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Garrison Spruce Beer

Garrison Brewing Company
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🌍 Canada · Spruce Beer · One of 1 Spruce Beers in hopIQ

A revival of an old East Coast recipe, brewed with locally foraged spruce and fir tips and blackstrap molasses. The evergreen tips give a resinous, piney aroma with a hint of citrus peel and a crisp, almost mentholated bitterness; the molasses answers with dark treacle, liquorice and burnt sugar. Dark crystal malt and oat flakes fill out a smooth, dark amber body, and the 35 IBU read as much herbal as hoppy.

ABV
7.3%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter35 IBU
Resinous hop bitterness
SRM
deep amber20

AWARDS

Bronze · 2025
Canada Beer Cup
Experimental and Historical Beer
Bronze · 2025
Canada Beer Cup
Best in Show
Bronze — Canada Beer Cup (Experimental and Historical Beer)
Bronze — Canada Beer Cup (Best in Show)
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Taste structure· The backbone of the beer, regardless of style.
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
hopIQ take

Substantial body.

The weight carries the beer on its own, leaving the aromatics free to lead.

Wider bands mean we're less certain about the exact position.
Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Spruce Beer.
Hop character
resinous
piney
herbal
hoppy
citrusy
Malt character
malty
toasty
Compare with another beer →

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Garrison Spruce Beer

Appearance

Dark amber body with a clear, bright presentation and moderate carbonation. The head forms with modest retention, building a fine layer of foam that gradually settles into light lacing along the glass walls.

dark amberclearmoderate carbonationfine lacing

Aroma

The nose opens with pronounced resinous and piney notes from locally foraged spruce and fir tips, accompanied by a subtle citrus peel brightness. Beneath the evergreen intensity lies a deeper layer of dark molasses, liquorice, and burnt sugar, creating a complex interplay of forest floor and sweet spice.

resinouspineycitrus peelmolasses sweetness

Taste

The palate enters with crisp, mentholated herbal bitterness that reads more botanical than purely hoppy, complemented by the dark treacle and liquorice notes from blackstrap molasses. The smooth body carries dark crystal Malz and oat flakes, building a malty foundation that balances the sharp evergreen character and sustained bitter finish.

herbal bitternesssmoothmentholatedtreacly

Finish

The finish is moderately long, with herbal and toasted notes lingering alongside a gentle astringency from the spruce and fir. The residual sweetness fades gradually, leaving a dry, resinous aftertaste.

herbaltoastedresinous dryness
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
85
Taste
80
Appearance
75
Finish
76
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Garrison Spruce Beer

Serve at 10–13°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve at 10–13°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass
Recommended for this style

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

Store in a cool, dark place. Check the best-before date on the label for guidance.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Garrison Spruce Beer

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 resinous, piney, crisp character as Garrison Spruce Beer will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

WHERE TO BUY

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