2 questions about vanilla beans

[iglehart]

1st, adding it to the primary, why should you not do this?

2nd, do you need to sterilize the bean before adding? Heat, or soaking in vodka?

Thanks

 

[liquidlunch]

I cut the bean and scrape the inside and soak in vodka to sanitize. I add 2 beans to the secondary for taste. That's when I make my vanilla stout porter

 

[Hello]

I no longer secondary most beers even my porter and stouts that get vanilla. I cut the beans into 4 pieces, scrape the inside, let soak in vodka (I drink Tito's so it too gets Tito's) for a day or more depending upon laziness and time, and then toss right into primary. If I am bulk aging then I would definitely secondary with the beans but generally speaking, I do not.

I would not boil them as I believe that would result in loss of flavor unless you cooled and pitched the water too, which I would not want. An ounce of vodka is fine by me. You don't need to use good vodka either.

As you may know, Amazon is a good place to get beans but stay away from grade B beans. They're drier and not as good. However, if you did or do get them, I'd double the bean count. My first vanilla porter used grade B beans and I barely got the vanilla.

 

[duboman]

If you want to add them to primary, that's fine but be sure the beer is already at FG and has cleared. Vanilla can over power a beer in a pretty short time so if you are one of those folks that always leaves beer in primary for 3 weeks or so, be sure to add them towards the end. 3 weeks of vanilla beans can easily become a vanilla bomb!

I prepare them the same way Hello does but with cheap vodka that I don't drink

 

[FuzzeWuzze]

If you want to add them to primary, that's fine but be sure the beer is already at FG and has cleared. Vanilla can over power a beer in a pretty short time so if you are one of those folks that always leaves beer in primary for 3 weeks or so, be sure to add them towards the end. 3 weeks of vanilla beans can easily become a vanilla bomb!

I prepare them the same way Hello does but with cheap vodka that I don't drink

The good thing about Vanilla unlike some other spices is that it mellows fairly quickly over time. So if you overdo it to the extreme just wait 2-4 weeks and it will be way different.
I actually found some bottles of my Vanilla porter i made last year in my garage and you cant even taste the vanilla anymore lol.

 

[WayFrae]

My aunt makes homemade bottled vanilla to use in baking. And she uses rum as the base. She has used rum and vodka before and the rum makes a better version in my opinion. If I was to add vanilla to a beer I would soak it in rum first rather than vodka because of this.

 

[unionrdr]

Interesting outcome with the rum. I cut the beans up, two of them, And scrape them well. I use the little 3oz bottle the two beans came in from Giant Eagle's Market District. Central American, I think they were. I fill the bottle about half way with vodka & soak'em for the whole time the beer's in primary. I strained the beans into secondary with the beer, A robust porter. Looking back, I will definitely use a coffee filter next time to get the tiny seeds out of it.

 

[Lgaddy44]

I have some vanilla bean questions myself. I have a few vanilla beans left over from I don't know how many months ago. I've kept them in my fridge in the sealable Brewer's Best pack they came in. I wanted to throw a few in a mason jar of vodka, but I notice they have small white specks all over them. Could this be mold maybe? It's been so long since I bought them, and I didn't pay attention to them enough to notice if these spots were on them when they were new and fresh. I guess it's possible that they're normal, but I'm just not sure.

What's the shelf life on vanilla beans? Could I/should I still use these for this purpose? If it is some type of mold, could I assume soaking in vodka for a month would kill off anything bad?

I do intend on using the vanilla infused vodka (whether made from these beans or new ones) to add at kegging of future brews. I don't want to ruin some good beer over some bad vanilla beans.

 

[unionrdr]

If they're moldy & I think they are, toss'em & get fresh ones. I didn't fridge mine, thought it was too moist in there for dried beans. Just kept'em sealed in their little jar till needed.

 

[passedpawn]

A little mold on the beans won't affect the bean in any way, and the mold will be killed by the vodka. But there's a very good chance that it's not mold at all. It's probably vannilin crystalizing out of the bean. I've got white crystals all over the inside of my vanilla bean jar.

Don't store the beans in the freezer or fridge. It's very dry in there and the bean will shrivel and dry if not stored in a sealed pkg. Best way to store is just in a jar or baggie at room temp.

 

[Lgaddy44]

Good to know about the storage methods, thanks! Although they were in the fridge for the last few months, they were sealed up in the manufacturer packaging. They were still moist and not dried up at all.

I halfway suspected the spots could be some kind of crystalization from the bean, but who knows for sure. I think I might give it a shot with them anyway.

In the future, I'll plan on storing unused beans in a jar at room temp.

 

[FuzzeWuzze]

and FWIW, if you have a Costco/Sams club buy your beans there.

I think you get 10 beans from Madagascar for like $20. Where as if you go to a grocery store your paying like $10 for one or two.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

My aunt makes homemade bottled vanilla to use in baking. And she uses rum as the base. She has used rum and vodka before and the rum makes a better version in my opinion. If I was to add vanilla to a beer I would soak it in rum first rather than vodka because of this.

Does she use dark or light rum? Most light spirits are little more than neutral spirits directly from the distllation process with little to no age.

 

[passedpawn]

and FWIW, if you have a Costco/Sams club buy your beans there.

I think you get 10 beans from Madagascar for like $20. Where as if you go to a grocery store your paying like $10 for one or two.

I bought 25 beans from this place and they were plump and delicious. Right now it's 25/$23.

http://www.beanilla.com/madagascar-vanilla-beans

 

[pgibney]

I'm still pretty new to homebrewing, but am considering a vanilla porter for the winter. Are you guys pitching the vodka as well as the beans into the fermenter or just the beans in the fermenter and the vodka in you?

 

[WayFrae]

Does she use dark or light rum? Most light spirits are little more than neutral spirits directly from the distllation process with little to no age.

I think she uses light rum but I will have to ask her next time I see her.

 

[unionrdr]

I'm still pretty new to homebrewing, but am considering a vanilla porter for the winter. Are you guys pitching the vodka as well as the beans into the fermenter or just the beans in the fermenter and the vodka in you?

I soak the beans in vodka during primary. Then strain into secondary with the beer, or add to priming solution. The priming solution one worked pretty well. Might try 3-4 beans next time though. It does fade.