

Dark rum brings out the greatest levels of sweetness from the vanilla beans. Vanilla extract made from white rum tastes similar to vodka version, but a little sweeter. Rum is distilled from sugarcane juice or molasses giving it a light sweet flavor that pairs well with the vanilla bean flavor. Rum: Vanilla made from rum tastes sweeter than other alcohols.Bourbon adds extra flavor that compliments many baked goods. Bourbon: Vanilla made from bourbon will have notes of smoky oak and caramel that pairs well with the vanilla bean flavor.Vodka is inexpensive, and you will get a pure vanilla flavor in your extract. Vodka: Distilled vodka is clear, tasteless, odorless, allowing the flavors and color from the vanilla beans shine.You can use vodka, bourbon, rum, or brandy. The type of alcohol you use depends on your preference. There is no need to spend a lot of money either. Once extracted, the alcohol serves as a carrier for the flavor and most evaporates during baking leaving the vanilla flavor behind.Īny 80 proof, or 40% alcohol will work to make vanilla extract. Which Alcohol is Best for Making Vanilla Extract?īaking extracts rely on alcohol to remove the flavor and infuse it into the liquid. They are ideal for infusing because they have less moisture and a more concentrated vanilla flavor. Often times the pods will split, but this doesn’t affect their flavor. Grade B beans are left on the vine to ripen fully. Grade B vanilla beans are what you want for making vanilla extract. Grade A vanilla beans are better for cooking, and are often used to make homemade vanilla ice cream, vanilla pudding, and crème brûlée. Grade A is more expensive, gourmet type pods that are large, plump, and contains more moisture than Grade B. In addition, dried vanilla beans are also graded into two categories: Grade A and grade B.


However, if you want to explore brewing a better batch, here are tips to help you make a unique and superior vanilla extract: Type of Vanilla Beans for Infusing You will get delicious results if you just grab a few vanilla beans and an inexpensive bottle of vodka from the grocery store. Homemade vanilla extract is simple to make by submerging pure vanilla beans into alcohol, and letting the vanilla flavor infuse into the liquid. Not only is it delicious in baked goods, but it can be bottled it up in cute glass containers and given as gifts. Once I gave homemade vanilla extract a try, I found it so superior to store bought that I have been making it ever since. Then it dawned on me…I looked back and forth between the real vanilla extract and the vanilla beans and realized that I could extract that vanilla goodness myself with some type of alcohol. But pure vanilla extract is pricey, and for someone who bakes as much as I do, it’s enough to put me in the poorhouse. I know that imitation vanilla is really just a bunch of gross chemicals, including artificial flavors, caramel coloring, and corn syrup manufactured to taste like actual vanilla. A shopping trip to the grocery store a few years back to pick up some baking supplies for the holidays got me to thinking…
