Whistle Buoy Brewing Co – Outer Peace Spruce Tip Pale Ale

Whistle Buoy Brewing Co – Outer Peace Spruce Tip Pale Ale Review

2021 will likely be one of the greatest in recent memory for seasonal beer releases following the all-time low of 2020, in which breweries seemed to struggle to produce anything beyond core beers. One ingredient that seems to be benefiting from this uptick in seasonal releases is the mighty spruce tip. What could be the quintessential West Coast flavour is noticeably underutilized in BC, outside of Tofino Brewing’s long-standing seasonal and Captain Cook brewing with it to ward off scurvy. This looks likely to change as more breweries are beginning to understand just how delicious and versatile brewing with spruce tips can be.  One of just a few is Whistle Buoy Brewing in downtown Victoria with their release Outer Peace.

Outer Peace Pale Ale is golden with a persistent white head and good carbonation. The citrusy and evergreen forest aroma of the spruce tips is nicely forward. The body is dry with a crisp mouthfeel. The hops and spruce tips combine for a mild pine/evergreen and citrus flavour with a hint of clover honey. It can be difficult to articulate the unique flavor/flavours that spruce tips provide but I liken it to a citrus note, noticeably different from brewing with real citrus or the citrus notes of many hops. The spruce again shines in the nicely bitter and long finish.

This is a one-time, hard to find limited release in collaboration with outdoor clothing and gear store Arc’teryx Victoria.