Spruce Tea?

[macrocarpa]

I went backpacking this weekend on the AT over a mtn that had stands of red spruce (unusual for this far south), only found in high elevation in the southern appalachians. We made spruce tea. Good stuff when trail food/drink variety is minimal. I actually liked it better than tea I usually take along.

Have you guys tried various types (species) of spruce tea? I wonder if all spruce are good for making tea?

 

[pigwot]

Tsuga canadensis; Hemlock tea is nice, too. And no it is not the 'hemlock' which Socrates took; that poisonous varietal is a plant, not a tree.

 

[macrocarpa]

Cool, I'll look into that. I can have the choice of adelgid or imidacloprid as a condiment for extra flavor.

water hemlock is the poisonous plant I believe. looks like queen annes lace.

 

[rfwoodvt]

Pinus strobus tea is also very good. I find a little sweetener brings out the citrus essence.

That Tsuga tea sounds like a worthwhile try as well.

 

[RopeShield]

Spruce Beer

. Never tried it but young Spruce buds in the spring eat them before the thin skin of the bud tips of the end. Chew Spruce pitch to. P. pungens is by far my favorite.
Supposedly high in Vitamin C.
Survive for weeks on Spruce and rabbit.

 

[pigwot]

I heard stories of the bears in the Pac NW scratching the south side of conifers till they bled sap, and coming back a few days later when the summer sun would have heated and fermented the 'sap beer' for a free legal buzz... you Northwesterners- any truth to that?

 

[marlinspiker]

Yards brewery makes a spruce beer that was originally ben franklins recipe. Its really good.

 

[oldoakman]

I had spruce beer once and nearly puked. Stuff was awful!

 

[Frax]

How could something with beer in it be bad?