Meadowsweet Beer

Whilst out walking last weekend I noticed that there was a lot of Meadowsweet on the walk and I wondered if you could do anything with it.  I have found this recipe which sounds promising and I have all the ingredients in house.  So hopefully when OH gets back from fishing tomorrow we will be able to go for a walk and I will be able to gather some (pending the weather being ok) and have a go at making this.  It is supposed to be a light refreshing beer.

The recipe is from Gail Duff's The Countryside Cookbook:

Ingredients

4oz/125g meadowsweet leaves
1lb/450g malt extract
8oz/225g light brown demerara sugar
1 gallon (8 pints)/4.6 litres water
1/2 oz/15g dried yeast
1/2 teaspoon/2.5ml brown sugar per 575ml (1 pint bottle)

Method

Boil the meadowsweet leaves in 3 pints/ 1.725 litres of water for 15 minutes.  Dissolve the malt and the sugar in a further 3 pints/1.725 litres of water in a large container.  Strain the meadowsweet liquid on to the malt and sugar reserving the meadowsweet.

Boil the meadowsweet for a further 10 minutes in 2 pints of water/1.15 litres.  Strain the liquid onto the malt and sugar solution this time discarding the meadowsweet.

Cool the liquid to lukewarm and sprinkle the yeast on top.  Leave the beer covered until it begins to ferment.  Then put it in a warm place for three days or until fermentation stops.

Rack off the beer and bottle it adding 2.5 ml (1/2 teaspoon) of sugar to each 575ml/1 pint bottle.  Seal tightly and leave the beer undisturbed until it is clear (about 1 week) before opening.

So hopefully I will be playing tomorrow evening.

I don't know what this tastes like but unless I make it I never will know.  If I dont't like it then I will not make again, but equally if it is quite nice will put some down on a yearly basis.