Brown spice

Brown spice is one of the four spices dropped by Hellrats in Evil Dave's basement. If brown spice is used in a stew, it becomes a Spicy stew, which, when consumed, can temporarily raise or lower a player's Woodcutting, Herblore, Farming, Fishing, Divination and Mining levels. The amount it can raise these stats depends on the number of doses used in the stew (between 1 and 3). Each dose of spice adds 2 levels to the amount it may be increased/decreased; e.g. with 2 doses the change in level can be anywhere from -4 to +4. Once all 4 doses are used, it becomes an Empty spice shaker that cannot be used for anything.

Players may decant any smaller doses of spice together into bottles of larger doses.

Brown spices, with the possibility of up to a +6 boost, are a potential boost to the applicable skills far more than tradeable equivalents, with the possible exception of Fishing, which receives a reliable +5 boost from the Admiral Pie. The player is not guaranteed that anything will happen to any of their stats (a change of 0) and while stews can give +6 bonuses, it is extremely rare.

It is suggested that you use a Wily cat to catch the Hellrats as they offer a better chance of killing the rats than any other cat.

Trivia

 * Brown spice is analogous to the real-life coriander.