hopIQ
ENDE
Build your DNASign in

Spruce Tips IPA

Tap to rate

Spruce Tips IPA is a limited hazy IPA brewed with hand-harvested spruce tips on a base of two-row, unmalted wheat and oats. The hop bill lists Simcoe Cryo, Cascade, Centennial and Citra. Grapefruit and orange meet passion fruit and a clear resinous pine note, which the young conifer shoots push towards fresh green needles and a light herbal, almost minty coolness. The body is smooth and soft, the finish crisp with a moderate bitterness.

ABV
6.8%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter40 IBU
Resinous hop bitterness
SRM
golden5
PaceTwo or Three
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
What makes this beer itself
MaltHop
resinouspineycitrusy
resinous
piney
citrusy
herbal
wheat
tropical
Aroma
The nose leads with bright citrus—grapefruit and orange—layered beneath passion fruit stone fruit notes.
also:fruity
not found:hoppy,caramel,clean,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Spruce Tips IPA

◎ Appearance

Pale golden-yellow with a pronounced haze characteristic of the style. The dense, creamy white head displays excellent retention and fine lacing down the glass. Bright carbonation is evident throughout, creating a lively visual presence.

pale goldenhazycreamy headwell-carbonated

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with bright citrus—grapefruit and orange—layered beneath passion fruit stone fruit notes. Hand-harvested spruce tips introduce a distinct resinous pine character that shifts toward fresh green needle aromatics with subtle herbal and minty undertones. The overall impression is fresh, botanical, and notably coniferous.

grapefruit, orangepassion fruitresinous pinegreen needle, herbal

◐ Taste

Entry is soft and smooth, with wheat and oat malt providing a delicate, slightly creamy base that avoids heavy sweetness. Citrus and passion fruit flavors echo the aroma through the mid-palate, while spruce tips sustain the herbal-resinous thread with a cool, almost mentholated finish to the flavor profile. Moderate bitterness emerges cleanly without aggression.

soft, smooth palatecitrus-forwardherbal resinrestrained bitterness

◑ Finish

The finish is crisp and clean, with moderate bitterness lingering pleasantly without dominating. Herbal and minty notes fade gradually, leaving a dry, refreshing aftertaste.

crispdryherbal fade
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
85
Taste
82
Appearance
85
Finish
78
Serve at 8–11°C

Serve at 8–11°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Tulip glass

The curved shape concentrates hop aromas and supports a thick head. Essential for aromatic ales and IPAs where the nose is half the experience.

+ Sign in to add your tasting note

Food Pairing

What to eat with Spruce Tips IPA

More from Modern Times Beer

Black House
Black House
Oatmeal Stout
5.8%·Noticeably bitter
Find matches →
Blazing World
Blazing World
Red IPA
6.8%·Strongly bitter
Find matches →
Cosmic Currents
Cosmic Currents
New England Double IPA
8.0%·Noticeably bitter
Find matches →
Dinosaur World
Dinosaur World
New England Double IPA
8.0%·Strongly bitter
Find matches →
Fortunate Islands
Fortunate Islands
American Wheat Ale
5.0%·Lightly bitter
Find matches →
Fruitlands
Hazy Booming Rollers
Hazy Booming Rollers
New England IPA
6.7%·Noticeably bitter
Find matches →
Interstellar Mist
Interstellar Mist
New England Double IPA
8.0%·Strongly bitter
Find matches →

About New England IPA

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a New England IPA?

IPAs are hop-forward ales with 5.5–7.5% ABV and IBU 40–70+. Bold hop aroma — citrus, tropical, resinous — with firm bitterness and a dry, clean finish.

Finding a similar New England IPA

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

Compare with another beer →Explore all New England IPA beers in hopIQ →New to New England IPA? Read our guide →Browse United States beers →