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DANDELION BEER
Posted under Herbal by adminSo use Nature’s free materials wherever you find them. Dandelions will grow under the most deprived, difficult conditions, in crannies along public footpaths, on railway embankments, on wasteland, even at rubbish dumps; but wherever they grow, they are still of great medicinal value to man. I have precious clumps growing at the side of my gravel driveway. The more I pick the leaves to use in salads and juice drinks, the more vigorously they grow. In midsummer I make up batches of Dandelion Beer, from an old Scottish recipe. Half the quantity can be tried first, as one pound weight of dandelions is quite a large amount to obtain at once. This recipe below makes nine or ten 30-ounce bottles.
Dandelion Beer
Pull up one pound weight of leaves and tap roots (not rootlets), wash well, add rind and juice of two lemons, then add two gallons of water. Boil for 1\4 hour. Strain the liquid over 2 lb. raw sugar, add 2 oz. cream of tartar, and half an envelope of lager yeast. (The original recipe called for fresh yeast, 3\4 of a cake, but the packaged yeast seems to make a better brew.) Let the liquid stand in stainless steel or porcelain bowls for three days, covering lightly. Never use aluminium vessels for making herb beers. Bottle in brown or dark green bottles, cork well, and it will be ready to drink in one week; but it will be even better if you leave it for two.
The beer is slightly bitter, more to be sipped than quaffed in one swallow, but most refreshing on a hot summer’s day. You can feel it doing you good.
*82\181\8*
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