I plan to do a juniper ale this year, but I see online that there are approx. 50-60 varieties of juniper out there. I remember reading that the best time of year to gather the juniper is spring. Are there any preferred varieties to use, or are there any to watch out for (any not safe)? Also, does anyone have any tried and true recipes (all-grain)?
That's a good question. Are you using berries or whole sprigs? Personally I'd go for something local (Eastern Redcedar, which is really a juniper, not a cedar), but I have no idea about toxicity or medical effects. If I were you, I'd think of the university in my state with the best agricultural extension program and give somebody there a call, just to make sure your beer won't give you the shits or send you on some "vision quest."
