Herbs For Homebrewing

Kiley's Top 10 Herbs And Spices For Flavoring Beer

Bilberries 

Whole Bilberries

A European relative of blueberries and huckleberries, bilberries are tarter and a bit more intense than blueberries. Unlike blueberries, they have blue flesh, which means they’ll impart a richer color to your brews. Great in any brew you want to impart a fruity note and purple color too, and they are the perfect complement to the sweetness of a sack mead.

Cardamom

Cardamom Pods

Hulled Cardamom

Herbal, black pepper, mint, citrus, and pine notes contribute to cardamom's intoxicating and complex aroma. This lively botanical is at home in Belgian styles but is also delicious in warming porters and stouts. If you’re looking for a less intense way to feature cardamom in your brews, hulled cardamom or cardamom seeds impart a sweeter, softer, and more floral aroma with subdued herbal notes.

  Cinnamon

Cinnamon (Cassia) Sticks

Cinnamon (Sweet) Sticks

 Mountain Rose Herbs carries two different varieties of cinnamon: cassia (Cinnamomum burmanni) and sweet or Ceylon (Cinnamomum verum), and each will impart different flavors to your beer. When you’re looking to up the spice factor, cassia is the cinnamon you’re looking for, with the classic “Big Red” cinnamon flavor. Ceylon still packs a punch, but it’s much more nuanced with soft floral and sweet spun sugar notes.

Fenugreek

Fenugreek Seed

Fenugreek is often utilized in Indian, Egyptian, and Middle Eastern cuisines, but it is used the world over as a way to add a maple flavor. The seeds have strong maple and butterscotch aromas that also impart a touch of neutral bitterness. Fenugreek is a great choice when you want to add a taste of maple that won’t ferment out like actual maple syrup.

Ginger

Ginger Root

Piquant and pungent, ginger is a classic brewing spice. It's used in a wide variety of beer styles from a golden Tripel to a fiery stout. Often found in traditional mulling spice blends, ginger pairs well with cardamom, cinnamon, and other warming herbs.

 Grains of Paradise

Grains of Paradise

These little reddish-brown seeds from the ginger family pack a whole lot of flavor into a small package. They have the zest of ginger, the spiciness of black pepper, and a camphoraceous yet bright lemony finish. They play wonderfully with the ester and phenol profiles of Belgian beers or anywhere you would use peppercorns.

Herbal Coffee

 Herbal Coffee Blend

  Hibiscus

Hibiscus Flowers

Hibiscus features a lightly floral and tart-berry fruitiness that shines in lighter beers. If you’re looking to maximize the vibrant red color, add it with your first hop addition. To pick up its subtle flavors and aromas and a lighter pink hue, add it closer to the five- or 10-minute mark.  

Orris

Orris Root

The root of showy iris plants, this botanical is deeply floral. While with most herbs used in brewing a little goes a long way, that is particularly true of orris root where less than a pinch can flavor 5-gallons. It is often used in gin for its floral qualities, but it is also used for its fixative properties of other botanical aromas.

 Smoked Peppercorns

Smoked Black Peppercorns

These flavorful black peppercorns are smoked over a blend of seven different kinds of wood to create a rich and balanced smoky bouquet. These darlings are fun to use anywhere you would use black pepper or to add to a peppery phenol character.