Author Topic: Homemade Vanilla Extract (Read 5757 times)

wisconsheepgirl · « **on:** January 09, 2012, 07:09:52 AM »

Two years ago I received an adorable apothecary bottle of Vanilla Extract from my twin. Last week I noticed that it was nearly gone. So I called Baby A (our nickname for each other I'm Baby B---we weren't named until we survived 4 weeks) Annyhoo she says I can make my own.

She told me to get 750ml bottle of vodka
15 vanilla beans

Cut the vanilla beans in half, pour out about 1/2 cup of vodka and then put the cut vanilla beans into the vodka bottle, close lid and shake. Put aside and shake once a week for 4 weeks.

I asked her where she gets 15 vanilla beans? She purchases hers via Amazon.com. Be sure to use Matt's Amazon link to purchase!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CPZSC8/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000CPZSC8&linkCode=as2&tag=httpwwwchanco-20

The cost savings is very significant. At Whole Foods here vanilla extract is $5.99/oz.'imitation is about $1.00/oz. Making it this way is .50/oz. Still cheaper than imitation and a whole lot better. I did price the vanilla beans at Whole Foods, they were selling at I kid you not!--3 freakin' vailla beans for $33.40!!!! You read right, three!! So not even bothering doing math just purchase on Amazon.

In the meantime I'll be using imitation until my extract "cures" in a month or so.

If you want to double/triple the batch and make for gifts like my sister did for me, purchase what is called "Boston round" bottles. I'm sure Amazon has those as well. Do not be scared to purchase in bulk. You will find many uses for the extras in making tintures, etc for homemade medicinal uses.

Baby A didn't tell me what to do with the 1/2 cup of vodka....I added orange juice and drank it
:-)

shin · « **Reply #1 on:** January 09, 2012, 07:24:58 AM »

Thanks! Now I want to try this!

s2srea · « **Reply #2 on:** January 09, 2012, 09:44:30 AM »

Thanks WSG! This is awesome!

Elizabeth · « **Reply #3 on:** January 09, 2012, 08:31:35 PM »

I am interested to see how this works out. So far my elderberry extract using the same method tastes pretty bad. It was either the cheap vodka or the berries were not a good tasting crop. The medicine works, but it does not go down easily, even with honey added.

Do the Baby A's & B's make many tinctures and extracts?

Telesphorus · « **Reply #4 on:** January 09, 2012, 11:13:15 PM »

Is it really strong enough?

MaterDominici · « **Reply #5 on:** January 09, 2012, 11:19:36 PM »

Great info, WSG!

For those who'd like a visual, I read a post about this here:
http://zeahrenaissance.blogspot.com/2011/04/homemade-vanilla-extract-how-to.html

momofmany · « **Reply #6 on:** January 10, 2012, 09:14:01 AM »

You shouldn't use cheap vodka, especially with making something like vanilla. You don't need to go all out and buy a bottle of Grey Goose but , Smirnoff, Stolychnaya or some other rot gut vodka isn't going to get you the results you would want. Get a mid grade vodka, good vanilla beans and the project will work out well. Last time I did it I used some beans from Costco someone gave me and some Absolut and I was happy with the vanilla and I am a bit of a baking snob.

Elizabeth · « **Reply #7 on:** January 10, 2012, 09:42:52 AM »

Thanks Momofmany. I only drink small amounts of wine or champagne, so am way out of the loop on vodkas.

Upon checking out Grey Goose, it was interesting to note that someone says vodka is the word for water in Russian. :cheers:

So, we need a really smooth- like- water vodka base for our extracts and tinctures.

Cheryl · « **Reply #8 on:** January 11, 2012, 11:59:15 AM »

Imitation vanilla extract is made from the by products of paper making, yuck!

Anyone looking for whole vanilla beans needs to find a friend with a costco membership. Three beans cost around ten bucks and that's all you'll need to make a pint worth of vanilla and that should last quite a spell. Sorry about not having any leftover vodka to mix with your orange juice, since we all know how important vitamin C is this time of year. :wink:

Paige · « **Reply #9 on:** January 11, 2012, 09:31:51 PM »

Very interesting! Thank you for sharing and it sounds easy enough. I like the idea of giving it as gifts. :) Do you happen to know how long this would last?

Man of the West · « **Reply #10 on:** January 11, 2012, 11:20:00 PM »

Quote from: Elizabeth

Upon checking out Grey Goose, it was interesting to note that someone says vodka is the word for water in Russian.

Almost, but not exactly. The Russian word for water is вода. It's pronounced "voh-dah, almost as if you were just trying to say "water" with a Russian accent. водка (vodka) is the diminutive form of вода, which in the Russian declension system is formed by adding the suffix 'ka.' Roughly translated, it would mean "little water," in the feminine case. It's interesting that the Russian language uses the diminutive feminine form to refer to potent drinks. If I recall correctly, the characters for alcohol used by Zen Buddhists in Japan also mean "little female demon," or words to that effect.

I took several years of Russian language in high school, and although I have forgotten much of the vocabulary I ever knew, I can still read the Cyrillic alphabet.

Man of the West · « **Reply #11 on:** January 11, 2012, 11:24:20 PM »

Quote from: Paige

Very interesting! Thank you for sharing and it sounds easy enough. I like the idea of giving it as gifts. :) Do you happen to know how long this would last?

Effectively forever, as long as you store the bottle closed and out of the light. Otherwise the flavor and aroma will start to go flat after a few years, but you ought to have used it all up by then anyway. There is no possibility of spoilage with 80 proof spirits.

Elizabeth · « **Reply #12 on:** January 12, 2012, 07:41:21 AM »

Quote from: Man of the West

Quote from: Elizabeth
Upon checking out Grey Goose, it was interesting to note that someone says vodka is the word for water in Russian.

Almost, but not exactly. The Russian word for water is вода. It's pronounced "voh-dah, almost as if you were just trying to say "water" with a Russian accent. водка (vodka) is the diminutive form of вода, which in the Russian declension system is formed by adding the suffix 'ka.' Roughly translated, it would mean "little water," in the feminine case. It's interesting that the Russian language uses the diminutive feminine form to refer to potent drinks. If I recall correctly, the characters for alcohol used by Zen Buddhists in Japan also mean "little female demon," or words to that effect.

I took several years of Russian language in high school, and although I have forgotten much of the vocabulary I ever knew, I can still read the Cyrillic alphabet.

Thanks MOW. :cheers:

We had some Russian refugees in school as youth. I used to know a poem translated to "The Sadness and The Boredom" which cracked me up.

s2srea · « **Reply #13 on:** January 12, 2012, 10:25:23 AM »

I bought my vanilla beans from Amazon yesterday! Woohoo! I'm excited to make this!

Paige · « **Reply #14 on:** January 12, 2012, 12:08:37 PM »

Quote from: Man of the West

Effectively forever, as long as you store the bottle closed and out of the light. Otherwise the flavor and aroma will start to go flat after a few years, but you ought to have used it all up by then anyway. There is no possibility of spoilage with 80 proof spirits.

Oh, I never knew! I'm not a big drinker myself so thank you for clarifying! :) I'm sure it would fly off my shelf! :)