Spices, Sugars, Fruit

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BITTER ORANGE PEEL, Aurantium amarae pericarpium

Also called "Curaçau 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 bitter, they are a key ingredient in Belgian style white beers.

2404

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 orange peel can add to your Belgian style strong ales and special holiday brews.    

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.     

Do not confuse the flavor of licorice with that of anise, which is not related and is quite different when tasted side by side.  Licorice has been used for everything from cough remedies to ulcer cures.  The root imparts a very characteristic flavor and is surprisingly sweet.  It contains glycyrrhizin, a substance 50 times sweeter than sugar, and is often added to chocolate to enhance sweetness.    

The herb takes its name from the Spanish "sarza" meaning a bramble, and "parilla", a vine.  It is a misconception that sarsaparilla is the primary flavor of the beverage bearing its name.  Refreshing sarsaparilla is made from a root beer type base to which has been added several of many roots and herbs.  The sarsaparilla herb was originally added to beverages to help improve mouthfeel and head retention, but mainly for its medicinal properties as an agent to cure mouth sores, rheumatism and dropsy.      

Cardamom is a distinctive spice from the same family as ginger.  Its flavor, which has been described as a "spicy cola", combines well with coriander, cumin and orange, and often all are used together in specialty Belgian and Holiday Style beer.   

1 oz

$6.59

Also called "Bog Myrtle" and "Badge of the Campbells", Sweet Gale is a deciduous shrub with fragrant wood and leaves found abundantly in the Northern Hemisphere especially on the Scottish moors and bogs.  It has been used as a substitute for hops in Yorkshire in a beer named appropriately "Gale Beer".  The seeds and leaves have also been used in soups and stews, perfumes and candles.  This is not surprising since it is in the same family as bayberry, which is a popular candle scent.  Used as a tea infusion it has been known to ease stomach disorders.  This is relatively unknown herb is well suited for holiday beers.     

Also called "Grains of paradise", "Guinea grains" and "Melegueta pepper", these small seeds look like cardamom but have a character all their own.  The spice is native to West Africa and during medieval times was used to flavor food.  It has also been used as a pepper substitute.  While it does have a peppery zing, it also has notes of citrus and an "earthy" pine aroma.    

Used in wines, teas, specialty beer and confections, rose hips are a versatile fruit/herb.  Rich in vitamin C, the rose hip shells with the seeds removed are the best type to use for wine as seeds can add undesirable tannins.     

Usually known as the principal flavoring in gin, it is also used to flavor beer and other beverages.  Native Americans have utilized juniper for its healing powers and to relieve arthritis.  In folk lore, juniper planted outside a front door kept out witches who had to correctly count its needles before entering the house.    

While many people confuse wintergreen with mint, they are not related in any way.  Wintergreen has long been used as an herbal remedy for arthritis, swollen joints and sore muscles.  It goes by many names:  teaberry, checkerberry, dearberry, spiceberry, boxberry, and even a tea party.  The latter refers to its use during the American Revolution as a substitute for heavily taxed British tea.   

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.    

These natural wonders are good for the outside as well as the inside.  Elderflowers infused in creams have been used to soften skin, smooth wrinkles, fade freckles and soothe sunburn.  They can be used on their own for making wine or can be added to elderberry wine to enhance flavor.  On their own, they produce a wine compared to a muscatel.  Hot elderflower tea, like chamomile, can make a soothing nightcap and is said to offer natural relief for the common cold.     

The principal ingredient in the legendary liqueur Absinthe, wormwood use dates back to before 1600 BC.  While used historically as a beverage ingredient, the FDA advises against the internal use of wormwood due to the substance thujone.  Though wormwood is still used in the production of vermouth and Campari, it is as variety other than Artemisia absinthium.    

Woodruff was one of the essential garlands hung in medieval European churches in preparation for holidays.  The distinctive scent of fresh-cut hay and vanilla gives an exhilarating flavor to wines, punches and beer.  Woodruff is considered by the FDA to be safe for use in alcoholic beverages but caution is advised for other internal uses.    

Mugwort was used in the Middle Ages to ward off evil possession and was a popular stuffing for roast goose.  As the name implies, it was traditionally used in mugs of beer before the popularity of hops.  Europeans frequently stuffed pillows with mugwort (and hops) to bring good and vivid dreams.   

Adds a lemon/citrus flavor and aroma.  Great for Summer ales and wheat beers.      

Vanilla is the second most expensive spice worldwide due to the extensive labor required to grow the vanilla seed pods.  Despite the expense, it is highly valued for its flavor which is described as pure, spicy, and delicate and its complex floral aroma depicted as a peculiar bouquet.  Despite its high cost, vanilla is widely used in both commercial and domestic baking, perfume manufacture, aromatherapy and craft brewing.  Vanilla has been most commonly used in Porters, Stouts and other dark rich beers.     

Known principally as a flavoring for savory dishes in Asia and Africa and for its use in pastries and beverages, cinnamon has also found its way into recipes for spicy holiday ales and ciders, sodas, coffees and teas.     

In times past, fresh star anise was chewed after each meal to aid digestion and to sweeten the breath.  Used in specialty Belgian and holiday style beers, star anise has a flavor similar to licorice, yet is dramatically different when tasted side by side.   

It is both the flowers and the greenery of this wonderful herb which impart a pleasing aroma and smooth bitterness to beers.  It is especially appropriate for a Scotch ale known as Fraoch.  With a flavor similar to a subtle chamomile/mint blend with a hint of lavender, heather pairs well with honey.  It's also great for tea, with reputed calming qualities.    

2 oz

Often used to accent the flavors of foods and beverages, grown all year round and are usually sweeter than lemons.  Lime is valued both for the acidity of its juice and the floral aroma of its zest. Commonly found in Wheat and Belgian style beers where if used properly, can give an intense citrus taste and aroma.    

1 oz

ALLSPICE POWDER, Eugenia pimenta

Ground allspice is the dried fruit of the Pimenta dioica plant.  While most commonly used in Caribbean jerk seasoning, mole sauces, and pickling;  it is also a widely used ingredient in commercial sausage preparations and curry powders.  In America, it is used mostly in desserts such as pumpkin pie and can also be found in a wide variety of craft brewed beers including Belgian and Holiday Ales.

1 oz

Chicory Root is commonly baked, ground, and used as a coffee substitute and additive, mainly in the Mediterranean region, although its use as a coffee additive is also very popular in parts of Southeast Asia and America.  The root gained its majority of popularity as a coffee substitute in poorer economic areas during the 1930’s.  Craft brewers use roasted chicory to add flavor to their stouts and other styles brewed with coffee and roasted malts.  

1 oz

Origin: Brazil
Ingredients: 100% pure, partially fermented organic cacao.