Fermenting

Carrollj

Hey,
Over the weekend i decided that i'd try my hand at making some Nettle Beer. I followed the "River Cottage" recipe. It's been sitting somewhere warm since monday and i understand i'm meant to bottle it after 2-3 days or until it's fermented??

The only problem is is that i don't know if it is or what it'll look like when it does!

Help please!!

Cheers

guildofevil

Can you point us at the river cottage recipe you used?

Carrollj

Hey, yep here it is

http://www.channel4.com/food/recipes/chefs/hugh-fearnley-whittingstall/nettle-beer-recipe_p_1.html

Thanks

oblivious

Carrollj wrote: »

The only problem is is that i don't know if it is or what it'll look like when it does

Anything like this:


Also you should be able to smell it too

Carrollj

Ok... it looks nothing like that. There somes to be something happening at the bottom but nothing on the surface

oblivious

Ok, it may not produce much activity, does it have a noticeable smell?

What yeast did you add?

Carrollj

I used brewers yeast powder, as i said there's some activity on the bottom of the barrell but nothing really on top. It smells pretty close to the way it did when it went in.

Thanks for the help

oblivious

Sounds like the yeast may have not taken off, add some more of the same or at a pinch if you can't get brewers yeast try bread yeast

All the best

Carrollj

Thanks very much

BeerNut

Carrollj wrote: »

I used brewers yeast powder

Is that the food supplement sold in health food shops? I'm not sure that's viable for brewing.

Carrollj

Yeah that's the one... Should i start all over again?

Carrollj

any ideas where i can get yeast for brewing in Dublin?

BeerNut

Not in shops, unfortunately. You could contact these guys and ask them to post the yeast to you instead of paying full courier costs.

Though, actually, if you're going to do this again it could be worth your while getting a few bits of brewing essentials: a hydrometer and sample jar, for instance.

oblivious

That brewers yeast powder is inactivated yeast, with the hop oils removed from their cell wall

FlipperThePriest

Carrollj wrote: »

Yeah that's the one... Should i start all over again?

You don't really have to start over, just syphon your wort off the inactive yeast which will be lying on the bottom, and put your new yeast in when you get it. I made the same mistake 1st time round with wine, and it feremented no probs once I replaced with active yeast.

Carrollj

Thanks for the help guys.. Just have to get the active yeast and i'll be away.

Thanks again

FarmerGreen

I've used Allinsons bread making yeast and even Tesco quick acting
when Ive run out of the proper stuff.

BaZmO*

oblivious wrote: »

That brewers yeast powder is inactivated yeast, with the hop oils removed from their cell wall

Hop Oils?

oblivious

BaZmO* wrote: »

Hop Oils?

yep oils from hops, there is a patent to remove them from the yeast cells walls

Carrollj

Cheers Farmer, i've used the Tesco yeast and it's beginning to work. Thanks for that.

The next thing is the dreaded exploding bottle! I've read that if it explodes that shards of glass can go get stuck in walls etc... I was just wondering once i bottle it will i leave the bottles outside.. for safety sake!

oblivious

Carrollj wrote: »

The next thing is the dreaded exploding bottle! I've read that if it explodes that shards of glass can go get stuck in walls etc... I was just wondering once i bottle it will i leave the bottles outside.. for safety sake!

Invest in a hydrometer, if the gravity is below 1.015-1.016 you should be ok

thelynchfella

speaking of hydrometers, anyone in dublin got a spare one lying around for this broke unemployed sole!!?? mine got smashed the weekend!!:(
Or know anywhere in dublin that sells them, i dont want to buy one online as the delivery is more expensive than the thing itself!!

BeerNut

thelynchfella wrote: »

i dont want to buy one online as the delivery is more expensive than the thing itself!!

You could always ask (here or on another forum) if anyone's putting in an order with a supplier that you could piggy-back your hydrometer on for free.

Carrollj

Cheers again guys, i'm desperate to drink it. I'll probably find it hard to get one without an online purchase. Cheers guys

Carrollj

This is gonna sound pretty stupid but... i know you need a hydrometer for fish tanks so would it be possible to get one in pet shops??

oblivious

Carrollj wrote: »

This is gonna sound pretty stupid but... i know you need a hydrometer for fish tanks so would it be possible to get one in pet shops??

If the scale is the same as the pic I poster then yea, just give it a good clean

Carrollj

Spot on.. If this works out then onto the stout

oblivious

Carrollj wrote: »

Spot on.. If this works out then onto the stout

But not with bread yeast;)

Carrollj

exactly... cheers man i'll let you know how it turns out

bionic.laura

Report back on how the nettle wine turned out. I made a batch of it before and it was pretty horrible. I've had beer with nettle in it and that was pretty tasty though. Oh and if it doesn't work out don't give up on the brewing. My first two brews were a disaster but then I figured it all out. Best of luck.

Carrollj

Cheers Bionic will do.. lets just hope the bottles don't explode