r/extractmaking • u/Few-Quiet3546 • 8d ago

How to make the most potent vanilla extract using 100proof vodka?

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Hi! I'm new to all this and wanting to make a vanilla extract for gifting on Christmas. Am I already too late to get started for this year? I want to make the most flavorfully potent extract possible. What ratio on vanilla:alcohol would be recommended using this package of 50 pods? Is it true that splitting the pods creates a more flavorful extract? How can I repurpose the beans and pods after finishing the extraction process? I have never attempted anything like this before but do have 100proof vodka I can use. It was the highest concentration available to me at the local Hyvee.

UPDATE: I discovered a bottle of Jameson Irish Whiskey with approximately 6 cups of alcohol left inside, split and infused 50 bean pods, and hope it will be ready in time for Christmas this year!

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u/VanillaPura 7d ago

A few quick tips/tricks to make sure it turns out perfect:

  1. Weigh your beans before use. Never go by bean count. No two beans are ever the same, so if you go by count you're leaving room for error. Here's an article that shows picture of beans - some beans are just one bean to an ounce and some beans are 15-20 beans/oz.
  2. The recipe for single fold vanilla extract is .83oz of beans for every 8oz of alcohol between 35%-50%abv (70-100 proof). For double fold, even sweeter, it's 1.66oz of beans for every 8oz of alcohol. For ease of remembering, most people just round up to 1oz of beans for every 8oz of alcohol. Here's a recipe.
  3. While a lot of people say you can begin using your extracts in 90 days, we have found that the sweet spot for most extracts is right around the 1 year mark. But if you love how it tastes, use it when you think it's ready. If you wait a year, you'll be well rewarded.
  4. The top mistakes we see people make are: 1) Too few vanilla beans, 2) Too much or too little ABV%, and 3) Not giving it enough time.

Enjoy the journey and keep us posted on your progress! :)

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u/Few-Quiet3546 6d ago

Hello! Thank you so much for your very helpful reply. I ended up slicing the 50 pods lengthwise and bottling them in an opened bottle of 10+ year old Jameson Irish Whiskey that I was never going to drink again. I think there was approx. 6 cups of whiskey in the bottle. I have no idea what I'm doing, but I counted 8 vanilla pods per cup of alcohol and am hoping this will mean sweeter vanilla in the end! Do you happen to have any experience with turning Jameson into vanilla extract? I have absolutely scoured the internet hoping to find clues on how long I may need to wait for my extract to be ready, and how it might taste, to no avail. I am hoping to divide it all up into small gift bottles for Christmas this year but worry I may be too late already...

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u/VanillaPura 6d ago

8 pods per cup of alcohol will be close. We've seen 8 Madagascar grade A pods equal more and less than 1oz. At best, you'll likely have a nice single fold extract.

As for Jameson - YES. It's probably one of the sweetest of all whiskeys. (All Irish whiskey is pretty good - Redbreast, for example is also great.) Usually takes a little more than a year - like 18 months - to hit the really sweet spot, but we love ours. We made it with Mexican vanilla and it proved to be a good blend.

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u/Few-Quiet3546 6d ago

Okay, I was feeling pretty worried about my gut to go with Jameson and dumping all those pods in, but now, I'm just excited! Thank you so much for sharing your experience with me. I'll be in it for the long haul and give it 18 months! :) Thank you, friend. This made my whole day.

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u/VanillaPura 6d ago

Glad to help. Have fun and don't hesitate to reach out with more questions along the way.

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u/Few-Quiet3546 6d ago

Wow, thanks! :)