Best use of Vanilla beans

[Shaggyt]

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?

 

[Bru]

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.

 

[TheRabidKumquat]

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

 

[riverfrontbrewer]

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.

 

[Shaggyt]

I add beans to secondary. Pretty sure that the flavors are best extracted by alcohol

This was my understanding as well. Looks like the secondary is where it's at.

 

[schristian619]

+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.

 

[riverfrontbrewer]

Hey 619, whats with the scrapping? Is that bad stuff in there?

 

[JayInJersey]

I have to ask...where are you all sourcing your beans?

My LHBS doesn't have them...and neither does my regular online shop.

 

[riverfrontbrewer]

Jay-

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

 

[schristian619]

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.

 

[BA_from_GA]

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.

 

[Shaggyt]

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.

 

[TheRabidKumquat]

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.

 

[wendelgee2]

Those beans are $$. Anybody tried vanilla extract??

 

[Shay]

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

 

[dragon99]

+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.

 

[remilard]

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

 

[Hegh]

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

 

[TobaVanilla]

$14 for two beans is really expensive. We offer $28 for 1 lb (about 100 beans), including FeDex air charges. vPlease visit our website www.tobavanilla.com or to see how the vanilla beans are processed please visit our blog: http://tobavanillabeans.blogspot.com/

 

[BrewSpook]

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.

 

[loxnar]

I have to ask...where are you all sourcing your beans?

My LHBS doesn't have them...and neither does my regular online shop.

http://morebeer.com/view_product/6093/102200/Vanilla_Beans_3

a lot cheaper than 14 bucks for 2

 

[Neonsilver]

My LHBS sells eight beans in a package for $7.50. Also, I was interested in this same question, thanks for asking it.

 

[steinsato]

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.

 

[maxriptin]

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.

 

[Steelers77]

Rasberry vanilla melomel!

 

[SnallygasterBrewery]

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.

 

[ejv]

penzey's spices has some of the best vanilla beans out there.

 

[Hegh]

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.

 

[aMillionDreams]

I have to ask...where are you all sourcing your beans?

My LHBS doesn't have them...and neither does my regular online shop.

Amazon has them 15 bucks for 16 beans

 

[Teromous]

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.