Anyone ever "spruce" up a winter warmer?

I recently had a bottle of Yard's Tavern Spruce and found it to be an exceptional brew. Thought maybe I'd try adding spruce to a winter warmer. Has anyone here ever tried this?

Not really a winter warmer but I spruced a 10% abv Belgian golden strong ale. It was great but it took a long time for the spruce to shine and the alcoholic hotness to mellow. And I only used a half bottle of spruce essence, If I do it again I would add a full bottle. I think it would be awesome in a winter warmer.

Fresh spruce tips are really expensive @ $25.99 for 8oz. but I think the results might be worth it.

Wow, where do you live? If you're in the right place you may find them wild when they are in season. I know I can't, pine is about the only coniferous tree around here.

pine tips may be interesting

Dang, at 25.99/ half lb I should get into the business

A spruced beer is on my list for next spring when our white spruces having new growth. It doesn't sound like a good summer beer though, so maybe I would brew it in August into a winter warmer for December-March consumption. Guess that means I would freeze the spruce tips from June through August.

We have tons of small spruces on our property, so getting some won't be an issue. Most areas should have access to spruces I would think.

roastquake said:

Wow, where do you live? If you're in the right place you may find them wild when they are in season. I know I can't, pine is about the only coniferous tree around here.

pine tips may be interesting

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I live in Pennsylvania so there are plenty of coniferous trees around but I think the tips should be harvested in May.

I made a spruce beer this spring with fresh tips. I'm thinking I used 13.4 oz for 12 gallons. It has taken some time to mellow. I couldn't even drink the hydro samples I pulled. Now It actually tastes good. I haven't had one in a while. I'm hoping it continues to get better. I might try this again using a barrel in the spring. I doubt I'd pay 25 for fresh tips though.

I'm motivated now so I may make the investment but next spring I'll be harvesting my own and solbes and I are going to start a spruce tip business.

I did forget to say how the tips clogged my dip tube. A royal pain. I'd use some sort of hop bag or filter. It wasn't fun trying to get it unplugged.

deadfall said:

I made a spruce beer this spring with fresh tips. I'm thinking I used 13.4 oz for 12 gallons. It has taken some time to mellow. I couldn't even drink the hydro samples I pulled. Now It actually tastes good. I haven't had one in a while. I'm hoping it continues to get better. I might try this again using a barrel in the spring. I doubt I'd pay 25 for fresh tips though.

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I'll be using close to the same ratio, 8oz. for a 5 gallon batch. Do you recall at what point in the boil you added the spruce? I'm thinking that I'd add them with 10-15 min left in the boil.

I put them in at 60 minutes.

I've used fresh spruce tips, unfortunately, they're only available in spring. Don't use anything but the tips [insert jokes here], the woody part of the tree and regular needles won't do well in your brew.

On a somewhat related note, a lot of the traditional spruce ales used molasses. Be careful not to overdo the molasses, the flavor can really take over the final product.

I plan to add 2 or 2.5 oz bright green tips at 10 minutes for a 5.75 gallon batch. I want some sprucy, but not so much sprucy.

I'm thinking Biergut and I could sell tips for $18.99/ 8 oz and offer some real value to our customers Still can't believe someone sells an almost free raw material for $50/lb.

Good "tip" on the molasses, I might add a small addition to my recipe for next year.

Here is a really good thread about using spruce, but basically it recommends a 60 min boil:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/what-i-learned-about-brewing-spruce-269751/

JR_Brewer said:

Here is a really good thread about using spruce, but basically it recommends a 60 min boil:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/what-i-learned-about-brewing-spruce-269751/

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Interesting. Thanks.

I am planning on using the tips I harvested this spring and froze in a x-mas gruit/winter warmer. I seem to have a few pounds of them and will make a x2 batch.

Anyone ever done juniper berries? I have some for my corned beef brine, but was curious . . .

Juniper berries are also a pretty popular one. Don't buy spruce or juniper, I don't know if you can find these where you live but here is a website for identifying spruce. Once you identify them you'll see them everywhere and it doesn't take a lot to get flavor. You can make spruce tea to get a good idea of how much flavor you like. Plus spruce tea is nice and refreshing by itself

Did you brew this? If you do I'd be interested in a trade. Mines going on 5+ months old and getting better all the time....

deadfall said:

Did you brew this? If you do I'd be interested in a trade. Mines going on 5+ months old and getting better all the time....

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I have not. Buying spruce tips at $80 per pound (or whatever it was) seems unreasonable so I'm going to try harvesting my own in the spring, brewing and then aging til the colder months.

BierGut said:

I have not. Buying spruce tips at $80 per pound (or whatever it was) seems unreasonable so I'm going to try harvesting my own in the spring, brewing and then aging til the colder months.

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I don't blame you. If you ever do let me know. I'd be interested to see how someone else's turns out.

Teromous said:

Juniper berries are also a pretty popular one. Don't buy spruce or juniper, I don't know if you can find these where you live but here is a website for identifying spruce. Once you identify them you'll see them everywhere and it doesn't take a lot to get flavor. You can make spruce tea to get a good idea of how much flavor you like. Plus spruce tea is nice and refreshing by itself

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Harvesting spruce seems like a good idea, but maybe be careful with juniper. I was just reading The Drunken Botanist by Amy Stewart and she mentions that several species of juniper are toxic and may be difficult to distinguish, so I'd try to get reputable confirmation that I was harvesting only j. communis communis.