Nettle Wine (1)

• 3 qts nettle tops
• 2 lbs granulated sugar
• 7-1/2 pts water
• 1 lemon
• 1 orange
• 1 tsp yeast nutrient
• wine yeast

Thinly peel the lemon and orange while bringing water to boil. Juice the lemon and orange. Place nettles, juice and lemon and orange peelings in in primary with sugar and yeast nutrient. Pour boiling water into primary and stir well to dissolve sugar. Cover with sanitized cloth and set aside to cool. When room temperature, add wine yeast. After five days of vigorous fermentation, strain liquid into secondary and attach airlock. When wine begins to clear, rack into clean secondary and refit airlock. After 3 months, rack into bottles. [Adapted from Steven A. Krause’s Wine from the Wilds ]