Vanilla bean potency and pairing

[Brandon O]

Any reccomendations on which kind of cherry to pair with some nice long 7" beans? I could go with Bing cherries, or tart cherries....what say ye?

I was thinking the tart cherries would make a great small mead, say 8% or so.


5 gallon batch.

6 lbs of tart cherries
6 lbs of OB honey
nutrient and engergizer
champagne yeast

Also thinking the bing cherries would go with the vanilla better.

5 gallon batch.

10 lbs of bing cherries
10 lbs of OB honey
2 7" madagascar vanilla beans split
nutrient and energizer
champagne yeast

Not sure if 2 beans will be too much or not enough. Anyone have experience with vanilla bean potency?

 

[KingBrianI]

Definitely tart. Much more cherry flavor in them.

 

[Brandon O]

Sweet!!!!!!!!

 

[svengoat]

humm I have some whole vanilla beans here too... Are you crushing them or just seeping them whole in the fermentor?

 

[Aleforge]

Does anyone know of a good place to buy beans? Local store just started carrying them and they are around 8 bucks each. Was wondering if there was an online options to save some money.

Side note anyone grow their own? Talk about making a killing, I was reading about it and you need a warm, indirect light, humid area. However they grow 25 feet in length and need to be hand pollinated.... lol

 

[summersolstice]

Any reccomendations on which kind of cherry to pair with some nice long 7" beans? I could go with Bing cherries, or tart cherries....what say ye?



Not sure if 2 beans will be too much or not enough. Anyone have experience with vanilla bean potency?

I believe tart cherries make much better wine and mead - even when backsweetened to make a sweet tart mead (yummy!). Two vanilla beans should be enough in 5 gallons -in the secondary, right? Split them open and drop them in the carboy.

 

[SpaceInvadingMonkeys]

Two vanilla beans should be plenty at that length. I am assuming that they are dry because it is exceedingly difficult to find fresh, non-dry vanilla beans in the states.
My parents picked up a bunch from a vanilla plantation in Tahiti. Those beans did not even begin to compare to the dry ones bought here. The flavour was so powerful and delicious. It was amazing.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

+3 on tart cherries having much more flavour. Though you could do both sweet AND tart cherries for more depth; it's just an idea. Regards, GF.
EDIT: If you don't already have one, get yourself a cherry pitter, it will pay for itself the 1st time you use it. I got one like this & it works GREAT! http://www.lehmans.com/store/Kitche...s___Lehman_s_Best_Cherry_Pitter___17106?Args=

 

[summersolstice]

There's really no need to pit your cherries. I spent about a half hour pitting some last summer and decided to research the whole pit thing. I discovered that many people weren't pitting their cherries so I stopped since it's a messy PITA. I used the pitted cherries in the primary and unpitted in the secondary. The mead turned out to be delicious. These really were bright red cherries when they went in the secondary. The color's been leached out into the mead.

 

[armorshell]

There's really no need to pit your cherries. I spent about a half hour pitting some last summer and decided to research the whole pit thing. I discovered that many people weren't pitting their cherries so I stopped since it's a messy PITA. I used the pitted cherries in the primary and unpitted in the secondary. The mead turned out to be delicious. These really were bright red cherries when they went in the secondary. The color's been leached out into the mead.

I was going to ask if they were Rainier cherries. Great label art, is that homebrewed as well?

 

[Matrix4b]

Best place I know for vanilla beans is:
The Organic Vanilla Bean Company LLC Home Page


½ lb Gr A Certified Organic Bourbon Vanilla Beans 7" to 8" long

PRICE: $22.00

½ lb Gr A Certified Organic Tahitian Vanilla Beans 6" - 7" long
PRICE: $18.00

¼ lb Gr A Certified Organic Bourbon Vanilla Beans 7" to 8" long
Grade A Gourmet Planifolia Beans - Metric: 113gm / 17,5 - 20 cm long
Price
$12.50

¼ lb Gr A Certified Organic Tahitian Vanilla Beans 6" to 7" long
Grade A Gourmet Beans - Metric: 227gm / 15 - 17,5 cm long
Price
$10.00

Very reasonable prices. out of 3/4 a pound I got nearly 100 beans for under $30.00 including shipping. They are very fast on the shipping too.

 

[Brandon O]

humm I have some whole vanilla beans here too... Are you crushing them or just seeping them whole in the fermentor?

split them long ways. add to secondary.

 

[Brandon O]

Does anyone know of a good place to buy beans? Local store just started carrying them and they are around 8 bucks each. Was wondering if there was an online options to save some money.

Side note anyone grow their own? Talk about making a killing, I was reading about it and you need a warm, indirect light, humid area. However they grow 25 feet in length and need to be hand pollinated.... lol

the organic vanilla bean company is the only place i will buy the. DO NOT BUY THE ONES AT THE GROCERY STORE!!! they will rape you.

 

[Brandon O]

Two vanilla beans should be plenty at that length. I am assuming that they are dry because it is exceedingly difficult to find fresh, non-dry vanilla beans in the states.
My parents picked up a bunch from a vanilla plantation in Tahiti. Those beans did not even begin to compare to the dry ones bought here. The flavour was so powerful and delicious. It was amazing.

These are fresh beans, i get mine from the organic vanilla bean company and they come direct, in vacuum sealed containers and they are still moist.

 

[svengoat]

My buddy is a chef and he hooks me up with beans from Pendery's...
Home waay cheaper than those other sites..

 

[svengoat]

You guys have inspired me..I had 5 vanilla beans laying around so I picked up some cherries at the store and made this ...

I did changed the recipe alittle bit...

One gallon
2 and 1/2 pounds honey
2 cups med homemade maple syrup
2 vanilla beans
1 lb cherries added during second racking..

I had to add the syrup bacause the OG was alittle low, hoping it works out fine