spruce beer

American  

noun

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

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spruce beer British  

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of spruce beer

First recorded in 1490–1500

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

spruce beer

Native Americans brewed spruce beer long before Europeans arrived on the scene.

From Washington Times ● Apr. 29, 2015

A hurricane of energy, built like a barrel of spruce beer, Putnam quickly won the rank of general during the disorganized fighting before Washington took command.

From Time Magazine Archive

The "Fun of Fire" was to close the rejoicings, and it was certainly worth all the other sports of that day, united, the gingerbread and spruce beer included.

From Home as Found by Cooper, James Fenimore

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

From Cedar Creek From the Shanty to the Settlement by Walshe, Elizabeth Hely

If there were any seeds of the scurvy, in either ship, these berries, and the use of spruce beer, which they had to drink every other day, effectually eradicated them.

From A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Volume 16 by Kerr, Robert