Best use of Vanilla beans

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Shaggyt

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I have porter on tap for my next brew session and I just picked up two vanilla beans to add. My problem now is when to add them to the wort/beer.

Whereas most of the posts here discuss vanilla beans added to the secondary, my LBHS advised me to add them towards the end of the boil, around 5-10 minutes. The guy also stated to split the beans open and scrape out the innards, adding them to the boil.

So now I have two questions:

1. When to add the beans? Boil or sceondary?
2. Do I add them whole or split & scrape?
 
Im currently drinking a kegged vanilla porter. Its one of the nicest beers Ive made. The vanilla has come through nicely without being too strong. Even SWMBO and her mates like it.
I used 3 vanilla beans which I sliced in half (lengthways) and then cut into 1" sections which I soaked in vodka for 24hrs (just enough vodka to cover the vanilla). I then poured the entire lot into the secondary for about two weeks before kegging.
 
I, too, do the scrape split and chop. The flavor really comes from the seeds inside the pod.

I add beans to secondary. Pretty sure that the flavors are best extracted by alcohol
 
For a 5 gal batch I split one bean, cut into quarters, into carboy for 1 week of secondary. I am trying to keep a few bottles for aging to see what the vanilla is like @ 6 / 12 / 18 months.
 
+1 to secondary. I slice it the long way, scrape out the insides and cut into quarters. In my experience, one been is enough for a pretty big beer with a 5 gallon batch. I secondary for a week with the vanilla bean, then keg.
 
Nah, nothing bad. I just scrape to get it all out so everything gets exposed to the beer. Forget where i heard about that, probably somewhere on here though.

Jay, most supermarkets will have them. I buy mine at Henry's, and get the Madagascar ones. Kinda pricey at about $10 for 2 beens, but worth it IMO.
 
I get 2 beans for about 6 bucks at the local farmers market (way cheaper than grocery stores.. also have turbinado sugar for like 1.49 a lb i think, which is a deal)

I slit the bean long ways, then slice it into about 3 inch pieces and scrape out the insides. I soaked mine in Makers Mark for 2 weeks during the primary on a porter, then dumped them into the secondary. (ended up adding a total of 4 beans and like 2 cups of makers). I hear vodka will help extract the vanilla flavor w/o adding any additional flavors to your beer.... but i've never tried this method.
 
It sounds like a higher concentration of alcohol (makers mark or vodka) has better extraction of the vanilla flavors. Agreed on the scraping and cutting as well...create more surface area on the beans for better extraction.

$14 for 2 beans...highway robbery!!! I bought two for $2.99 at the LHBS. They had another variety for a dollar more. They unfortunately do not have vanilla beans listed on their website so I guess it must be an in store item only.
 
I have to ask...where are you all sourcing your beans?


http://http://www.organic-vanilla.com/servlet/StoreFront

They seem kind of low on inventory right now, but I've bought from here a few different times. VERY well priced, especially after going into a grocery store and looking at the price of a single bean

http://www.thespicehouse.com/
I'll also stop in here for some things once in awhile, as it's a local shop, about a half hour away. It smells amazing about a half block away in the summer. They keep the door open on nice days and the aromas carried on the wind overtake the couple of restaurants nearby.

Also, just try searching on Ebay. It's how I've found a few different places to deal with for spices and honey for my meads.
 
+1 to beanilla

To clarify, scraping doesn't mean throwing away what is scraped. You still use everything. Scraping the inside of the bean just allows better mixing of the beer and bean as someone above mentioned. When cooking with vanilla beans alot of times just the inside of the bean is scraped out and used and the bean husk is not, but there is plenty of vanilla flavor in both.
 
Those beans are $$. Anybody tried vanilla extract??

Yes, and I find Nielsen-Massey to be at least as good as beans, easier to use and easier to dial in.

Before I figured this out, I bought some really nice beans for a great price on Ebay. 4 for $10 or something like that. Forget that supplier.

In any case you are trying to get dissolved vanilla aromatics in alcohol, there are two factors:

1. The quality of the bean
2. The skill in extracting the aromatics

I figure Nielsen-Massey is better at #2 than me and I have every reason to believe that I can't easily beat them on #1 either.

YMMV
 
For technique on scraping your vanilla beans, see this episode of Good Eats, starting at 1:41:

 
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I have a Penzey's down the street and I was able to pick up 3 beans on sale for around $5. I plan to use one for a coconut porter and the other two for some home made cream soda.
 
My LHBS sells eight beans in a package for $7.50. Also, I was interested in this same question, thanks for asking it.
 
If you have herb stores in your town they carry them as well. I buy my beans at a store called "Herbs etc." They carry stuff like tea, dropper bottles, herbs and other hippy stuff like that. Think I pay about $6 for 3 beans. I also agree with splitting them lengthwise and chopping them up a bit, then adding them to about a cup of vodka during the primary. Then adding it all to secondary for about 2 weeks.

I've read on these forums actually that adding the beans to the boil kills the flavor and aroma of the vanilla. I won't be trying that method.
 
I made a Vanilla Porter about a year ago. Porter was dark but pretty basic to focus on the vanilla. I split the beans and soaked in just enough Vodka to cover the beans... Basically by doing so you are making a vanilla extract. The beans soaked for about a week (during primary ferm) and then the "extract" was added to the secondary ferm. It had a huge vanilla aroma but the vanilla flavor was subtle. As it aged, the aroma got weaker so the "vanillaness" was a bit lost with age.

Trying a new one now... This time I'm doing a brown porter, split two beans and put them in the mash. Then added two teaspoons of the "extract" near for the last 10 mins of an hour boil (5 gallon batch). I plan on tasting it after the primary and seeing if any vanilla flavor made it through.
 
Sounds like I'm pretty lucky! My LHBS The Flying Barrel sells vanilla beans in a pack of 8 for like $6. I haven't tested the quality yet since my current brew is in primary at the moment... but we'll see. Can't beat that price.
 
penzey's spices has some of the best vanilla beans out there.

Penzey's is awesome. I haven't purchased any of their vanilla beans yet (because I don't know what I would do with them; I don't make many desserts), but that's where I buy most of my spices.
 
I split my beans and dump the seeds into a bottle with some neutral grain alcohol, then chop the bean itself to bits and add it as well. The beans sanitize in the alcohol and the alcohol extracts more flavor the longer you leave it in. Every day or so I give it a shake and let it sit for a month or two in a closed cabinet. Make sure you use a bottle with a wide enough hole to fit in a spoon so you can get out all of the stuff stuck on the bottom. When your beer has finished in the primary, dump the vanilla mixture into the carboy and rack on top of it. For darker beers or beers with a lot of roasted grains, you really need a lot of vanilla flavor to poke through the bitterness. I made the AHS double chocolate stout and used 5 or 6 beans with very little vanilla flavor. I get mine cheaper than what you guys have listed though.
 
It sounds like you all are running into some expensive beans; my LHBS has em in a pack for 6.80 containing 12 beans. Being part of a local brew club takes 10% of as well so they are about 50 cents a pop.

I soaked 4 beans in about a 3 shots of Froggy B vodka (80 proof) after splitting, scraping the insides, and cutting them up (inch long pieces or so). I split the lot into two 5 gallon carboys that I racked a porter into. Will let ya know how it goes!
 
The Trader Joe's that I frequent has whole vanilla beans. As I recall they were about $7.99 for two large beans. They also have a very good vanilla extract that's $4.99 for 4oz.
 
I'm a newbie to home brewing and want to add some vanilla to my second-ever batch of beer, so I'm reading through these forums on tips. I just want to mention that Amazon has some good deals on vanilla beans if you can't get good prices locally. I just ordered a 1/4 lb pack (~27 beans) for $19. It's technically sold by JR Mushrooms & Specialties. They also sell a 1 lb bag for $52 (so basically 50 cents / bean). It's Prime eligible so the shipping is free and it got here in 2 days. I'll happily throw up a link, but not sure if that's allowed on these forums. I plan to buy a lot of these kinds of ingredients from Amazon in the future due to the combination of speed (with Prime), ease, and cost.

Off Topic - does anyone know of a good LHBS in the Alexandria, VA area? (specifically near Old Town if possible). Please PM me if you do, so as to not hijack this thread. Thanks, and happy brewing! :mug:
 
Good lord that is a lot of vanilla beans. It would take me years to use that many. 2-3 beans per 5 gallons is all I use and I only make one batch of vanilla porter a year.
 
Good lord that is a lot of vanilla beans. It would take me years to use that many. 2-3 beans per 5 gallons is all I use and I only make one batch of vanilla porter a year.

well it is possible to use vanilla beans for things other than brewing beer ;) I've got plans to use them in other alcohol, sauces, some desserts (home made vanilla bean ice cream?), teas, and I've already tried some in sprite and that turned out well :)
 
Jay-

Grocery store, look in the area with the the spices...about $14 for 2 beans

Terribly sorry if anyone already pointed this out (haven't yet finished reading whole thread), but Peet's Coffee sells nice vanilla beans in cool little glass vials for $2.25 a pop. That way if you think even one bean will benefit your brew, you're not breaking the bank and buying extras. :)

Cheers!
 
I noticed a lot of the recipes people are using vanilla in are dark beers like porter and stout. Does anyone have any ideas for a lighter color beer?
 
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