Before refrigeration. Before vitamin supplements. Before anyone knew what vitamin C even was.

People brewed with trees.

This week, Ben and Andrew trace the surprising history of spruce beer, a drink that helped sailors survive long ocean voyages, supplied British troops in colonial North America, and became one of the earliest regional brewing traditions on the continent. From the decks of exploration ships to frontier settlements, spruce beer was more than a curiosity. It was a practical solution to a deadly problem: scurvy.

Along the way, the guys discuss their recent NORWA brew day, where a 42-gallon batch was split among brewers and Ben decided to throw fresh spruce tips into the kettle. Was this a brilliant historical recreation, or did he accidentally brew a Christmas tree?

You'll hear stories of explorers, soldiers, homebrewers, and the science behind why spruce may have worked in the first place. You'll also learn what spruce contributes to a beer, how modern brewers use it, and why local ingredients still matter.

Beer has always been more than a beverage. Sometimes it was survival.

For People Who Thought Tree Beer Was a Joke: https://byo.com/articles/tips-from-pros-brewing-with-spruce-tips/?ref=84 If you buy through this link, it helps the show at no extra cost to you.

Music Attribution

"Twisted" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

"RetroFuture Dirty" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/