Vanilla Bean Experimentation Time!

[Gremlyn]

I've actually not had time to do anything with my beans. They've been sitting in my fridge... I've been checking for signs of mold and decay, but they look OK so far. Storing them in even vodka will keep them relatively germ free, and also extract all the flavour out for your use

 

[hedonist91]

What do you think about boiling the vanilla beans in water to sterilize them before adding them together with the water? Is there any reason not to do this?

I'd stay away from that, for fear of obliterating the flavors. I'm no chemist, but I think it might drive off some of the phenols. It might not be the best way to get the flavor out of the bean.

Give it a shot! Let us all know! Just do it with some water and throw it in some sort of drink. I wouldn't waste a whole batch on it.

 

[afsjoiwejio]

I once was a sort of chemist, and my thoughts are as follows:
A prolonged boil will drive off the flavors. However, placing the beans for a moment in boiling water and then quickly cooling it down should have minimal ill effect. One can further refine the process by placing a device on top of the boiling pot, such as a lid or a distillation column of some kind if one is fancy, to capture the vapors and return them to the vanilla solution.
This should achieve foolproof sterilization without flavor loss. Just thought of it. Next time I make this delicious vanilla stout (probably late Nov/early Dec), I will give it a try!

 

[jmferris]

One thing I commonly like to do with vanilla beans is to split a couple and put them in a container of sugar. After a few weeks, it picks up the most wonderful flavor from the beans (plus you can keep adding sugar and replenish for quite some time). Uses for it are practically unlimited.

Taking it back to brewing, here is a thought... If you bottle, you could always make up a batch of vanilla bottling primer. Whether it is dextrose, dried malt extract, or sugar, the principal would be the same. Just get a dedicated container, add your type of sugar to it, place a couple of split beans in there, and let it sit for a bit.

Hell, you could probably brand it and sell it as some sort of "Stout Bottling Conditioner" and make a fortune. Plus, I only expect a ten percent commission.