For a traditional Quebec-style spruce beer with a bold, complex flavor—balancing earthy bitterness, piney resin, and a touch of sweetness—here’s an authentic recipe and method. This version mimics the old-fashioned “bière d’épinette” brewed with foraged spruce and wild fermentation.
Québec Spruce Beer Recipe (1 Gallon / 4L Batch)
Bold, earthy, and slightly medicinal—like the old fur traders drank!
Ingredients:
- 4 cups fresh spruce tips (young, bright green) or 2 cups dried (if fresh unavailable)
- handful of young tender twigs bruised and crushed.
- 1–2 mature spruce twigs (5–8mm thick, 4–6″ long) for bitterness
- 1 spruce green cone, sliced and crushed for a stronger turpentine flavour
- 1 cups dark molasses (or 1/2cup maple syrup + ½ cup brown sugar for a Quebec twist) substituted white sugar this time for a cleaner taste and to avoid explosions (1-1/4 cup)
- 1 gallon spring water (non-chlorinated)
- 1 lemon (juiced, for acidity)
- 1/2 cup of ginger bug wild yeast (optional) or 1/4 tsp champagne yeast (EC-1118)
- 1 tbsp grated ginger (traditional for bite)
Brewing Process
1. Prepare the Spruce
- Rinse spruce tips and twigs lightly.
- Crush twigs with a rolling pin to release resins.
2. Boil the Spruce Extract
- Bring water to a boil, then add:
- Spruce tips + twigs
- Ginger + lemon juice
- Simmer 30–45 mins (longer = more bitter, up to 1 hour for boldness).
- Strain out solids (press to extract all flavor).
3. Sweeten & Cool
- Stir in molasses until dissolved.
- Cool to 75°F (24°C).
4. Ferment Wild or Pitched
- Wild yeast method: Cover with cloth, leave 2–3 days until bubbly.
- Controlled method: Add champagne yeast, ferment 5–7 days.
5. Bottle & Age
- Bottle with 1 tsp sugar per 12oz bottle for carbonation.
- Use swing top bottles (Grolsch style) with a good seal.
I found a Make Your Own Wine store nearby to purchase used Grolsch bottles. Reading reviews online can be hit or miss receiving some broken glass. I made a batch at first but some of the old seals were worn out so I bought some food grade silicone gaskets from Amazon. The one’s I purchased were called Otis Classic. I opted for Food Grade ones that came in a pack of 100 pcs from Amazon which have been working great without wearing out. I also have a pack of 100 piece LD Carlson company Grolsch gaskets which I got from the Toronto Brewing which are made of rubber if you want to be more authentic to the original Grolsch bottles, but I heard the rubber wears out more easily than the silicone. If you can’t find the bottles locally, these have been popular around home bottlers from Amazon called the Yeboda in 16 oz. Better yet, you can pick up the Otis Bottles from Amazon in either amber or clear. You will be able to fit a bit more inside since the Grolsch bottles are technically 12 oz. I do prefer the green bottles as I love the colour. Green is better than clear bottles at blocking UV light, but amber is best. However, you shouldn’t be storing it where light is an issue and you can just pick the bottle that you enjoy, just make sure the fit between the seal and the bottle is strong so you don’t lose the carbonation. If you need replacement cages, you can get them also from Amazon here. I haven’t tried those cages, I bought a handful from Toronto Brewing, if you are around they are in Downsview and have a lot of accessories. They probably ship also, but there will be shipping compared to Amazon. I did find them helpful in guidance, asking and answering questions related to tools required.
Key Flavor Notes
- Bitter: From mature twigs + long boil.
- Earthy/Piney: Fresh spruce tips dominate.
- Sweet-Deep: Molasses adds richness (maple syrup makes it more Quebec-style).
- Gingery Zing: Balances resinous notes.
Traditional Variations
- “Bière de Sucre” (Sugar Beer): Swap molasses for pure maple syrup (lighter, sweeter).
- “Bière Sauvage” (Wild Brew): Skip yeast, let airborne microbes ferment (funkier, sour edge).
- “Bière de Campagne” (Country Beer): Add juniper berries for extra bite.
Serving
- Drink chilled (but not ice-cold—flavor opens up around 50°F/10°C).
- Pairs with Quebec tourtière (meat pie) or sharp cheddar.
Why This Works
- Twigs + long boil = bitter backbone.
- Molasses = historic Quebec flavor (like 1800s lumberjack brew).
- Wild yeast (if used) = funky, old-world complexity.
Want a alcoholic version? Continue fermentation for 1-2 weeks before bottling.
Ça va faire une bonne bière d’épinette! 🌲🍁
