Vanilla Extract

[Jeepers]

Is this normal? About 4 months ago I made some vanilla extract. I left it alone and today I saw what looked like little droplets of sweat around the top of the bottle where there is no liquid. I used Smirnoff Vodka and Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Beans in a Kilner bottle. I made four of them and they all look the same. I had them stored in a dark closet. Are they good? Do I just need to shake them up? 

 

      

[Midnightmom]

I found this:

 

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Condensation happens when warm, moist air is cooled. The cooling air doesn’t have the same capacity for water vapor as the warm air, so the water transforms back into its liquid state. It is not a sign that your extract is bad. Typically, the condensation will eventually reintegrate into the extract. You may see this often if your jars are stored in a place near a furnace, or oven, or fireplace, etc. Any time the liquid is heated and then cooled, condensation will reappear. Storing them in a cool dark place with minimal temperature fluctuations is always best. 

https://www.vanillapura.com/pages/is-it-ok-to-have-condensation-in-my-extract-jar

 

I also picked up some additionL info while searching...........................

~Generally, you need 1 vanilla bean/2oz of liquor. (that's a "Grade A" bean) Most of the recipes I checked out used Madagascar beans.

~To be more precise, the FDA says that for extract to be “Pure” you need 13.35oz of vanilla beans in every gallon of spirit. Using the FDA’s math, you need roughly .83oz of vanilla beans in every 8oz (1 cup) of spirits. If you purchased your vanilla beans by the ounce, then the simple, rounded column makes it easy to figure out how many beans to add to your spirits. It's easy to remember that 8oz of spirits is a cup, so use 1oz of vanilla beans in 1 cup of spirits. That method is easy to remember and will never let you down! However, the nice thing about making your own vanilla extract is that you can add more or less beans as you'd like. 

 

https://www.vanillapura.com/pages/how-many-beans-in-vanilla-extract

  

 

~You need to use at least 70 to 80 proof liquor.

~If you are using a clear bottle or jar, you need to put your brew into a dark corner for the duration. (I might try and make some myself, but I will be using green jars that had olive oil in them.)

~There also seems to be some conflicted advice as to whether or not you should split the beans or keep them whole. Mary's Nest (YT) and Ina Garten use their beans whole. However, even though most of those people put the beans in whole, several others crosscut them into pieces (not split) - especially if they were using a mason jar vs a tall jar.

 

 

 

 

 

[euphrasyne]

I've always split my beans down the middle when soaking in vodka and I use very different amounts, but I'm usually making cordial.   The condensation is normal when the temperature changes.  I use a mason jar and shake them once every 2-3 days by just turning over twice for about 6 months to 2 years depending on what all is in the cordial.  Blueberry everclear cordial takes 2 years, but is as smooth grape juice once it is done.   I have used vanilla cordial in place of vanilla extract with fine results.  

Edited December 17, 2022 by euphrasyne

[Jeepers]

Thanks for the info. So, I guess I'm fine then. The vodka is 80% proof. The beans are very nice Madagascar Burbon Beans. I got them from Amazon. I did split the beans but you can't tell it from the pictures. But I didn't scrape them. I can't remember the size of the bottle. I'm thinking about a cup. I just put 3 beans in the bottle and added the vodka. I had planned to use those little bottles of Starbucks Frappuccino coffee you can get at the grocery store. Those are nice bottles. Then I remembered the Kilner bottles I had. Actually those Starbuck bottles or a pint jar would probably be more convenient for measuring the liquid out. 

 

I use the same beans in making vanilla sugar. When making that I cut the beans in about 1 inch pieces. I let about 2 cups of sugar set in about 3 cut up beans for about a week. Shake the jar often. Then I pour the flavored sugar in a half gallon jar keeping the beans out to use in the new sugar. I keep repeating the process until the jar is full. I do add some more fresh beans every 3-4 new batch of sugar. I store it with about 3 whole beans in the jar. I like a strong vanilla flavor. It's so good on cereal and in coffee.   

 

I think I need to make some lemon extract next. Orange? Mint? Definitely lemon.  

 

[euphrasyne]

I use a lot of almond extract.  If you add it to chocolate things, it makes it next level and people can never figure out what is in it to make it so good.

 

Cheater Chocolate Mousse

1 box chocolate pudding

1c milk

1.5 c heavy cream

Splash almond extract.

Whip in stand mixer till desired firmness.  Serve as pudding or in a pie shell.    Everyone always thinks I do something fancy to this but it usually goes over better than the custard type I have to cook from scratch and it takes less than 5 minutes to make.   Sometimes I make fancy chocolate boxes (empty chocolate shells)  with old cream containers or silicone molds and fill them with this mixture.   It doesn't do as well with the off non-dairy or powdered, but it is better than nothing with powdered or coconut milk and whip topping mix from rainy day foods (walton feed).  

 

[Darlene]

I have gallons and gallons and gallons of homemade extract. I tend to do a double fold extract vs the single fold that the commercial companies make.

 

The formula is basically 1oz beans for every 8oz of alcohol. Double fold is 2oz oz beans for every 8ounce of alcohol. I don't split my beans, there is basically no flavor in the vanilla caviar. The flavor comes from the actual beans themselves. I'll pull a bean out of an extract and snip off the end, and then squeeze the vanilla caviar out into whatever I am making for the aesthetics of the vanilla caviar. But, I keep my vanilla beans in their alcohol for at least a year before I use...the longer the better.

 

Once a batch is ready, you can re-use the beans, except this time you need double the beans/alcohol. For example, for a single fold on a re-used bean, instead of 1oz of beans for every 8oz of alcohol, you'd need 2oz of beans for every 8oz of alcohol.

 

I also have what I call a "mother jar", where I put in the extra ounces of beans that are not enough to make a batch, and put them all into the same jar. Every country's beans have a unique flavor and aroma so to put them all into one jar gives a really kewl blend of vanilla beans around the world.

 

I have beans from all over the world. Hawaii, Papua New Guinea, Madagascar, and a ton of other countries. I also make vanilla bean paste out of the beans, which is also very easy to do and is absolutely awesome in pastries.

 

Anyway, that's a crash course in top shelf homemade vanilla extract!

[Darlene]

On 12/16/2022 at 6:31 PM, Jeepers said:

I had them stored in a dark closet. Are they good? Do I just need to shake them up? 

 

No need to shake unless it makes you feel better. See my formula above to get an idea of how much weight in beans you need to how much oz of alcohol you need.

[euphrasyne]

Shaking makes it stronger.   The recipe for cordial is roughly the same as with vanilla extract except with any item (fruit, nuts, etc) and some sugar.   I usually turn it about once a week --no vigorous shaking, just turn the mason jar once.  

[Littlesister]

I use more vanilla extract than the others. I am going to try this. If I get this going then I will try making others that I use just not as often as the vanilla. 

euphrasyne,  I am going to try your almond recipe above. It sounds good. 

 

I usually buy the vanilla extract in-store when on sale. But it has gotten so expensive now. I don't use imitation ones. 

[Darlene]

4 hours ago, euphrasyne said:

Shaking makes it stronger.   The recipe for cordial is roughly the same as with vanilla extract except with any item (fruit, nuts, etc) and some sugar.   I usually turn it about once a week --no vigorous shaking, just turn the mason jar once.  

We can agree to disagree

 

 

[Darlene]

1 hour ago, Littlesister said:

I use more vanilla extract than the others. I am going to try this. If I get this going then I will try making others that I use just not as often as the vanilla. 

euphrasyne,  I am going to try your almond recipe above. It sounds good. 

 

I usually buy the vanilla extract in-store when on sale. But it has gotten so expensive now. I don't use imitation ones. 

It’s cheaper to make you own especially if you get into double, triple folds and pastes. 
 

More important is the fact that the taste is superior to commercial products. 
 

I use everclear because it’s the most tasteless alcohol but you have to cut it 50/50 with distilled water. 

[euphrasyne]

I agree that everclear works extremely well, but I don't cut mine; I keep it straight.  About two decades ago, I made up batches of cordial (one was vanilla extract) that were identical in 8 types with 2 jars each.   I turned 8 jars once every two weeks for a year and the others I just let sit there.   The ones i turned were much more flavorful than the identical ones I did not turn for every flavor.  I stored them in the same place.   Your milage may vary, especially if you are using a 50/50 mix of everclear and water.  

 

Blueberry everclear with sugar is smooth as the most expensive vodka after 2 years.  blueberry infuses excellently.  

[Jeepers]

A reminder to get some more Everclear next time I'm in Indiana. I can get the 190 proof over there. I think the highest proof I got in Ohio is 151 proof.  Better get it while I still can.  Some places sell 120 proof. I never thought about making extract from Everclear. That stuff is potent! I would want it straight though. I don't like adding water to long term storage without canning/processing it.  

 

Can you buy 190 proof Everclear in Ohio?

 

Is Everclear alcohol illegal anywhere? Everclear is legal in many states, but not all. States that have banned the 190-proof grain alcohol include California, Hawaii, Florida, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, and Washington.Sep 3, 2021

 

[Darlene]

3 hours ago, euphrasyne said:

I agree that everclear works extremely well, but I don't cut mine; I keep it straight. 

 

Scientifically, vanilla beans are best extracted in proofs between 80-100. 180 Everclear will dry the beans out and certain water soluble flavonoids will not extract. A certain amount of 'water' is needed in the extract to pull certain flavonoids out of the vanilla beans, while a certain amount of alcohol is needed to pull out other flavonoids from the vanilla beans.

 

70 proof is the lowest recommended proof because anything below can put the vanilla extract at risk for mold growth. At 70 proof you may not get ALL of the alcohol soluble extractives. 120 is the highest recommended proof due to the higher alcohol % frying the beans and because there is not enough water to extract the water soluble aspects to the beans. For those who try to maximize their extraction, 90-100 proof is considered the sweet spot where the balance of extraction between water and alcohol soluble extractives can be extracted.

 

There are also different grades of beans - A, B, etc. Grade B beans do better in lower proof alcohols (80) due to the beans having a higher water content in them. Grade A - a little higher proof (100).

 

There's also the taste of the vanilla extract. Higher proofs will potentially have harsher tastes, and lower proofs will be less harsh.

 

Obvious differences of opinions but there ya have it.

 

 

[Darlene]

1 hour ago, Jeepers said:

States that have banned the 190-proof grain alcohol include

Or, in the Deep South, one could always go the moonshine route

[Littlesister]

I really need to try making my own extracts. Using vanilla in powdered milk gives the milk a sweeter taste. So when the time comes that I need to start using my powdered milk, I want to make sure I have plenty of vanilla extract for it. This is only for drinking powdered milk and not for baking. 

[Jeepers]

I've always heard adding a little bit of vanilla to powdered milk makes it taste better too. 

 

Don't need to go to the deep south for moonshine. Plenty of 'shine' in the hills of Kentucky, Tennessee and W. Virginia. Think Appalachia. 

[Littlesister]

All I need to do is walk to my neighbor's house behind me for the moonshine. He makes it. 

[Darlene]

11 hours ago, Jeepers said:

Don't need to go to the deep south for moonshine. Plenty of 'shine' in the hills of Kentucky, Tennessee and W. Virginia. Think Appalachia. 

 

You're right. Appalachia.

 

But, for some reason, I always think of  KY, TN and WV as "South" lol. They DO have some semblance of that unique southern accent to me. 

[euphrasyne]

My grandfather and his brothers used to make and sell moonshine back during prohibition in Alabama.  That probably influences my preferences in vanilla extract.  

 

They made it in a car radiator in the woods and sold it all over.  It is actually not that hard to make.  

[Darlene]

I love the colorful history of moonshine lol

[Dee]

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Or, in the Deep South, one could always go the moonshine route.

My great grandmother was a very religious and righteous woman.  The family moved from Kentucky to Iowa when my grandmother was 5.  When my great grandmother became senile, she used to look out the window of her room and worry herself 1/2 to death about her one brother that was a moonshiner and the other a counterfeiter.   They were long gone but her old memories weren't.  Our parents told it was something she was ashamed of and spent her whole life keeping it a secret.  We rotten kids laughed ourselves silly when we heard her.  We never laughed in front of adults.  I think because she preached religion and acted like she was so perfect we didn't feel sorry for her.  Today, as an older adult, I kind of feel sorry for our behavior but even writing this I still kind of smile.  Guess I'm still a "rotten kid" at heart.