort, the more alcohol you get in the end. Depending on your brewing method, grains alone might not do the trick so you will probably have to add extract or sugars to the boil.

What is the strongest beer by alcohol content? ›

1. “Snake Venom” by Brewmeister – ABV: 67.5% Brewmeister's “Snake Venom” takes the top spot in our list, boasting a staggering ABV of 67.5%. This Scottish brewery is renowned for pushing the limits, and “Snake Venom” is no exception.

Some nutrition experts consider craft beer a more functional beverage since beer imparts medical benefits to the drinker. The healthiest are stouts and porters, and higher hoppy beers, such as DIPAs and Imperial IPAs, Trappist beers, and spontaneous fermented beers, such as Lambics and Gose.

Yes, Nettle Tea is naturally caffeine-free, making it a great choice for those sensitive to caffeine or looking for a calming drink before bed.

Blanch the Nettles

Bring a large pot of water to boil, and add a few pinches of salt. Using a spider or slotted spoon, transfer the washed leaves to the pot. Blanch the leaves for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. While the leaves are blanching, fill a large bowl with cold water and ice for an ice-water bath.

Because the stings have to remain firm to cause the irritation, cooking the leaf instantly makes them safe – don't try to eat the leaf raw in a salad or anything. There are plenty of recipes online for a variety of hot dishes, so see what you fancy. Think of the nettle leaf like spinach and use it in a similar way.

The genus Cannabis was formerly placed in the nettle family (Urticaceae) or mulberry family (Moraceae), and later, along with the genus Humulus (hops), in a separate family, the hemp family (Cannabaceae sensu stricto).