Man, I see how it is...you disagree with me, but then a lady comes along and says pretty much the same thing, and it's "a good point". Uh huh.
Yeah, you can definitely add stuff (flavorings, etc) at bottling. I have done that tons of times. It's actually the best time to add flavor extracts. But that's not the same thing as priming sugars. My point was, given the very small amounts of whatever you're using, the chance of getting certain flavor/aroma characteristics from the actual priming material (meaning, a fermentable sugar) is not very good. But adding priming sugar and another flavoring like cocoa or scotch extract or spruce extract? More power to ya, that's when it's the best time to add, like I said.
As for comparing it to Sam Calagione, well...I can tell you now that most fermentables have already been tried as priming sugars, so it's not exactly uncharted waters...and from what I've seen, it's very easy to over- or under-carb because nobody knows the right amounts unless you know the percent of fermentable sugar in it...and even if they have gotten it just right, there's not been enough to make a flavor difference. You want a maple syrup character? Add a bunch of maple syrup late in the boil. You want a honey character? Use honey malt. You want a cassis character? Add cassis essence
and dextrose at bottling time. Etc., etc.
