Spruce IPA?

Hello all,

I've got plenty of fresh spruce growth around here, and it's been tempting me. I used some last year in Papazian's "Goat Scrotum Porter" and I could pick out the spruce flavor and really liked it. Has anyone tried it in an IPA? Would it compete too much or be hidden by the big hop/flavor aroma? The IPA I'm about to brew is close to a Two Hearted clone.

Thanks in advance!

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There is a similar thread on here about using spruce. All I can say is Harpoon's Vermont Spruce ale is simply fantastic...and I don't like ANY of there beers. I think the other thread also pointed out that Alaskan Brewing also does one.

Chinook seems to be the hop of choice to help with the piney taste. Good luck!

I've been wanting to try this as well. I found a pine with an interesting aroma couple of years ago but it was on protected land. I have not got around to going up north to find it on state land since.

I've had Alaskan Brewing's Spruce Ale and it's pretty good. Though the spruce flavor was different than I had imagined, and the stuff I found was more citrusy than sprucey..

ITreeA?

TheCatman said:

ITreeA?

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Nice!

Thanks for the advice so far folks. Any more is appreciated as well!

TheCatman said:

ITreeA?

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LOL! Excellent!

Well, brewed it last night and it's fermenting like crazy right now. Will let everyone know how it turns out in a month or so!

I am interested also. There were a couple threads going on discussing brewing in the 1600's and 1700's with spruce.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/dry-hopping-my-spruce-tip-ideas-299305/

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/17th-century-french-beer-166923/index2.html

Just pulled a sample tonight two weeks after brewing. It's down to 1.004 which I really didn't expect. VERY sprucey right now, but that's not a bad thing. I'm guessing it will round out and balance a bit with age too.

Spring is right around the corner. Any of you previous posters giving this any thougt. I've been thinking about it.

Good on you for trying this, Lowtones!

I'm waiting for it to warm up, and then am planning a one-gallon balsam fir infused scotch ale. Sweet and tree-ish is what I'm aiming for!

I actually really enjoy throwing a few spruce tips into chili on early spring canoe trips!

Keep up the thread - I'm really curious as to how this turns out.

Sorry I haven't kept up this thread. But in short-it's awesome. Early on it's a little intense but 5-6 months later it's great. Even some people who aren't into experimental beers or even IPA's are digging it now. Balance and round out with age was totally right. Very dry, sort of hoppy and a bit sprucey at almost 6 months after brewing. It was good before this, but only for people who enjoy very unique beers, I think.

Thanks! Your story of success has pretty much sealed the deal - The balsam fir ale project is a go in a few weeks.

Do it. I've never used fir and don't really know of others doing it, but why not?

I picked out the lucky balsam fir at work this afternoon!

What type of spruce did you use? You'll have to excuse me, I'm part forest ranger...and white spruce have a bad reputation as Christmas trees around here because some people say they smell like cat pee.

Of course, I've heard the same thing used to be said about North American hops.

To be honest I'm not entirely sure. I only know how to identify spruce in general by needle cross section and the way the needles are arranged on the branches. I gathered from a variety though, some was definitely from a type of blue spruce but I didn't use too much from it because it seemed stronger in fragrance. Another I gathered from was a very large (tall) type where the branches drooped a bit more. I was gathering all fresh growth so I didn't want to take too much from any one tree. Is ranger actually part of your occupation? I was always interested in that...

Hmm. Blue Spruce does has a nicer smell than standard white spruce around here.

Once it really starts warming up, see if you can get a few pollen cones, or male buds - they'll be pinkish, if the blue spruce in Indiana are like the ones grown around MB - they make a nice, sweet, resiny tea. The fir tip brew is on for March, and early May, I'm planning on trying to use pollen cones from white spruce as my flavour/aroma hops in an ESB type thing.

I work in a park setting here, as an education specialist - did forestry in university, and have worked park patrol and will be seconded to that role from time to time. Hence, "part forest ranger." Also, this is why I have access to lots of trees - spruce, balsam, etc., from which to glean a few growing tips or buds use them in a brew!