Alys's Nettle Wash

[Mash]

I watched "The edible garden" yesterday. A very watchable but over produced, content free, gardeners world production.

They made nettle beer, which from the outset I thought would be shite, I was smugly pleased when the tasting confirmed this.

However..
Nettle is a nitrogen rich plant.
I currently use Kale for similar properties.

Nettle has a centuries old medicinal reputation.

Kale is expensive for those who don't grow it. Nettles are far more widely available

I feel a tester coming on. Now where are my rubber gloves...

[Phantom]

Nettle beer is one of those old historic products that fell out of fashion.

Sure, if you wanna give it a go but I'm thinking most of the content would come from sugar anyway so likely an experiment is all it's worth.......

Bit different if you're aiming at some posh single malt type product but given the cost of fermentables for neutral/vodka, it'd just be hassle of collecting and making without getting stung........

[chill]

The only place I have seen nettles is in the posh farmer's market. Kale is far cheaper and readily available here. I don't see why this would not be a good replacement for kale.

[Mash]

My plan is for neutral.
I will use the kale recipe and just grab some nettles out of the hedgerow. .... With a glove!!

[Easydrinker]

It would be a seasonal wash, Here you might harvest nettles 5 months of the year, but we then have them in abundance
I do understand Mashes point, which may have been missed by others, he is pondering the use of nettle as a food source for yeast, not a flavouring.

Robert.