[quote:1p6vgygb]So what if you were to ferment at the higher end to get the banana flavour, but added cloves to get the clove flavour? Has anyone tried this? Would it be perceived (by purists) as 'cheating'? I mean, there are spices added to a wit to give it flavour. [/quote:1p6vgygb]That's an interesting question. I'm considering about 5 different beer styles for my next brew, everything from a wit to a chocolate stout, so I've been doing some reading on this. It seems a lot of the highly rated beers use 'essence' and 'extract' to add chocolate or fruit hints to beer.
What exactly is a beer purist I wonder? If it's the Reinheitsgebot thingy then count me out. (along with many Belgian brewers, English Ale brewers etc.) I reckon if it's OK to add orange peel, coriander, fruit at primary and secondary stage then it's OK to add cloves at whatever stage - will it work? I have no idea, maybe secondary or kegging might be a good place to ry it. You could always split your brew at fermentation/kegging/bottling - try some with and some without.
Apologies for the ramble. I had a TSB and Sierra Nevada at lunchtime. I'm glad that afternoon meeting was cancelled (awaiting 'another nail in Celtic Tiger coffin' from Beernut)