Dandelion Ale - well hopefully

[HE-Designs]

Taken the plunge into making beer. Beer making equipment inherited from my Grandfather has been gathering dust too long. Glut of dandelions in my garden (even after gathering enough for wine) prompted this so I have sort of made up a recipe basing it on nettle beer.

Dandelions have steeped, malt, sugar and yeast added and it smells like beer but waiting now to stop fermenting si I can bottle.

This is the bit I hope I get right or my spare room will need redecorated lol.

Off to shop to replace 30 year old bottle seals.

 

[jamesw]

I made dandylion wine once (with an old book recipe).
It said the peak time to pick dandylions was on st georges day, so not too far away!
This is a modern recipe: http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2012/apr/04/how-to-make-dandelion-wine
I remember it was nice enough, nothing special but not harsh (like dandylion green bits when you get that awful white sap).

good luck! let us know how it goes!

 

[bquiggerz]

Interesting because before we had hops (yes there was a time without hops) many different things were used to bitter beer and dandelions were one of them. I remember reading an article about it.

 

[Tay80]

Sounds good I noticed that there is alot of dandelions this year some fields are actually completely covered in them I was tempted to make a dandelion wine, good luck with the beer

 

[HE-Designs]

Dandelion beer or ale or gruit is very drinkable. Family and friends are really impressed and will make more next year.

Only way I can describe it is like a mix between cider and lager, has a good fizz, head doesn't last but the taste and mouth feel are fantastic better served chilled but room temperature is okay. Will try and keep a few bottles to see how the flavour matures but enjoying it now.


Son has persuaded me to try a lager kit next so off to research what to buy.

Happy foraging everyone.

 

[Tazmaniandevil]

I'm aiming for dandelion & burdock once I manage a couple of drinkable brews under my belt. I've got an old recipe for ginger beer as well, so will be giving that a blast at some point in the future too.

 

[HE-Designs]

Managed to start a ginger beer plant. First brewing from it is ready to drink, heat and fizz is there but just a bit too sweet so on next batch going to cut down on the sugar. What kind of ginger beer are you planing the soft drink kind or the flavoured beer type?

 

[Tazmaniandevil]

It's an old recipe for brewed beer. I'm not sure of the expected ABV, because it's been years since I had any. My old great-granny brewed it. She also brewed nettle beer, but I think that recipe might be lost, unless my sister has that notebook.