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Spruce Budd

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A piney, fresh, forest-y sweetness, the taste of springtime in the Pacific Northwest. Spruce Budd is a 5.5% ABV ale with no hops at all, made from Pilsner malt and hundreds of pounds of hand-harvested spruce tips, picked around the beginning of May. The brewers don't make it every year; they make it because it's tasty.

ABV
5.5%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Resinous hop bitterness
SRM
golden8
PaceA Few
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
pineyherbalearthy
piney
herbal
earthy
clean
hoppy
malty
Aroma
The nose opens with pronounced piney and resinous notes reminiscent of fresh forest and spring growth.
not found:juicy,caramel,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Spruce Budd

◎ Appearance

Pale golden color with excellent clarity and a fine, persistent white head that clings to the glass with visible lacing. Bright carbonation lifts the body visibly, creating an inviting and fresh visual presence.

pale goldencrystal clearpersistent headlively carbonation

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with pronounced piney and resinous notes reminiscent of fresh forest and spring growth. Herbal qualities dominate, layered with subtle floral undertones and a clean, crisp malt backbone that grounds the spruce character without heaviness.

piney resinfresh spruce tipsherbal floralsclean malt

◐ Taste

Entry is immediately piney and herbaceous, with the spruce character asserting itself cleanly across the palate. Mid-palate reveals a delicate sweetness and earthy complexity, balanced by moderate bitterness that recalls noble hop character despite the complete absence of conventional hops. The finish remains crisp and dry.

bright pineherbal bitedelicate sweetnessnoble bitterness

◑ Finish

Medium-length finish with lingering piney and herbal notes that fade cleanly. Aftertaste remains refreshing and dry, with no cloying sweetness or woody harshness.

herbal fadedry and clean
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
85
Taste
80
Appearance
84
Finish
80
Serve at 7–10°C

Serve at 7–10°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Spruce Budd

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About Spruce Beer

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Spruce Beer?

Spruce Beer is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Spruce Beer

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same piney, herbal, sweet character as Spruce Budd will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Spruce Beers in hopIQ

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