The pungent taste of ginger is due to nonvolatile phenylpropanoid-derived components, particularly gingerols and shogaols, which form from gingerols when ginger is dried or cooked. Mature ginger roots are fibrous and nearly dry. Powdered dry ginger root is typically used as a flavoring for recipes such as gingerbread, cookies, crackers and cake, ginger ale and ginger beer.
Also called "Grains of Paradise" "Guinea grains" and "Melegueta pepper"
Do not confuse the flavor of licorice with that of anise oil, which is not related to licorice at all and is a poor imitation.
Usually known as the principle flavoring in gin, it is also used to flavor beer and other beverages.
Cacao nibs are crushed seeds from the Cacao plant. It is these seeds that are the key ingredient in chocolate. While not technically chocolate themselves, our nibs do have a wonderful coco smell to them, and will provide a very subdued coco-like flavor to any beer.
Ancient Egyptian and Sanskrit texts document the use of coriander for more than 3,000 years. The Chinese once believed the herb conferred immortality and in the Middle Ages it was put into love potions as an aphrodisiac. Coriander is now widely used in specialty and Belgian style beers.
While a cousin to the Florida orange, this sweet variety will not give your beer a metallic taste like the domestic version. If you're familiar with the taste of Cointreau or Grand Marnier then you will be thrilled with the flavor that sweet orangepeel can add to your Belgian style strong ales and special hoilday brews.
Also called Curacao orange peel these green-gray peels are one of the most popular specialty herbs on the market. They are used commercially by domestic brewers to duplicate the beer styles that put Belgium on the brewing map. While not very bitte
Native to the British Isles, the small dark colored elderberry makes an excellent "port" style wine. The appearance of berries on the bushes is said to have signaled farmers when to sow their wheat. The berries are also reputed to have been used to make one of the first black hair dyes in ancient Greece.
