Spring Spuce Brown

I decided to brew this beer after seeing the spruce tree in my front yard sprouting an abnormally large amount of growth this year. After plucking a few tips, crushing them in my fingers, smelling them and tasting them, I thought they might make a nice substitution for hops in a mild brown beer. After reading a little on the net, I found that spruce beer was very common in the 16th and 17th centuries. It was used in place of hops by early American settlers, as well as sailors because the vitamin C provided by the spruce tips helped stave off scurvy.

Brewer:	Carl Hansen		Email:	carsbycarl@att.net
URL:	http://www.carsbycarl.com
Beer:	Spring Spuce Brown		Style:	American Brown
Type:	Extract w/grain		Size:	5 gallons
Color:	67 HCU (~27 SRM)		Bitterness:	17 IBU
OG:	1.059		FG:	1.010
Alcohol:	6.3% v/v (4.9% w/w)
Water:	Fresh Colorado tap water
Grain:	8 oz. American crystal 120L 8 oz. American chocolate
Steep:	Grains are to be steeped in a hop bag for twenty minutes prior to adding sugars and hops. 8oz of powdered suger was added to boost the alchohol a bit.
Boil:	60 minutes	SG 1.147	2 gallons
	7 lb. Amber malt extract 8 oz. Cane sugar
Hops:	1 oz. Simcoe (13% AA, 60 min.) 6 oz. Fresh Spruce Tips (30 min.) 3 oz. Fresh Spruce Tips (aroma)
Yeast:	Liquid 1056 yeast to be pitched at ~70 degrees.
Log:	-20 minute steeping of the grains before removal -60 minute boil of the malt and hops -5 to 10 day primary fermentation at ~70 degrees -5 to 10 days in the secondary at ~70 degrees -bottle with ~5oz honey and allow to condition for 7+ days.
Carbonation:	2.5 volumes	Honey: 5.06 oz. for 5 gallons @ 70°F
Tasting:	Will report back after tasting.

Recipe posted 05/22/07.