Hemlock

Ingredients
1

Has anyone out there used hemlock in a beer?  If so what are your thoughts and recommendations?

Thanks

2

So are you brewing up a batch of brew for some “friends” that you don’t really like or are you referring to one of the species of Tsuga?  :wink:

3

;D Just the Tsuga variety…

4

Here in southern maine we are surrounded by them.  I’ve read that it makes a nice vitamin C charged tea.  Was going to snip a bunch of the spring buds, as you would for any other evergreen adjunct but missed my chance.  Did get into the mountains recently where I found fir and spruce budding.  Filled up a sandwich bag and the resulting ale is bubbling away in primary as I type.  I think you are out of luck until next spring.  Cheers.

5

“Hemlock” caught my attention.  I remembered that being the poison used to kill Socrates.

Didn’t know it also referred to pine trees.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsuga
Tsuga = conifer (pine tree); smell of crushed foliage resembles poison hemlock
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conium
States that Poison Hemlock leaves emit a “rank, unpleasant odor sometimes compared to that of parsnips or mice.”

Yikes!

6

Hemlock poison  :o

I was planning on doing a Christmas beer using spruce tips if I ever get around to it.

7

I’ve only used eye of newt…

8

I thought you meant the poisonous variety too…

As to the tree, I guess you could use the tips just like spruce.  I’ve had a really good spruce stout once or twice.