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[The Monk]

A lot of beer can benefit from spices.

Coriander, the seed not the green part which is called cilantro, can be added to almost any beer. Add in the last 15 minutes of your boil, provides a nice citrusy fragrance that soon dissapears. i think it adds 'freshness' to a beer. There is no need to crush the coriander, and it is easier to sieve out the whole grains

In a Belgian wit, a Hoegaarden clone say, adding coriander at 15 minutes then again at flameout will "fix" the citrusy aroma. In wits corianfer is often augmented by adding curacao orange peel (dried orange/mandarin peel can be found at Asian supermarkets)

Cloves provide a nice christmass-pudding type aroma but their aroma only lasts about 2-3 months, the same with peppercorns.

Now, if you are brewing a nice strong dark Christmass ale in March, for drinking at Christmass, then you can spice with cardamom (6+ pods) and cinnamon (use Vietnamese cinnamon aka cassia) and 2-3 star anise. Bash the spices a bit in a martar and pestle and add at 15 min for longer lasting effect or at flameout for a nicer, fresher arom or at both times to 'fix' the aroma. By the time the beer is poured out at the Christmass table the spices add a nice background flavor.

Mace, hmmm, used that in a big spiced lager, took 30 months before the mace flavor & aroma were gone.

Ginger, hmmmm nice gentle heat in a barley wine

Nutmeg, allspice a little goes a very long way

Herbs: cilantro, nettle, marijuana, lemon balm etc these green herbs actually give a minty flavor! Sage and rosemary were used before hops, give them a go!

etc, a million variations. Don't go overboard, a subtle effect is wanted.

Tom

[Lefty]

What is "flameout" Jovial, I can't find it in the brew dictionary. Are you adding the spices as you take the pot off the heat and letting it stand for a bit?

[The Monk]

Another word for the dictionary!

Flameout is any addition (hop, spice, sugar) added just after turning the flame/heat off, to steep in the hot wort until said wort is chilled.