How to Turn Your Christmas Tree into Spruce Beer | NPR ➔

“Ancient Scandinavians and their Viking descendants brewed beer from young shoots of Norway spruce, drinking the beer for strength in battle, for fertility and to prevent scurvy on long sea voyages,” according to the second edition of the Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America. […] 

This recipe for spruce beer appeared in the first American cookbook published, American Cookery: Or the Art of Dressing Viands, Fish, Poultry and Vegetables, by Amelia Simmons, published in 1796:

“For brewing Spruce Beer. Take four ounces of hops, let them boil half an hour, in one gallon of water, strain the hop water, then add 16 gallons of warm water, two gallons of molasses, eight ounces of essence of spruce, dissolved in one quart of water, put it in a clean cask, then shake it well together, add half a pint of emptins [baker’s yeast], then let it stand and work one week, if very warm weather less time will do, when it is drawn off to bottle, add one spoonful of molasses to every bottle.”

Jan. 4 2013
Via kateoplis
#recipes #beer #oregon #spruce #trees
191 notes

Notes

  1. calebnewcastle reblogged this from warrenellis
  2. gamingtimeladyfromgallifrey reblogged this from rigbonethepalindrome
  3. kalifoodblog reblogged this from quipxotic
  4. quipxotic reblogged this from warrenellis and added:
    It’s doubtful that many of you have your Christmas trees still laying about, but maybe this will be helpful next year.
  5. carrotcupcake reblogged this from laphamsquarterly
  6. ledigodoesart reblogged this from shortformblog
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  10. bookwormbreakfast reblogged this from kateoplis and added:
    THIS IS AWESOME.
  11. nokknokk reblogged this from shortformblog
  12. sliverdemon reblogged this from oldmanyellsatcloud and added:
    FUCKIN NEED
  13. thebirchbar reblogged this from shortformblog
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  18. kamayami reblogged this from shortformblog
  19. houseoftang reblogged this from shortformblog and added:
    But…the pesticides… (you don’t think Christmas trees are churned out every year naturally, do you?)