I’ve heard that spruce tips should be added for at least 60 minutes in the boil, because extracting the spruce aromas and flavors takes more time than with hops. Does anyone know about how to use spruce? My question is whether adding the spruce at the end of the boil, or even dry-hopping with it, would yield anything at all.
I always boil them for 60 minutes. I’ve never tried late additions or dry-sprucing. I would make a tea and boil it for different time and see what you think.
Hi CFleisher,
I was told by Pete Devaris (I think) that you should not add spruce tips at any point other than 60 minutes. Definitely don’t dry hop with them. I’ve had great success adding spruce tips at the beginning of the boil. Good luck!
Cheers,
Janis
Wow, Janis, I didn’t think the words “success” and “spruce tips” could be used in the same sentence! 
LOL, Denny!
That was in a Koelsch no less! It was tasty and spruce-y all the way to the end. One thing to note is that the measurement of the spruce tips should be by weight, not volume, I believe. Check with Devaris to confirm. (He gave a great talk on this subject at the Homebrewers Conference in Las Vegas.)
Cheers,
Janis
My preferred weight for an addition of spruce tips is zero.
Worst. Beer. I. Ever. Made.
But you may enjoy it, so go forth and experiment.
Wasn’t that Geoff Larsen of Alaska Brewing?
My experience exactly!
Hi Jeff,
Yeah, I think he gave the talk, but afterward I had a really good conversation about it with Pete.
Cheers,
Janis
Denny,
I can send you my recipe. I used the beer recipe from Big Brew. Now that I think about it, the measurement for the spruce tips is opposite what I said before. It is a volume measurement, not a weight measurement. I think. Ugh, too much database work…
Cheers,
Janis
Gee, Janis…um…uh…I’m sure it was a great beer, but once in my life is more than enough! 
I saw the talk in Vegas too, and I agree with Janis’s recollection. 60 minutes, go by volume not weight because the tips can vary in weight depending on the weather around the time they are picked. He recommended one quart per 5 gallons as a starting point. Sitka spruce was preferred, although I had one recently with Douglas fir tips that was excellent and similar to the Sitka spruce beers I’ve had.
A quart per 5 gallons??? Seems like you’d be chewing on a tree with that much.
Hi guys,
I used Colorado Blue Spruce tips for mine (I live too far away from Sitka, AK). I think I didn’t use a full quart for my brew, since I didn’t know how much I would like it, especially since I was trying it in a lighter beer style than most spruce beers. I’ll check my notes for the amount I used.
Denny,
My first taste of a smoked beer was a homebrew from someone who loves a TON of smoke character, and I really didn’t like it. Luckily I have ventured to try other smoke beers and have been pleasantly surprised by a few. If I make my Grizzly Koelsch again, I’ll save a bottle for you to try.
Cheers,
Janis
Janis, if you make it, I’ll try it! BTW, I pretty much feel the same way about smoked beers that I do about spruce beers! In spite of my BVIP recipe, I really prefer beer flavored beer.
I can picture a bitter or pilsner lover saying the same about your rye IPA.
Possibly, but I think that’s more of a question of style preference than beer flavoring…of course, I would think that!
I agree. I want the barbeque I’m eating with the beer delivering the smoky flavor, not the beer itself.
+1 While I like to try a smoked beer once in a while, I’m not a huge fan. I once ordered a Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier MÃrzen before my meal at the local brewpub. Every part of my meal tasted like it was filtered through a campfire - even the salad!
i had success starting my camp fire with spruce tips 8)