Spruce mead

[celticinnbrewery]

Ok so I've read about using spruce tips as an addition for beer, and thought a spruce mead could be good as well. Anybody ever made any? What were your thoughts? Any recipe suggestions?

Thanks
~ CIB

 

[Bearmaul]

I think it could go pretty well in a gin influenced mead with juniper berries. It'd enhance the "Christmas tree" qualities of the gin flavor. Maybe with a hint of lime. I might have to do this in the near future.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

I think the higher ABV in mead might extract more from the spruce than beer would. I'd go slowly with it & taste it often to make sure it didn't end up tasting like turpentine. I do like spruce & juniper in a beer, but can only drink a couple of those in a sitting.
Regards, GF.

 

[fatbloke]

I've read of this a number of times, but I'm sorry, it just conjures up "pine fresh" toilet cleaner in my mind.......

 

[MarshmallowBlue]

In beer I believe they replace hops as the bittering agent during the boil. Never had a spruce beer though. but I imagine you would go the same route with spruce tips. I'd wait until spring I think though as you may find spruce tips hard to come by at a decent price.

 

[loveofrose]

I think I would try rosemary over spruce tips. Spruce tips can get rather resinous and I'm not entirely sure if it's possible to keep it from being overbearing. But hey, it's your mead!

 

[idickson]

I think the higher ABV in mead might extract more from the spruce than beer would. I'd go slowly with it & taste it often to make sure it didn't end up tasting like turpentine. I do like spruce & juniper in a beer, but can only drink a couple of those in a sitting.
Regards, GF.

I live in Alaska and I've actually steeped about a quart of spring spruce tips in vodka for a month and the high ABV didn't produce a nasty product. The vodka has a beautiful sprucey flavor, a silky mouthfeel, and a natural sweetness. I'm thinking of using it as an additive in another recipe. I think spruce (in moderation) might be a great additive to mead. Sounds very Norse to me.

 

[IJesusChrist]

I wonder if Vilod is still making that mead with Juniper berries mixed in?

 

[MarshmallowBlue]

I wonder if Vilod is still making that mead with Juniper berries mixed in?

That was just over the hill, so I'm sure it got burnt down. Hope he had insurance.