Spruce Beer
By: Anonymous
Published: Saturday, February 13, 2010 - 8:43pm

Ingredients




5 gals pure water
3 pounds unsulphured molasses - (to 6)
1 pkt yeast
1 quart Sitka or white spruce needles or tips

Preparation

1 Boil about one gallon of water for at least 30 minutes, then steep the needles or tips for about half an hour. Drain out the needles and add 3 to 6 pounds of unsulphured molasses to the spruce-flavored water, depending on taste. (Optional: Adding 3 pounds of Blue Ribbon hop-flavored malt at this point will improve the taste but is not part of the original recipe.) 2 Add water to make 5 gallons. Cool the mixture to about 70 degrees and add yeast. Keep the mixture at about 70 degrees for several days, then move it to a cooler spot (about 50 degrees ) until fermentation stops. The process will take 10 to 14 days, sometimes longer. 3 When fermentation ceases, the beer is ready to bottle or drink, but will improve if it is allowed to age in the bottle. (Note: The alcohol content varies between 6 and 9 percent, depending on the amount of molasses.) 4 Description: "Most hunting seasons are closed and winter's dragging on. Try this recipe to add cheer to the coldest days of winter."