Making Perpetual Vanilla Extract

Homemade perpetual vanilla extract is an easy DIY for beginners and is very cost-effective in the long run. Investing in organic vanilla beans once they can be reused over and over while still making great-quality vanilla extract. There are just a few ingredients for this recipe and it can be made in a variety of ways depending on the amount you want to make. 

Choosing your Alcohol

 When making homemade vanilla you will need to decide which type of alcohol you will use. There are four main types that are used for vanilla making. Each has different taste notes and ingredients they are made from. The most common alcohol used is Vodka because of its odorless properties. You can use anything between 70-100 proofs. Bourbon is another great choice for making vanilla extract that will add a slightly smoky flavor to the vanilla if it is barrel-aged. Brandy is made from fermented fruit juice and can add a sweet flavor to the vanilla. Rum, similar to Brandy, has sweet taste notes being made from pure sugarcane that can intensify the sweet side of the vanilla extract. Knowing what your preferences are and what you will be using your vanilla extract in can help you decide which alcohol is best for you to use. 

Tools Needed:

• Knife
• Cutting board
• Small funnel 
• Large glass jar or swing top jar*

Variation: The size of the jar will depend on how much alcohol you will be using. Any amount of alcohol is fine. You can also displace some of the alcohol from the bottle and place the beans directly in the alcohol bottle. How you want to do it is up to you. 

Ingredients:

8-10 Organic Vanilla Beans

Bottle of Vodka, Bourbon, Rum, or Brandy

Directions for Perpetual Vanilla:

1. Cut the vanilla beans long ways using the knife and cutting board. 
2. Place the vanilla beans in the jar using the funnel and add the alcohol until the jar is full.
   1. Variation: If you are using the alcohol bottle displace some of the alcohol and use the funnel to place the vanilla beans inside. 
3. Seal and date the jar. Put an end date with a minimum of 7 months but up to one year. 
4. Once the 7-12 months are done your vanilla is ready to use. You can take straight from the bottle with the beans kept inside and keep adding more alcohol to the bottle. Another option is to transfer the vanilla that is ready to use into another jar then add more alcohol to the jar with the vanilla beans and start another round. 
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   Written by Jessica