Nettle Beer

[Ian Kay]

I am currently trying to make nettle beer and I cannot get the yeast to start. The mash has a specific gravity of 1.035 and I have followed the recipe quite carefully. I have tried using yeast activator and a different batch of yeast without success.
Ian Kay

 

[abeyptfc]

im not an AG brewer but it might be worth posting ur recipe and process and someone might be able to see what has went wrong. have you tested the brew with a hydrometer to check if the gravity has changed? when did you start the brew?

 

[Ian Kay]

The recipe is:

2 oz hops
2 lemons
1.5 oz cream of tartare
10 carrier bags of nettle tops
1.5 oz bruised root ginger
3lb sugar
5 gallon water
yeast

Basically I boiled up the washed nettles, ginger, lemons and hops then strained onto the other ingredients (minus yeast). I added the yeast when the mash was 70 degrees. I first tried to rehydrate the dried yeast but probably did not leave it long enough with the small quantity of liquid before I added it to the bulk. I then added more yeast nutrient to the mash and sprinkled dried yeast onto it too. I did get a small quantity of froth but nothing else. There are no visible signs that the yeast is working and the SG has remained unchanged at 1.035. I thought that the temperature might be too cold at night and have recently put the brewing bin into the airing cupboard in order to elevate the temperature at night.

 

[abeyptfc]

by 70 degrees i take it you mean fahrenheit!

 

[Ian Kay]

Yes I do

 

[abeyptfc]

when did you start it?

 

[Ian Kay]

I first added the yeast 1 week ago.

 

[Ian Kay]

i suspected that the temperature was the problem and to some extent it was. I also removed the lid from the brewing bin and replaced it with a tea towel in order to allow any C02 to escape more easily. After adding new yeast it started to fement quickly and in 2 days has gone from a SG of 1040 to 1010. Fantastic!

 

[charlie_mead_face]

i've never heard of using cream of tartare or hops (i thought nettels where used as a replacment for hops). i always went for this recipe and its never let me down:
10lb young nettles
40 pints water
10 lemons, (juice and the rind)
5lb demerara sugar
1lb white sugar
5oz cream of tartar
1.5 oz yeast

 

[Ian Kay]

Hi,

Cream of tartare should read cream of tartar as you probably new. The addition of hops is from a recipe that is predominantly used in the north of the country. Thanks for the alternative recipe which I have seen previously on line. I am no expert but it seems as though the hops are replaced by the additional lemons in this one. I may try it if my current brew is not successful.

Regards, Ian Kay

 

[charlie_mead_face]

let me know if it does work, i havn't done a nettle beer this year and i would like to try a new recipe