Spruce Budd Ale is flowing and the first Fort George Summer BBQ happens tomorrow starting at 2pm. Vortex IPA, Spruce Budd Ale, Coffee Girl Stout and North-II Grand Crüe will be pouring in the parking lot with Cicada Omega playing starting at 2pm. Perfect accompaniment for the 40 pounds of BBQ’d beef brisket that Dana has smoked for 8 hours. The band will be playing until 4pm but the BBQ will go until 7pm. Below you will see the press release for more info on Spruce Budd Ale and in the last blog post you can read up on the band, Cicada Omega. We hope to see you tomorrow.
You’ve heard of Tree-Hugger… Now comes Tree-Drinker
Spruce Budd Ale: Fort George Brewery + Public House’s Latest Eclectic Beer
Fort George brewers finally got a legitimate beer-making reason to venture outside the brewery to enjoy the nice weather we’ve been having. They laced up their hiking boots and set out in the ripe forests of Clatsop County to gather 30 pounds of fresh, bright green, Sitka Spruce buds. The result—what they’re calling the perfect summer ale.
Spruce Budd Ale, is now flowing at the Fort George Brewery + Public House in Astoria, Oregon. This style of beer replaces hops with spruce. For this particular batch, Fort George brewers used about two-thirds of their handpicked spruce buds in the initial boil, and during fermentation, “dry spruced” it with the rest. The aroma unmistakably reflects this walk in the trees, while the flavor of citrus comes through in tasting.
“This completely organic beer is the perfect companion for long hikes in our city parks, or sitting in the sun out in front of the pub,” said Chris Nemlowill of the Fort George.
Spruce ale has a rich history of sailors drinking it to prevent scurvy, as fresh spruce shoots are a natural source of vitamin C. Captain Cook gave spruce beer to his crew and the Vikings, who then passed their love of this beer to the Scottish.
Spruce Budd Ale Ingredients (Source: Fort George):
· Gambrinus Organic Pilsner Malt
· Cage Free, Free-Range, Happily Grown, Clatsop County Spruce Buds
· Fort George Ale Yeast
