spruce beer

noun

1. a fermented beverage made with spruce leaves and twigs, or an extract from them.

spruce beer

noun

1. an alcoholic drink made of fermented molasses flavoured with spruce twigs and cones

Word History and Origins

Origin of spruce beer¹

First recorded in 1490–1500

Example Sentences

I told th' ole woman that spruce beer ain't so good as usual this brewin'.'

From Project Gutenberg

Amherst thought that spruce beer was a remedy against scurvy and made great quantities of it.

From Project Gutenberg

Two men were appointed to brew spruce beer; and the carpenter and his crew were ordered to cut wood.

From Project Gutenberg

In addition to this medicine I drank, as my common beverage with my meals, spruce beer.

From Project Gutenberg

Others were employed to brew spruce-beer, as pine-trees abounded here.

From Project Gutenberg