The picture looks pretty close to natural Alder color. Have you tried just using clear topcoats? I used to make lots of stuff from Alder, back when I worked for a southwestern-stlye cabinetmaker. We used primarily Minwax Natural or Provincial to color the Alder. I think a mix of about 3 parts natural to 1 part provincial may get the desired color. But make sure you top coat the sample. The stained wood will look very different once it's top coated. The topcoat will intensify the color, or may make it more amber. Each product will have a slightly different effect, so you should decide on the topcoat before you continue to experiment with stain colors. Make sure you let the stain dry completely before topcoating.

If the colors aren't going on evenly, if the wood gets blotchy patches of light and dark, the stain is not being absorbed evenly. This can be corrected by using a thinned coat of shellac, 1# cut, as a wood conditioner prior to staining.

If you want the most transparent color finish use aniline dye.

Make up sample pieces using scraps of wood and take them all the way to the final finish before judging color, and then judge it int he location it will be used.

Just about every coat alters the appearance and color of the finished article.

The water based polyurethanes have the least coloring affect.

Try 50/50 @ early american and puritan pine.
Casey