drink Fermentation Probiotic

Bolder Spruce Beer

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)
  • 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.
  • Age 1–2 weeks (flavor mellows but stays bold).

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 non-alcoholic version? Stop fermentation early or skip yeast!


Ça va faire une bonne bière d’épinette! 🌲🍁

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