Spruce Tips

[mthibodeau]

Aside from the obvious, ie the forest, anybody know where I can get spruce tips?

[Woody]

The forest is the only place I know of. I'll be adding some to my upcoming winter ale in the fall.

[mthibodeau]

OK thanks,

I was wondering because from what I have read the best time to harvest them is in the spring with the new growth and I didn't think to do a spruce beer then

[Woody]

Your questions prompted me to look in the back yard at the spruce tips. For some reason I thought they would get bigger and waiting would be a good idea. I see you are correct that harvesting in the spring is best. I see they freeze well so I'll be getting on this soon. Thanks for posting.

[GillettBreweryCnslt]

IMO, the best tips for beer are not actually spruce but balsam fir. They are both very common here and easily distinguished by the needle pattern. The ends of the balsam fir branches are flat as the needles grow essentially on a single plane, whereas the spruce needles grow out of the branch all the way around.

http://novascotia.ca/natr/christmastrees/balsamfir.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I find balsam to be sweeter and more aromatic. But, that's just IMO.

Dave

[mthibodeau]

Dave, like spruce do they produce fresh green tips in spring? Or is there a best part of the branches/tips to use? The recommendations for spruce are pretty specific, ie get the tips while they are fresh and green,

edit: or where to get my hands on some?

[GillettBreweryCnslt]

I have lots of both types trees in the woods around me and yes, same thing, get the soft and new tips. Now is a good time grab them.

[spears104]

You still have time to get spruce tips as the black spruce are later than white spruce and are just starting to elongate now.

[mthibodeau]

so after looking up how to identify the black spruce and the balsam fir I found that I have some fir trees in my yard, and collected up some tips. Do I just freeze them? Or like hops do they need to be dried some first?

[Jayme]

You can just vacuum seal them and freeze them, no need to dry first.

[mthibodeau]

Awesome, thanks

[GasMD30]

Can any of you guys attach pictures of what a fir and what a black and what a white spruce looks like? They are all pokey green plants to me (not really but you get my drift)

[the-mailman]

This site has some good pictures.

http://novascotia.ca/natr/forestry/treeid/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[mthibodeau]

Also the fir needles has two white stripes on the underside, made it really easy to confirm that's what it was

[Toni]

Both fir and hemlock have the white stripes on the underside.

[Jayme]

Fir needles are flat, spruce are not. I've always found that the quickest way to tell.

[pet lion]

Picked some spruce tips today. Think this year it will be a pale ale not an IPA for which they will be used.