Phase Three Sprucey Spruce 4Pk

Phase Three Sprucey Spruce 4Pk is an 8% ABV American IPA brewed with fresh Pacific Northwest spruce tips, sold as a four-pack from Phase Three Brewing Company in Lake Zurich, Illinois. With a 3.9 out of 5 rating across more than 925 reviews on Untappd, this bold, resinous IPA has carved out a loyal following among hop-forward drinkers who want something beyond a standard West Coast or hazy profile.

Quick Facts: ABV: 8%  |  Origin: Lake Zurich, Illinois  |  Style: American IPA with Spruce Tips  |  Brewery: Phase Three Brewing Company

Production & Heritage

Phase Three Brewing Company operates out of Lake Zurich, Illinois, a suburb northwest of Chicago that has quietly become a destination for adventurous craft beer. The brewery has built its reputation on experimental, limited-release beers that push ingredients and technique in unexpected directions. Sprucey Spruce exemplifies that ethos — brewed as an American IPA with the addition of fresh Pacific Northwest spruce tips, which introduce a botanical complexity rarely found in the style. The spruce tips are sourced specifically from the Pacific Northwest, where the cooler climate and terroir produce intensely aromatic foliage that contributes pronounced resinous and evergreen character to the finished beer.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Fresh pine resin leads immediately, followed by layers of dried citrus peel and a subtle herbal quality from the spruce tips. There is an almost forest-floor earthiness underneath, grounding the brighter aromatic notes.

Taste: The entry is full-bodied and resinous, with big pine and spruce flavors dominating the front palate. At the midpoint, dried citrus peel and a measured hop bitterness emerge, balancing the botanical intensity. The malt backbone is present but restrained, allowing the spruce character to remain the focal point without tipping into astringency.

Finish: The finish is long and sticky with lingering pine resin and a clean, level bitterness that invites the next sip. A faint citrus zest note trails off at the very end, keeping the aftertaste fresh rather than heavy.

How to Drink Sprucey Spruce

Pour cold into a tulip glass or an IPA glass to concentrate the aromatic spruce and pine notes; this beer benefits from a few minutes of warming to fully open up. Its 8% ABV and bold flavor make it a strong standalone sipper, but it also holds up well in beer-forward mixed drinks. Try it in a Boilermaker alongside a clean, unpeated single malt to amplify the piney resinous qualities. A Beer Margarita (Beergarita) with fresh lime and a salted rim creates an unexpected contrast with the spruce bitterness. It also works in a Michelada variation, where the savory, spicy tomato base highlights the beer's herbal and citrus dimensions.

Best For

• Sharing with craft beer enthusiasts who seek out experimental IPA releases
• Seasonal drinking sessions during fall and winter when evergreen flavors feel most at home
• Pairing nights centered around grilled meats, smoked cheeses, or charcuterie boards
• Gifting to a hop-head ready to explore botanical-forward IPAs beyond the usual citrus-and-tropical profile

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Sprucey Spruce taste like? Sprucey Spruce delivers big resinous pine and fresh spruce flavors layered with dried citrus peel and a firm, level bitterness. The mouthfeel is full-bodied, and the botanical character from the Pacific Northwest spruce tips sets it apart from conventional IPAs.

How does Sprucey Spruce compare to Alaskan Brewing Spruce IPA? Both beers use spruce tips as a key ingredient, but Phase Three's version sits at a higher 8% ABV and leans more heavily into resinous, pine-forward intensity. Alaskan Brewing's Spruce IPA (rated 3.7 on Untappd) employs Chinook, Citra, and Denali hops alongside its spruce tips, producing a somewhat more hop-variety-driven profile compared to Sprucey Spruce's botanical dominance.

Is Sprucey Spruce good for sipping neat? Yes — poured into a proper glass and served cold, this is a beer designed for deliberate, contemplative drinking rather than rapid consumption, thanks to its 8% ABV and layered flavor complexity.

Where is Sprucey Spruce made? Sprucey Spruce is brewed by Phase Three Brewing Company in Lake Zurich, Illinois, located in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. The spruce tips used in the brew are sourced from the Pacific Northwest.

What foods pair well with Sprucey Spruce? Grilled lamb chops work well, as the char and fat complement the beer's resinous bite. Aged cheddar or Gruyère mirror its intensity without being overwhelmed. Smoked salmon echoes the Pacific Northwest connection and pairs naturally with the pine character. Herb-crusted roast chicken — especially with rosemary and thyme — bridges the herbal and botanical notes. Dark chocolate with sea salt provides a rich, bittersweet counterpoint to the spruce and citrus.

What sizes does Sprucey Spruce come in? Sprucey Spruce is available as a four-pack of cans, which is the standard retail format for this release from Phase Three Brewing Company.

Is Sprucey Spruce worth the price? Sprucey Spruce positions as a premium craft IPA within Phase Three's experimental lineup, and its use of fresh Pacific Northwest spruce tips and 8% ABV place it above everyday IPAs in both complexity and intensity. For drinkers specifically seeking botanical-forward beer experiences, it represents strong value in its category.

Why Sprucey Spruce?

What separates this beer from the crowded IPA field is its unapologetic commitment to a single, unusual ingredient: fresh Pacific Northwest spruce tips. Where most IPAs differentiate through hop variety or yeast strain, Sprucey Spruce builds its identity around botanical resin and evergreen aromatics that genuinely taste like walking through a conifer forest. The 8% ABV gives it enough backbone to support that intensity without becoming a novelty. With a 3.9 Untappd rating from over 925 reviews, drinkers have consistently validated what the first pour makes obvious — this is a well-executed, distinctive IPA from a brewery that thrives on pushing boundaries.