Spruce/Christmas Tree Ale, ideas needed!

[RobWalker]

It's that time of year when we can't leave the house any more so we resort to whacky bonkers brewing ideas. You know the kind, that guy who wants to brew a south pacific ale using his leftover hawthorne berries or a wine from cabbage and swede....etc etc.

So I had one of these last night, and I'd like to brew one. I liked the flavour, but I really had to swill it around to get it, being a pub ale and all.

http://www.ilkleybrewery.co.uk/our-beers/item/the-norseman

Brewed in collaboration with renowned writer and beer sommelier Jane Peyton, The Norseman was inspired by the exploits of Yorkshire legend Captain Cook who drank spruce beer on his ships of discovery. Celebrating English hops and with the addition of locally foraged spruce, it is a 5% ruby/brown ale. Soft bitterness, sweet resin with pine and herbs on the nose.

So, any experiences, suggestions, don't do it it's disgusting?

Both hops sound great, Simcoe is an obvious choice too but I don't want to overdo the pine. I've got some first gold that want using too, but I would like to gear the hops to a lemon flavour, as that really came through in the ale. I'm happy to order a decent aroma/flavour hop, but I'm not looking for a huge schedule. Would I need to lower the bitterness? I know pine needles can be used to supply bitterness and don't want it insepid. Also, what about some lemon and orange peel in the boil?

It definitely wasn't a ruby/brown ale, it was pretty light. The malt bill is a no brainer on this one in that case, just pale malt with wheat I guess, maybe a drab of roasted barley for colour.

Yeast? English ale I guess?

Any ideas welcome. :cheers: