Best use of Vanilla beans

[passedpawn]

I'm cheap so I'm considering using vanilla extract in a 1 gallon secondary from my Irish Stout to experiment. Any recommendations on the amount I should use?

2 teaspoons per bean. That assumes single-fold extract, which is predominantly what you'll find at the grocery store. At least use real and not imitation.

 

[AdamHasser]

2 teaspoons per bean. That assumes single-fold extract, which is predominantly what you'll find at the grocery store. At least use real and not imitation.

After reading up a bit it sounds like most people don't like the flavor of extract.

For 1 gallon I'd only need 1/2 of a bean? Maybe my local grocery store will have them.

 

[NateLTB]

They'll be cheaper at Costco if you have one nearby

 

[jlcsomiss]

I simply split and scraped three vanilla beans into a jar with a lid and added enough light rum to cover the beans, I let it set for two weeks and strained it into my bottling bucket. It imparted a nice vanilla flavor to my 6.8 abv sweet potato porter.

 

[hoppynewyear]

Man I wish I had done proper research and saw the beanilla link before buying my single $8 bean at Publix. Sheesh. But I was in a hurry to get it soaking. I have a porter fermenting, have been soaking oak chips in Buffalo Trace for about a week. After reading advice here, cut up the bean and scraped it into a little bourbon, will soak about 24 hours before dumping into secondary with the oak chips tomorrow. Wish me a tasty brew!

 

[sleepystevenson]

My oatmeal stout is already kegged so I was going to do the vodka/bourbon bean extract method for a week or two and then just strain out the bean pcs and add the liquid to the keg. Anybody see a problem w that? Btw great thread!

 

[Brewrifle]

I bought these Madagascar vanilla beans - 5 vacuum sealed beans for $5 - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000O5YDF4/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Split open 2 and chopped up in 4 pieces per bean and then soaked everything for 2 weeks in 6 ounces Pendleton's 1910 Rye Whiskey and then dumped in my Balcones whiskey barrel (including the whiskey). I let that sit for a weeks and then transferred to my keg (Porter) and it has an amazing aroma and vanilla taste with a hint of oak and whiskey.

 

[haerbob3]

I use an easier method. I add a tablespoon of vanilla bean paste thinned with a bit of bourbon

 

[springtime]

Teromous, I recently put the AHS double chocolate stout in the primary. Was considering either adding vanilla beans or cocoa nibs or both to secondary. I have not brewed this AHS kit before and would like to hear your thoughts and recommendations on this?
Thanks

 

[splattsmier]

http://beanilla.com/ is an excellent place to get beans.

+10

EXCEPTIONAL beans. Nice and oily, not dried out like the overpriced supermarket beans.

 

[unionrdr]

Beginning of November I'm going to brew a robust porter. I'm thinking of soaking two South African vanilla beans,scraped & cut up in a little vodka while the beer ferments. Then strain into the priming solution at bottling time.
I thought that way would give better flavor to the PM brew.

 

[m3n00b]

I add 2-3 scraped beans to bourbon or vodka and add that at bottling. Seems to work best. Added them to primary once and got nothing from them.

 

[MadGus]

+1 for making a tincture with vodka. Just bottled a really nice gingerbread stout with 1 cup of vodka, 8 cinnamon sticks (crushed), 3 madagascar vanilla beans and 3 oz. of diced fresh ginger. This was for 10 gallons.

Split, scrape and chop the vanilla beans... add tincture to bottling bucket or keg.

 

[n2652t]

How times change! $8-9/bean now. :-( I have a nice $40 bottle of pure vanilla extract but was thinking I might do the bean thing.... Not so sure now. May have to try the 1 tsp=1 bean ratio before kegging.

 

[BeerFst]

How times change! $8-9/bean now. :-( I have a nice $40 bottle of pure vanilla extract but was thinking I might do the bean thing.... Not so sure now. May have to try the 1 tsp=1 bean ratio before kegging.

10 Vanilla Beans - Whole Extract Grade B Pods for Baking, Homemade Extract, Brewing, Coffee, Cooking - (Tahitian) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TBBS51M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_jwcsEbCEN92ZF

Reddit poster said these worked well, 1000 reviews can’t be that wrong either