Nettle wine advice sought

[Wynott]

I have just collected a decent amount of nettles, now it's warm enough to actually leave home

I'm intending to try 2 different recipes - one from Berry, and one from T. Edwin Belt (Wild Plants for Winemaking).

I am well used to Berry's recipes. Belt, however, advises 2 3/4lb of sugar plus "21 1/2 ounces of unsweetened grapefruit juice (1/2 tin)"

a) I haven't any grapefruit juice to hand, and it sounds quite a lot to add to that amount of sugar
b) I do have 1 pint of apple juice to hand.

Will the apple juice be suitable, and enough as a substitute? If not, should I be using grape juice concentrate, and would it be ok to add it in a few days time?

Grateful for any views on this.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

I'd guess the point is to add acidity, lemon juice would probably be a better sub.

You might want to follow up some of the links in this thread, particularly in my post a few days ago, if you're interested in variations on the nettle theme :
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/welsh-nettle-beer.654937/

 

[Wynott]

Thanks. Edwin does include acid in his recipe, so I will probably just add a little more, and put the apple juice in for good measure.

 

[johncrobinson]

The smell of just walking past a clump of nettles makes my stomach churn.
As a young kid i was frightened by these plants.
I no longer fear nettles but i still don't like them.

So I wont be making this one.

As regards the recipe I am assuming its an old one (going by the amount of sugar).
Apple juice could be used but will lack the "Bite" of grapefruit.This would help "Cut" through the sweetness of the high sugar levels.
Apple juice wont do this.
It should be easy to get hold of grapefruit juice,Even my local village shop sells it.

 

[Wynott]

Glad to say both batches are going very well. I have added a little extra acid to give a bit more 'bite'. If it works out well, next time I will read the recipe and buy the grapefruit juice before boiling the nettles

 

[johncrobinson]

I could probably stand it,PROVIDED it smelled and tasted nothing like nettles.
Which from my experience fermenting things there is a good chance it wont.

Please keep us updated on how this one goes.

 

[Mr_S_Jerusalem]

I made some Nettle and Mint wine at the weekend following the recipe on Happy Homestead:



In his recipe he just adds the juice of an orange juice.

 

[Wynott]

I might have a go at the Nettle and Mint one day, thanks for that Mr S J

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

I made some Nettle and Mint wine at the weekend following the recipe on Happy Homestead:



In his recipe he just adds the juice of an orange juice.

How did the nettle and mint work out please? the young nettles will start appearing hereabouts in the next few weeks and I’ve always hankered after brewing with them… don’t think I’ll be getting one of those hats like the bloke in the video though :-/

 

[user 44889]

Yes please, also interested in how it turned out.

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Paging @Mr_S_Jerusalem ...

 

[Mr_S_Jerusalem]

Not gonna lie I didn't actually like it that much lol

The taste is frankly nothing short of unique, nothing like you would expect. To me it didn't taste like nettles smell and it didn't taste like mint.

Worth trying, it's cheap as hell to make so not much of a loss if you find it not to your taste.


Could be I didn't leave it long enough before opening a bottle, I do tend to be a bit hasty with that lol

 

[user 44889]

Not gonna lie I didn't actually like it that much lol

The taste is frankly nothing short of unique, nothing like you would expect. To me it didn't taste like nettles smell and it didn't taste like mint.

Worth trying, it's cheap as hell to make so not much of a loss if you find it not to your taste.


Could be I didn't leave it long enough before opening a bottle, I do tend to be a bit hasty with that lol

Thanks for that. I for one will give it a miss then. Got plenty of other nice things like fruit and juice to make wine with plus a few kits
Thanks again.

 

[hedgerowpete]

nettles have a lot of silica and iodine in them, you get a reasonable wine but a strange after taste on the finish, not a bad wine and i have certainly made a lot worse. i find its a "once wine"

 

[user 44889]

Think I'll still give it a miss. Lol