Wild Drinks

WILD & SPIRITED

How about brewing something tasty from the wild? Everyone knows about traditional country wines, Sloe Gin and Elderflower Champagne that our grandparents used to make, but there are a host of others. Shop-bought alcoholic drinks and wines are so cheap these days that people don't experiment anymore. But do give the wild booze a try!

Beech leaves will soon be unfurling, and whilst they are young and fresh try making Beech Leaf Noyau. There are a number of recipes which offer gin or brandy (or both!) as its base. Searching around on the internet will throw up all sorts of recipes so that you can find some which take your fancy.

Some drinks and brews take up to a year to mature and seeing the bottles sitting on a shelf when you are desperate to have a sample swig is frustrating, but if you try out some faster maturing recipes throughout the seasons, that year will disappear before your eyes (or sooner if you do a lot of sampling!)

For those of you who are still impatient, try Dandelion and Burdock Beer or Dandelion Ale both of which are delicious and take only days to become drinkable. Guests at the recent Really Wild Dining Club at Morgan's Restaurant in St Davids were treated to Nettle beer, another tasty brew that is speedy to produce.

Heather Ale, Spruce Beer and Birch Sap Wine will also smooth the passage of a twelve month wait so there is no need for complete abstinence or turning in desperation to commercial vino!

Cheers!!

Nettle Beer

900g (2lb) Young Nettle Tops
4.5lt (8 pints) Water
450g (1lb) Demerara Sugar
2 Lemons
25g (1 oz) Cream of Tartar
15g (½oz) Brewers or Wine Yeast

Rinse and drain the nettles.
Finely peel the lemons, removing only the outer waxy layer, squeeze the juice.
Place the nettles and water into a large saucepan and bring to the boil, boil for 15 minutes. 
Strain the liquid into a large container and add the lemon rind and juice and cream of tartar. Stir well.
Allow it to cool to about 21°C (70°F), remove a little of the liquid and mix with the yeast, then add the yeast mixture to the liquid and stir.
Cover the container with a clean cloth and ensure that the cloth does not come into contact with the liquid.
Leave in a warm place 21°C (70°F) for 3 days.
Strain the liquid into strong bottles and cork.
Secure the corks with wire, leaving a little play (for possible expansion)
Store the bottles in a cool dark place.
If the corks begin to rise, release the wire slightly and re-secure.
The beer should be ready to drink after one week.

Beech Noyau

A noyau is a cordial made from brandy, gin, cognac etc. This, however, is a classic British version, using young beech leaves.

Ingredients:

1 bottle of gin (700ml)
225g white sugar
200ml brandy
400ml young beech leaves

Method:

Only use very young beech leaves, freshly stripped from the stem. Add these to a bottle or glass jar (with a secure lid) until the vessel is half full. Add the bottle of gin then stopper the jar and store for 3 weeks before straining the alcohol off.

Meanwhile add the sugar and 300ml water to a pan and bring to a boil. Take off the heat and allow to cool before mixing with the flavoured gin and the brandy. Pour into bottles and store.

This makes an excellent mixer and can even be drunk neat. It's well worth making and I guarantee that everyone you serve it to will go mad for it.

Cheers!!