Irish Nettle Leaf Mead

Origin: Ireland      Period: Traditional

This is very different kind of nettle mead, which is coloured bright green from the nettle juice. It's based on a traditional family recipe provided by a friend from County Claire and if you want a true green Iris drink for St Patrick's day, then this is the drink for you.

Ingredients:

2l young stinging nettle tops, packed
4l water
3 oranges, cut into segments (with peel)
3 lemons, cut into segments (with peel)
1.9kg honey
240g hops
360g ginger, bruised
2 nutmegs, quartered
6 tbsp allspice berries
15g yeast
1 piece of toast

Method:

Preparation

Combine the nettle tops, water, oranges and lemons in a large pan. Bring to a boil and cook for 40 minutes. Take off the heat and strain through a muslin bag. Return the liquid to a pan, bring back to a boil then add the honey and return to a boil. Continue boiling for 1 hours, skimming the surface as any scum rises then add the spices and hops and boil for a further 10 minutes.

Strain the liquid through a muslin bag into a fermenting bucket then cover and set aside to cool until lukewarm (blood temperature). Spread a piece of toast with 15g yeast and float this on the surface of the liquid. Allow to ferment for 3 days then skim the surface and transfer to a fermenting bottle with an airlock (you will see the fermentation gasses bubble through this). When fermentation has stopped (about 2 weeks) and no more bubbles can be seen rack into bottles (flip-top bottles are best). Stopper the bottles securely then lay down in a cool place. The mead will be ready to drink in between 3 and 6 months but can be kept much longer.

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