Vanilla Extract Alcohols! What should I use and what works? 

So much better than store bought. I love hearing stories like this thank you for sharing.

I love Bourbon for my extract.

I was just going to ask if bourbon is okay to use. Glad it is. A Kentucky friend said she loves Maker’s Mark. I think my next batch will use that brand.

Ya I’m doing whiskey too

I just started about one month ago I made all extracts with 190 proof 😊 stay clear and used it straight the only one that I put water In was the strawberry at about 40 percent water and stay clear 190 proof how badly did I mess up would really want to know than you

The best advice I can give you for making blends comes from my mistakes. Make a vanilla extract and a orange extract separate. When those are done then blend them slowly until you achieve the flavor your looking for. This way you can control every aspect of it and you can repeat your results. If your trying to make different flavors of extract together you don't have control and can ruin it. Vanilla takes longer then orange and orange can over power the vanilla so it is best to do them separate and then blend.

Try different kinds. I have and so far, the bourbon tastes the best. The Coconut hasn't had enough time to steep.

Bees are awesome little bugs and we need more of them. They are a lot of work but very satisfying. Good luck with them

I am going to do a video about selling your vanilla and what I had to go through. Maybe in the next week or so. This is a common question I get.

Oh that is great. I am glad to help

Your welcome!

Wonderful!

You are so welcome!

Please do yourself a favor and massage some of your Tahitian beans in sugar. You won't be sorry and it tastes so yummy in coffee.

Glad it was helpful!

Happy to help!

Thanks for the tip!

Rums is great and we love using them for making our vanilla and other products.

I can't find that brand here. I had a bottle of Whalers but want to try Cruzan depending on the proof.

@@lavvy2585 i had to ask my store clerk to order it in for me.

Vanilla rum it will work for sure.

@@ClementFamilyFarms Why use Vanilla Rum if you're making extract? Isn't the vanilla artificial flavor? Does it make it stronger?

Check out my blind taste testing video on the top ten alcohols.

When you finish it let me know how you like it with the coconut rum. I have tried many different Vodkas over the years and I am really surprised on how different they are in taste and the price doesn't matter. If I use a vodka now I use New Amsterdam it makes a good vanilla extract.

@@ClementFamilyFarms thank you for the vid. I have smelled my vanilla now. The coconut flavor has gone away. Just waiting now

Oh that is great and no matter what you did you will make great vanilla compared to store bought. So always measure my beans out because the size and quantity is different for each individual vanilla bean. Example my last batch of vanilla beans varied from 6 beans to a once to 11 beans per once. I weighed and counted several different times and never came out consistent to a number of vanilla beans. I get asked the question all the time and the only correct answer is to weigh them. For my recipe I ways add more. I only call mine single fold extract but it really is 1.5 fold. Thank you for watching my videos I do appreciate it.

David Riley have you tasted your vanilla with the spiced rum. I was told is was wonderful especially for holiday baking. That was my next extract but would love to hear about how it turned out. Thanks

@@annadowdy4599 We have! We have made two batches of chocolate chip cookies and they were SO GOOD!!! My first bite, I want sure I'd like it, but it grew on me quickly! It was the most unique flavour ever in a cookie. It was better than the batch of straight vodka vanilla we made as well. We only made.a pint of it, but wished we made more. Holiday cooking with the slight flavour of spice would be delicious! It's worth making a batch of it. I hope you will like it too!

@@thinkforyourself5330 thank you so much for getting back to me. I had already brought 2 pints to make it. Next I am going to try the coconut rum. Again thank you so very much 😊

@@annadowdy4599 I started a batch of coconut rum. I'm about a month and a half into that. I can't wait for the results!

If you’re doing the standard 1-fold (1 oz beans to 12oz alcohol) you would use half an ounce

80% of my clients are pastry, cookie and cake small businesses and they love it.

No Malibu rum is not high enough alcohol proof the make a good extract by FDA standards. The proof needs to higher than 70 proof and less than 100 proof.

How was it with the Tanduay sir?

@@jimsy2008 Tried it with dried cherries and it was great. Haven't tried it with vanilla yet.

This is a great comment Jay! When I first started making Vanilla my first thought was to make it so it was tolerable to taste with out that alcohol bite. I still try to make that happen but doesn't always happen even using the same recipe and same alcohol. I believe it has to do vanilla beans them selves and what time of year and the growers practices on how strong the vanilla comes out. Vanilla extract or any extract is not recommended to be drank in its pure form. Extracts are made to use in baking and other forms of food products in a diluted state but packing a punch of flavor. Over the years of making my vanilla extract I have found I get more repeat customers if I make my extract more tolerable to drinking it. 100% of my clients don't drink it but will taste it and compare it to others and always come back to my extract. Then there are those people who do not drink at all and know nothing about alcohol. Yes there are those people still out there in fact it probably makes up about 40% of the home baking community if not more. With this wave of people starting to make there own home made products that 40% do not like the alcohol bite or after taste. That is also why I started making my own years ago. I realized later it really doesn't matter to much if there was still small amounts of bite or flavor to the extract when your using it for the attended use like baking and flavored drinks. Baking burns off the alcohol and people making drinks with it are making alcohol drinks so whats the point there. Having repeat clients over and over again gave me a good guide line to what people wanted and yes if I make it close to were can drink it then I keep more repeat clients and new clients at the same time.

Wonderful!

Stay tuned I am working on more and thank you.

I am going to do a basic Q&A video on Vanilla extract is there any questions or information you would like to see on that video?

When vanilla bean prices are around the $10 mark. A 12 oz bottle of extract will sell for around $40. I see prices going up again and as they go up the price of the 12oz bottle goes up. So the rule of thumb I use with almost anything I make or build is I figure out how much it cost me in materials to make that item. We are not counting the labor just materials. But make sure to count for everything like fuel in your car if you have drive somewhere to pick up supplies. Dont short your self and round up those numbers. Once you figure that out then double that number and that's your price to sell. Truly you can triple that number and still be under market value. example : to make 12 oz of vanilla extract at a single fold FDA standard. 1 oz of beans with shipping $15 - 12 oz of 70 proof Alcohol $8 - Nice 12 oz bottle $3 - Bottle cap and seal $1.25 - Label $0.35 your total cost to make it is $27.60 your sell price should be $55.20 or more but this give you a starting point. I hope this helps

@@ClementFamilyFarms Thank you very much for the info.

How did yours come out? I found the taste to be beautiful but the strong alcohol taste at the end was too much for me.

You will not be disappointed making your own Vanilla. I have some friends that live in Henley in Arden Germany. Ok Alcohol is the biggest question I get. 35% ABV or 70 proof is the bare minimum to make pure extract. You can use higher proof up 45% ABV or 90 Proof alcohol with out having to add a water and cutting it down. The higher the proof the more likely you will have that alcohol bite to it. I try to stay at 35% ABV or 70 Proof alcohols to reduce that alcohol bite or taste as much as possible. If you cant find the coconut rum in 70 proof then a would be looking for a white rum or vodka. Captain Morgan is good brand for rums and in vodka I prefer the New Amsterdam. I stay away from the spiced alcohols because sometimes those spices take over the vanilla flavoring. I am not a alcohol drinker my self but will try it and drink a little glass to see how it is. I have never used Russian standard or Finlandia so I cant speak on them but I have used Absolute in the past. Then I found the New Amsterdam vodka. I hope this helps

@@ClementFamilyFarms thanks a lot! Your prompt answer is highly appreciated! I found the New Amsterdam Vodka and the White Rum from Captain Morgan, so I guess I will try my first batch with one of these.

@@yuliabachvarova If I had to start I would go with the New Amsterdam. Its my top pick and you will not be disappointed.

I am going to do a basic Q&A video on Vanilla extract is there any questions or information you would like to see on that video?

@@ClementFamilyFarms thanks for your question Shane. I actually started just last night my first batch of Vanilla (only 0,5 l) to see how it will be. Your Videos are very detailed and full of information, which is great. What I struggled with however is when purchasing the vanilla pods to choose between grade A or B. I get the main difference but I had some issues choosing the ones that would suit me best. Finally I chose the B grade and I am not sure whether I was not cheated with the quality. I couldn't purchase from your recommended place, as the delivery costs to Germany are almost as the price of the beans themselves. So it would be great if in a basic q and a video you give some idea about what to expect as an end result if choosing one type or the other. (Maybe already mentioned in another video, but I didn't find it.)

I have not use the oak blocks but this would be a interesting test for sure. I am taking suggestions for future videos on what people want to know and does it work. This is a good question

Oak adds tannin, so it kinda adds a flavor bite. It doesn't smooth it out so much as it adds another flavor complexity.

Coconut rum is my go too rum and love it.

@@ClementFamilyFarms Thank you! I want to take a bunch of different beans from different places and make one bottle for that. I also chose Bourbon to use on my sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving. Thanks for this awesome video.

@@ClementFamilyFarms I didn't like the coconut rum sadly, I love brandy and vodka and white rum. I love your vids, thanks for all of your wonderful information. It has helped me a lot!

yes check out my vanilla series on my channel. My videos are kinda long but the answer a lot of questions. Vanilla series part one to start with.

100 proof will be just fine for extract. You might have a little alcohol bite to it when it is finished but will still be amazing.

Use the Parrot Bay Rum it makes a nice extract for sure. You just have to remember with the higher proofs you still will have a little bit of that alcohol bite to it but still makes a fantastic extract. If your baking with it you will probably never notice the the higher proof.

I have tried other flavors but a lot of the time those flavors have taken over the true vanilla flavor. As far as using vanilla flavored alcohol to make extract I am not a big fan of. I make vanilla extract for one reason I want the best and strongest flavored Vanilla extract I can get. Once you have that extract you can make up what ever you want afterwards with better control and consistency. So with that being said I do use coconut rum. Coconut rum is a light flavor that doesn't take over the vanilla and give it a little sweetness. That sweetness does in fact enhance the vanilla flavoring. If I didn't tell you I used coconut rum 99.9% of the people would never know or could not taste it. The only other rums of vodkas I use are straight no flavor ones or white is what they call them. I am getting ready to do a test with different alcohols in the next couple of weeks.

Dont trust anyone over the counter . hahaha they are salesmen. good quality doesn't mean it good for taste and feel. . All I can say the best way to test it is to try it. I am not a drinker but I will taste them and if takes my breath away it will probably do the same in the extract. But if take a sip and its smooth and your mouth doesn't pucker or feel on fire your probably ok for an extract.

@@ClementFamilyFarms ohhh good idea! It was Costco so I don’t feel they are *quite* as bad as some other stores, Ha! I’m waiting on my first batch of beans to come in, so I’ll give it a taste before I commit. 😁

I've tried spiced rum, it's very strong. That one will take months to steep and would probably be used in a carrot cake. Bourbon has started to flavor nicely in less than a month and that will be used for sweet potatoes for thanksgiving. Brandy will be used for eggnog.

Check out my other videos on alcohol and proofs.

I do not mix my beans. Usually when I place an order it’s a large order of one kind and 95% of the time it’s Madagascar vanilla bean pods. I make what would be a fold and half. I still call it a single fold to make it simple. I use 4-5 oz of beans per 750ml of 70 proof or 35% alcohol.

Thank you! Now I'm trying to find Captain Morgan's Coconut Rum. It's not easy! Lol

I am going to be doing that just to see but I will take his advice and use the coconut because it's mellow. Madagascar, Tahitian, Ugandan, Tongan, Mexican, Ecuadorian, Sri Lankan, New Guinea and Indonesia are going into one small bottle. Any other bean I find will go in there, just to see what happens. I will be sure to make separate batches of each though. Beans are too expensive to waste.

So I do not mix any of my alcohols. I never want to take risk of mixing it wrong when it comes to lower proofs of alcohol. If it is mixed wrong it can lower the shelf life of the extract. This is why the standard starts at 70 proof. White rum 80 proof or the vodka will work all on its own just fine and make an excellent vanilla extract.

@@ClementFamilyFarms Ok, got it. Go with all white rum or all coconut rum at 70 proof or higher. I will save the 750m L bottle for sipping. Thanks too for the vanilla bean source. 😀

Makes sense. The higher proof makes a quicker extract. The double fold makes a more concentrated extract. How did they end up ?

Vanilla pods are fibrous and can have hair like strands coming of them. Even more so if your cutting a scraping sense your disturbing the fibers. I hope that helps answer your question.

You can just put the beans right in the alcohol bottles. The only reason I don't do it is because it is easier to handle and get the beans out after making extract plus I use a vacuum seal on mine. Canning jars is what i use and they are easy to use and really versatile. Check out my vanilla process part one.

I have been buying Vanilla beans a little over 28 years now. Most of the companies I have bought from, start of with good quality beans then drop off after about a year or two. But with vanilla it is like any other crop you have good harvest and bad ones so i took in account for that. I ended up switching around companies until about 5 years ago when I bought vanilla beans off of Amazon. They came from Vanilla Bean Kings and they were some of the best vanilla beans I have ever received. From that point on I always made sure to check who the seller was on amazon before I bought and made sure it was Vanilla bean Kings. I had bought or received beans from other companies during that 5 years but nothing compared to VBK if they did the price was much higher. I now buy directly from Vanilla Bean Kings and working with the owner to support his business. If we have good businesses we need to support them. Here is the link to them www.vanillabeankings.com/?ref=clementfarms and here is a coupon code for 10% regular priced items. CLEMENTFARMS

I love the beans from Vanilla Bean Kjngs and joined the coop for best prices. I also belong to vanilla Bean coop. Both are in face book. Vanilla Bean Coop is found at Indrivanilla online. The cool also has great prices and you can track your online!!!

yes you can mix alcohols

Yes you can use white rum or Vodka If I had to choose I would pick New Amsterdam vodka if you can find it. It is a common vodka.

I only buy 70 proof now for the last 6 years. I don't mess with anything else anymore.

With the higher proof vodka you can make a good vanilla extract for sure. I would just use more vanilla beans per alcohol ratio to get your self a really nice vanilla extract. The FDA standard is 1 oz of vanilla beans per 12oz of 70 proof or higher drinking alcohol to get a single fold vanilla extract. The ratio is use is 1.5 oz of vanilla beans per 12oz of alcohol. Just remember vanilla beans is by weight and not by how many beans. I would recommend to try the 1.5oz ratio.

Yes pretty much the same. If you can find it in 70 proof would be better if not I recommend proofing down to 70.

Charcoal filters do filter out some of the alcohol properties taking away some of that bite. I dont know if that is true for all alcohols. If i was to try it i would run the alcohol through a filter before using it in extract. Every time you run a extract through a filter you lose some of the flavoring profiles. So i would not recommend that.

There are a couple other companies that sell coconut rum you just need to make sure you get a 70-80 proof. Some are only like 40 proof so you just have to watch that part. There are some name brand stores that deliver but you will have to check your area and see if its allowed. Every county is a little different on the laws for delivery.

OMG i just watched some of your videos. I love your personality plus I love Broadway shows. Oh If your in the LA area you can go to your local Albertsons, Walmart market, or Bevmo and if they dont have the Captian Morgan coconut rum on the shelf but sell other CM products they can order the coconut rum for you. I am in Santa Maria ca. and they dont always have it on the shelf here so I just order it. They are more than happy to do that for you.

No I have not tested gold rum.

Yes it is the extra sugar. Most of the flavored alcohols add sugar to enhance the flavor they are trying to achieve. With the FDA standards you are allowed to add sugar to your vanilla extract and still call it pure. I don't add the sugar I just use alcohol that has it in it. Plus this helps because I don't have list sugar as a ingredient only the alcohol used. So coconut and some of the other tropical flavoring are considered light flavoring and will not over power the vanilla but yet compliments it. My vanilla you can not tell I use the coconut if you were doing a blind taste test.

If i had a good smooth moonshine that you liked i would cut it down to 70 proof or 35% ABV and use it. You just have to remember with any alcohol used if you taste it and don’t like it you will probably not like the vanilla extract with finished. If you do like it and its above 90 proof or 45% ABV you might want to cut it down between 70-80proof to get a better finished vanilla extract. The high proofs in my opinion tend to have a harder bite to them and over powering the vanilla flavor. I tend to stay with 70-80 proof alcohols. I hope this helps.

I don't recommend proofing down alcohol. If not done right you can ruin your batch. 80 proof alcohol will work just fine. How long has your coconut vanilla been extracting and what method are you using? I have to do blind taste test sometimes because if I know what its made of then my brain tells me that what I should be tasting. I had to start blind tasting all my stuff to give honest opinions because In the beginning i was even fooling my self. lesson learned plus you will never taste it when your cooking with it.

@@ClementFamilyFarms You said that using 80 proof vodka gave your vanilla extract a boozy finish so that is why I wanted to proof it down to 70 proof. 70 proof is what your coconut rum is proofing at. Couldn't I use a hygrometer to proof the vodka before I place the bean pods in the liquid? Did you try this method?

It all depends on the alcohol used. I have had 90 proof alcohol with no boozy bite to it before but its still a hit and miss. I can use the same formula over and over and 50% of the batches will have the bite and some will not. I cant explain why that happens. Using 70 proof reduces that chance but still doesn't mean it will go away completely depending on the alcohol used. All alcohol is brewed or distilled differently this plays a big part on how smooth it taste. Not all alcohol is treated equally and that's part of the problem. I have a new video coming out trying to help address some of these issues so people have a better understanding about alcohol. I do brew alcohol and use a hydrometers but never proofed down anything I used for extract. Its not worth the risk for me to start mixing water and alcohol.

@@ClementFamilyFarms Your reasoning is sound so I will heed your advice and abstain from the proofing down method. My plan going forward is to make two one quart batches of vanilla extract. One will be with the Chopin Potato Vodka and one with the Coconut Rum using your methodology. These videos have been very helpful and seem to be the most concise and scientific. Thank you for your time and effort. When will you release your next video? I would like to start these batches soon but would also like to watch your next video before I begin should I find a few more of your helpful hints in your upcoming video.

I hope to have the new video out by the end of next week.

I buy cases of that for all my extracts. Yes it will work

You have to maintain at least a 70 proof alcohol content to be shelf stable and legal in the USA. You can heat and burn off the alcohol just before using it but at that point you must use it or run the risk of it spoiling or introducing bad bacteria to the mixture.

@@ClementFamilyFarms as yes. Makes sense. Thank you! Love these videos!!!! You’re the best! Appreciate your efforts to make them!

You don't cut alcohol with anything. Stick the beans in the bottle if you want too or rebottle in other containers. I try to use the original bottles. They look pretty.

You should not cut alcohol unless it is over 100 proof. 70 to 100 proof your just fine using it like it is.

I dont use bourbon at all. I stick to Voka and rums. Madagascar beans are the only ones I will buy now. They have the strongest flavoring in my opinion.

I tried bourbon and so far, it's a nice milder flavor than the vodka and spiced rum. I can't wait to use it on my sweet potatoes at the end of the year.

I don't use everclear but I do know some people do. I personally do use it because there is so much other stuff on the market that works and you don't have to mix it. I always recommend buying 70 to 90 proof alcohol. This would be 35% to 45% alcohol by volume. I cant honestly give you directions on how to dilute the everclear so it will not ruin your vanilla beans. I have no experience with diluting it.

I have been using VBK for the last 6 years and have been really happy with them. Here is the link to them. They have also given me a coupon for all my followers for 10% off there first order on regular priced merchandise. www.vanillabeankings.com/?ref=clementfarms use code CLEMENTFARMS

Oh wow that one is really strong and over powering. Personally i wouldn't use it but dont be afraid to try a very small batch with it.

FDA regulations for a minimum pure vanilla extract is 1 once of vanilla beans by weight to 8 fluid oz of alcohol 70 proof or higher. That recipe is what they call a single fold. Then they have a double fold and triple fold recipes. This is the same amount of fluid 8oz but for a double fold you double the amount of vanilla beans to 2oz.per 8oz and for a triple fold 3oz. of vanilla beans for 8oz of alcohol.

www.vanillabeankings.com/?ref=clementfarms

5.5 months to go!🥳

If you follow the correct alcohol proofs it will last forever. I use 70-80 proof and have vanilla that is 20 years old with no issues.

70 proof coconut rum CM

Sure why not but you will not be able to taste the difference. It is up to you.

To be honest I think it is nasty tasting and would never use it. Check out my Blind taste testing video on the different alcohols as Ocean vodka was one of the alcohols used during the testing. You can see how it was rated.

Check out my vanilla sugar Video in my Vanilla playlist.

The standard is 1 oz of vanilla beans to 8 oz of 70 proof or higher alcohol. It goes by weight of the beans and not by how many beans because they all vary in size. With what your saying you did and not knowing the size of your bottle. I am assuming your bottle is the standard 750ml. If that is the case you are just flavoring the alcohol and not making extract.

if you want a good strong vanilla Extract you need to stick to clear unflavored rum or Vodka.

Not saying you cant use the dark rum, its just going to give it more of a dark rum flavor than a good strong Vanilla flavoring.

At this time I don't have the means to be selling equipment.

The bakers I deal with use my vanilla and if they need spiced extract they mix their own spices and add it them self's as they need it. This way they have better control of the flavors. You can always add but you can always take away.

Wow why sound so passively aggressive for?

@@kidz919 The comment above assumed I don't know anything about bakers even though I worked and help in a bakery for couple years plus I have 11 clients that are professional Chefs and Bakers. I was just explaining not everyone wants spiced rums and why. Every one is different and I like that diversity that is how we grow and evolve with recipes and friendships. Some people are stuck only thinking one way and that is OK also. I use to be that person and never though outside the box. Now I share what I have learned in hopes to help others who want to learn something new or different. People can make their own choices.

He did get to the point, be patient. This was an excellent video and one I haven't seen anyone do. I've heard of only one person using coconut rum and that was for coconut extract. I made it with a young coconut and it's coming along nicely. Coconut rum is very mild. Do your own experiment and see what you like. He did the same and decided that he likes the coconut. I tried different kinds, and I like Bourbon but coconut is very smooth and mild. Still waiting for more time on that one to brew.