[tschmidlin]

I like juniper in beers, but it doesn't taste like Christmas trees to me.

[morticaixavier]

I like juniper in beers, but it doesn't taste like Christmas trees to me.

how often do you chew on christmas trees Tom? I know they look all pretty and cake like when they are decorated but that's pretty extreme!

[tschmidlin]

I like juniper in beers, but it doesn't taste like Christmas trees to me.

how often do you chew on christmas trees Tom? I know they look all pretty and cake like when they are decorated but that's pretty extreme!

Every year after Christmas I eat our tree.  Good fiber

[bo]

I like juniper in beers, but it doesn't taste like Christmas trees to me.

how often do you chew on christmas trees Tom? I know they look all pretty and cake like when they are decorated but that's pretty extreme!

Every year after Christmas I eat our tree.  Good fiber

I take the responsible route and discard mine in a landfill.

[jindenver]

Tremendous responses! Thanks for everything you guys are saying!

I've heard about Simcoe, and it's been recommended, but my local homebrew store doesn't have any in stock. I love the idea of going for tips specifically -- and I was just using Pine as a catch-all for that type of tree, though spruce was my (albeit unvoiced) intention. I live in Colorado, and my intent was to head up to the hills and snip some real tips and use those, but obviously the time of year has some effect. Does anyone think that the time of year will ruin it, or can I just boil them for an hour and roll with that? And to be clear (I'm a rookie, sorry) you're saying boil them for an hour, and then proceed with the rest of the recipe in that boil, right?

Also, the suggestion of yarrow is VERY interesting, something I'm definitely going to read up on before I brew this weekend.

Thanks for some amazing suggestion!

[jindenver]

unfotunatly, if you want to use real pine you are brewing at the wrong time of year. you want to use the fresh light green tips of the branches as they start growing in the spring. I beleive you want to use spruce but I cannot now recall the particular varieties favored.

Sitka spruce is favored, from further north is supposed to be better.  For what it's worth, the new growth of Sitka will not give you a piney aroma, it is much more citrusy.  I like it a lot.  If you've ever had Alaskan Winter, they use Sitka spruce in that.

No Sitka Spruce here in Colorado unfortunately, but you've inspired me to research what species we do have out here, that might be useful for my zymurgic pursuits. Also, I don't think Zymurgic is a word, but I don't care :-)

Thank you!

[tschmidlin]

When you boil the tips for an hour, you just throw them in as if they are 60 minute hops.  You can also boil them in water for an hour and use that as your mash water, although if I remember right Pete said there was no real advantage to doing that.

For the fresh spring growth Sitka tips I use a quart in a 5-gallon batch, another recommendation from Pete.  For out of season tips I'd probably use less, they aren't going to be as sweet as the new growth tips.  I'd probably boil some in water first to see if I liked the flavor too.

[kylekohlmorgen]

A brewery 'round here (Sun King) made a great beer with pine needles called "Norwegian Blue".

If you contact them, I'm sure they will give you some pointers:

www.sunkingbrewing.com

@sunkingbrewing