Just found your forum today while searching for Spruce Ale. I have brewed Spruce Ale for 10 years, with great success.
The recipe is very simple:
6-6.5 pounds of dark DME
2 oz. hallertau hops (bittering)
1 pound 60 L crystal malt
dry ale yeast - I use Safale US-05
Spruce
Steep the crystal malt at 150 degrees for 20 minutes, strain, and add all other ingredients for a 60 minute boil. No other additions. Ferment for 2-3 weeks, then bottle with 1-1/4 cups dark DME.
For the Spruce, the smaller the tree the better, as the lower branches on large trees have less sap and flavor. I use 7-8 pieces of spruce, about 8-9" long each, from the ends of the branches. Rinse the spruce well in cold water to remove spider webs, bugs, and bird droppings.
I have always brewed this ale in August, when the spruce trees have finished growing and have lots of light-green new growth.
The Spruce aroma and flavor tend to fade significantly after 3-4 months, so this is best consumed while fresh. If the initial flavor is too strong for your taste, let it age another month before sampling.
I have never tried using any other type of evergreen in a beer.