The Alaskan Brewing Co., an American brewery established by Geoff and Marcy Larson in 1986, recently relaunched its iconic Spruce IPA. As its name suggests, this award-winning ale is brewed with a unique ingredient -- Sitka spruce tips, the fresh buds that grow from the boughs of the Sitka spruce tree in Southeast Alaska. This unusual addition gives the Spruce IPA an unprecedented palate experience.
"We brew Spruce IPA with Chinook, Citra and Sultana hops, which have a bold, citrusy, piney character that naturally complements the spruce tip flavor," says Alaskan’s Brewing Manager Rob Day. "Spruce tips have many of the same essential oils you find in hops, which gives them a similar flavor." For fans of this forest-inspired ale, the Alaskan Brewing Co. also recently incorporated the unique ingredient into its new Alaskan Hard Seltzer.
The Spruce IPA will be available beginning in January in the 25 states where Alaskan beer is distributed.
Award-Winning Spruce Ales
Alaskan Brewing Co. Relaunched the Spruce IPA in Time for Winter
Trend Themes
1. Unique Ingredient Beers - Breweries can experiment with unusual ingredients such as spruce tips to create new and award-winning beer flavors.
2. Forest-inspired Beverages - The use of forest-inspired ingredients such as spruce tips can expand beyond beer into other beverages like hard seltzers, sparking new product opportunities.
3. Locally-sourced Ingredients - Using locally-sourced ingredients like Sitka spruce tips can become a popular trend in the craft beer industry, allowing for unique and authentic regional flavors.
Industry Implications
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3. Regional Agriculture - The use of regionally-sourced and unique ingredients in craft beer and other beverages can provide opportunities for growth and innovation within regional agriculture industries.