Making VANILLA not so successfully.....

[Garland Grower]

Hello,
Needing to ask about a fix or correction or if there is anything I can do to
save this.
My brother made some vanilla and we talked to him and also we did a little
research on the internet about how to do this.
The alcohol it said was optimum at 47.5%, and vanilla I believe we did 13.5
oz per gallon of alcohol.
We made three bottles, the first with straight vodka and the second two we
diluted one bottle of everclear with distilled water to make two bottles of
vanilla. So we have three litres extracting and will bottle them up into
smaller portions when they are done.
The PROBLEM is that the two bottles of diluted everclear became cloudy.
This really looks like crap and I wouldn't give them away to people like
this, they were going to be Xmas gifts for Christmas 2010.
IS THERE ANY WAY TO FIX THIS???
People on the internet said they had done it before with EverClear, but we
did not realize it would cloud.
Ugh.

Thanks for any suggestions,
Rita

[Garland Grower]

Post by Garland Grower
Hello,
Needing to ask about a fix or correction or if there is anything I can do
to save this.
My brother made some vanilla and we talked to him and also we did a little
research on the internet about how to do this.
The alcohol it said was optimum at 47.5%, and vanilla I believe we did
13.5 oz per gallon of alcohol.
We made three bottles, the first with straight vodka and the second two we
diluted one bottle of everclear with distilled water to make two bottles
of vanilla. So we have three litres extracting and will bottle them up
into smaller portions when they are done.
The PROBLEM is that the two bottles of diluted everclear became cloudy.
This really looks like crap and I wouldn't give them away to people like
this, they were going to be Xmas gifts for Christmas 2010.
IS THERE ANY WAY TO FIX THIS???
People on the internet said they had done it before with EverClear, but we
did not realize it would cloud.
Ugh.
Thanks for any suggestions,
Rita

NO ONE has any comment on how to or how not to make Vanilla??
Do you think I am o/t here? If so, please forgive, I'll post elsewhere.
I thinking drowning something in alcohol qualifies as preserving.
I know I've felt pickled before after a few too many : )


Rita Foust
Farmer Jones Eco Friendly Plants & Produce
Find us on Localharvest.org

[Kathi Jones]

Post by Garland Grower

Post by Garland Grower
Hello,
Needing to ask about a fix or correction or if there is anything I can do
to save this.
My brother made some vanilla and we talked to him and also we did a
little research on the internet about how to do this.
The alcohol it said was optimum at 47.5%, and vanilla I believe we did
13.5 oz per gallon of alcohol.
We made three bottles, the first with straight vodka and the second two
we diluted one bottle of everclear with distilled water to make two
bottles of vanilla. So we have three litres extracting and will bottle
them up into smaller portions when they are done.
The PROBLEM is that the two bottles of diluted everclear became cloudy.
This really looks like crap and I wouldn't give them away to people like
this, they were going to be Xmas gifts for Christmas 2010.
IS THERE ANY WAY TO FIX THIS???
People on the internet said they had done it before with EverClear, but
we did not realize it would cloud.
Ugh.
Thanks for any suggestions,
Rita

NO ONE has any comment on how to or how not to make Vanilla??
Do you think I am o/t here? If so, please forgive, I'll post elsewhere.
I thinking drowning something in alcohol qualifies as preserving.
I know I've felt pickled before after a few too many : )
Rita Foust
Farmer Jones Eco Friendly Plants & Produce
Find us on Localharvest.org

my experience with this group tells me 1) no one has anything to contribute
to this thread, 2) no one has made home made vanilla, 3) if they have, then
they don't have an explanation for your dilema, 4) as this is , for the most
part, a non preserving season, regular posters aren't checking in to the
group, 5) there's ALWAYS someone lurking who might have a comment, 6) just
be patient - even o/t posts get responses...eventually.....

see?

Kathi,
never made vanailla

[Melba's Jammin']

Post by Kathi Jones

Post by Garland Grower
NO ONE has any comment on how to or how not to make Vanilla??

my experience with this group tells me 1) no one has anything to contribute
to this thread, 2) no one has made home made vanilla, 3) if they have, then
they don't have an explanation for your dilema, 4) as this is , for the most
part, a non preserving season, regular posters aren't checking in to the
group, 5) there's ALWAYS someone lurking who might have a comment, 6) just
be patient - even o/t posts get responses...eventually.....
see?
Kathi,
never made vanailla

<g> I only saw the post tonight. About 3 minutes ago. I've replied
with my experience.

[Melba's Jammin']

Post by Garland Grower
NO ONE has any comment on how to or how not to make Vanilla??
Do you think I am o/t here? If so, please forgive, I'll post elsewhere.
I thinking drowning something in alcohol qualifies as preserving.
I know I've felt pickled before after a few too many : )

the instructions I was given said to use one bean per 2 ounces of booze.
I used Smirnoff vodka. I haven't bothered to strain it yet. It does
not appear to be "cloudy."
FWIW.

[Melba's Jammin']

Post by Garland Grower
NO ONE has any comment on how to or how not to make Vanilla??
Do you think I am o/t here?

Maybe, but that wouldn't stop anyone from responding here, I'm pretty
sure. Maybe no one has done it. Try rec.food.cooking. Or maybe
rec.food.baking. Or alt.cooking-chat.

[Dave Balderstone]

Post by Garland Grower
NO ONE has any comment on how to or how not to make Vanilla??
Do you think I am o/t here? If so, please forgive, I'll post elsewhere.
I thinking drowning something in alcohol qualifies as preserving.
I know I've felt pickled before after a few too many : )

See:

http://tinyurl.com/ye5s545

[Dave Balderstone]

Post by Garland Grower
NO ONE has any comment on how to or how not to make Vanilla??
Do you think I am o/t here? If so, please forgive, I'll post elsewhere.
I thinking drowning something in alcohol qualifies as preserving.
I know I've felt pickled before after a few too many : )

It's a low traffic group. People check in and reply when they do. Live
with it.

But I'm curious... Do you only post to one forum/group/venue at a time?
Why?

[Garland Grower]

Post by Dave Balderstone

Post by Garland Grower
NO ONE has any comment on how to or how not to make Vanilla??
Do you think I am o/t here? If so, please forgive, I'll post elsewhere.
I thinking drowning something in alcohol qualifies as preserving.
I know I've felt pickled before after a few too many : )

It's a low traffic group. People check in and reply when they do. Live
with it.
But I'm curious... Do you only post to one forum/group/venue at a time?
Why?

Thanks everyone.
I only posted it here. I guess I should have tried others, but the only
groups I've ever subscribed to where the rec.gardens,
rec.gardens.edible/organic, and now this one. I haven't posted anything in
years, it's not a regular thing for me like checking email. I basically use
it as reference material and get help when I need it. Truthfully, I don't
think the vanilla can be fixed so I did not put a huge effort into it, I
just thought I would ask. I think the recipients of this wonderful gift are
going to have to live with the fact that it's going to be cloudy.
Thanks again,
Rita

Farmer Jones Eco Friendly Plants & Produce
Localharvest.org

[Wallace]

Post by Garland Grower

Post by Garland Grower
Hello,
Needing to ask about a fix or correction or if there is anything I can do
to save this.
My brother made some vanilla and we talked to him and also we did a
little research on the internet about how to do this.
The alcohol it said was optimum at 47.5%, and vanilla I believe we did
13.5 oz per gallon of alcohol.
We made three bottles, the first with straight vodka and the second two
we diluted one bottle of everclear with distilled water to make two
bottles of vanilla. So we have three litres extracting and will bottle
them up into smaller portions when they are done.
The PROBLEM is that the two bottles of diluted everclear became cloudy.
This really looks like crap and I wouldn't give them away to people like
this, they were going to be Xmas gifts for Christmas 2010.
IS THERE ANY WAY TO FIX THIS???
People on the internet said they had done it before with EverClear, but
we did not realize it would cloud.
Ugh.
Thanks for any suggestions,
Rita

NO ONE has any comment on how to or how not to make Vanilla??
Do you think I am o/t here? If so, please forgive, I'll post elsewhere.
I thinking drowning something in alcohol qualifies as preserving.
I know I've felt pickled before after a few too many : )

I found your post quite interesting, but have no experience in this matter.
I have been waiting for any replies. Should you learn elsewhere the answer,
please be so kind as to post it here.

[Dave Balderstone]

Post by Wallace

Post by Garland Grower

Post by Garland Grower
Hello,
Needing to ask about a fix or correction or if there is anything I can do
to save this.
My brother made some vanilla and we talked to him and also we did a
little research on the internet about how to do this.
The alcohol it said was optimum at 47.5%, and vanilla I believe we did
13.5 oz per gallon of alcohol.
We made three bottles, the first with straight vodka and the second two
we diluted one bottle of everclear with distilled water to make two
bottles of vanilla. So we have three litres extracting and will bottle
them up into smaller portions when they are done.
The PROBLEM is that the two bottles of diluted everclear became cloudy.
This really looks like crap and I wouldn't give them away to people like
this, they were going to be Xmas gifts for Christmas 2010.
IS THERE ANY WAY TO FIX THIS???
People on the internet said they had done it before with EverClear, but
we did not realize it would cloud.
Ugh.
Thanks for any suggestions,
Rita

NO ONE has any comment on how to or how not to make Vanilla??
Do you think I am o/t here? If so, please forgive, I'll post elsewhere.
I thinking drowning something in alcohol qualifies as preserving.
I know I've felt pickled before after a few too many : )

I found your post quite interesting, but have no experience in this matter.
I have been waiting for any replies. Should you learn elsewhere the answer,
please be so kind as to post it here.

A quick google search for "cloudy vanilla extract" reveals that adding
water to the mix will make the extract cloudy, as will grinding the
vanilla bean instead of chopping it.

As for making it "uncloudy", I suggest starting over. Or accepting that
it's normal.

[Geoffrey S. Mendelson]

Post by Dave Balderstone
A quick google search for "cloudy vanilla extract" reveals that adding
water to the mix will make the extract cloudy, as will grinding the
vanilla bean instead of chopping it.

I have a bottle (started in November of 2006) that was 24 vanilla beans
shoved into a bottle of vodka. Over the years, I've take a bean or two
out, a few ounces of "juice" and refilled it with 95% alchohol.

This time when I did it, it turned cloudy. The difference is that 9 months
of the year, my kitchen is at least 80F. now, it is closer to 60.

I'll see in a few months when it warms up what happens.

The other side, the liquid from the bottle, made up to a pint with water
from my Brita filter seems fine.

Geoff.

[Garland Grower]

Post by Geoffrey S. Mendelson
The other side, the liquid from the bottle, made up to a pint with water
from my Brita filter seems fine.
Geoff.

.....

I'm sorry, did not quite understand that last part... Are you saying you
dilute with purified water the ounces you took out of the bottle to use as
your kitchen/baking vanilla?



Rita
Garland, TX
Zone 7b-8a
Farmer Jones Eco Friendly Plants & Produce
http://www.localharvest.org/farms/M10383

[Mimi]

I too have not experienced cloudiness. Right now, I have vanilla
beans in a fifth of brandy. Been brewing since May 2009 and the only
thing floatin' around in it is little specs of the vanilla and the 1-
inch or so pieces of the beans. I add a scraped bean when I use one--
saw no point in the little bit left on it to go to waste. I give it a
shake every now & then. It smells grand...

: - ]

[Garland Grower]

Post by Dave Balderstone
A quick google search for "cloudy vanilla extract" reveals that adding
water to the mix will make the extract cloudy, as will grinding the
vanilla bean instead of chopping it.
As for making it "uncloudy", I suggest starting over. Or accepting that
it's normal.

Yes, thanks..
We knew that putting the distilled water into the Everclear is what made it
cloudy because the one with pure Vodka is fine.
I guess we need to find out what makes water turn alcohol cloudy? Not sure,
but I guess the cost savings of using the Everclear (one liter of everclear
diluted equaled two liters of mix for extracting vanilla beans) was not
really worth it.

Rita
Garland, TX
Zone 7b-8a
Farmer Jones Eco Friendly Plants & Produce
http://www.localharvest.org/farms/M10383

[Ranée at Arabian Knits]

Post by Dave Balderstone
A quick google search for "cloudy vanilla extract" reveals that adding
water to the mix will make the extract cloudy, as will grinding the
vanilla bean instead of chopping it.

My initial question was why the water was added at all. I make it
with vodka and with bourbon and I've read of it being made with
everclear, but never with water added.

Regards,
Ranee @ Arabian Knits

"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13

http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/

[Geoffrey S. Mendelson]

Post by Ranée at Arabian Knits
My initial question was why the water was added at all. I make it
with vodka and with bourbon and I've read of it being made with
everclear, but never with water added.

The first recipe I found for it used one bean, and brandy diluted 1 part to
2 water. I prefer the low alcohol level.

BTW, I don't use Everclear, I use 95% (drinking) alcohol. I assume Everclear
is a US only product. If I don't dilute it, the vanilla has a "harsh" flavor.

Why don't I use vodka? Because the cheapest vodka is at least twice the price of
the 95% alcohol.



Geoff.

[Doug Freyburger]

Post by Geoffrey S. Mendelson
BTW, I don't use Everclear, I use 95% (drinking) alcohol. I assume Everclear
is a US only product.

Everclear is the best known US brand for 95% ethanol. Just a brand
name.

Post by Geoffrey S. Mendelson
If I don't dilute it, the vanilla has a "harsh" flavor.

I've only put vanilla in sugar so I can't comment on that.

Post by Geoffrey S. Mendelson
Why don't I use vodka? Because the cheapest vodka is at least twice the price of
the 95% alcohol.

Good reason.

Vodka is ethanol and water. If mixing it makes the result cloudy I
think that's a matter of timing. Mix the ethanol and water to make
homemade vodka, shake and let settle for a bit. Then add the vanilla.
As opposed to add the vanilla to concentrated alcohol and then add the
water.

My theory is the different solubilities or organics in an organic
solvant like alcohol, in an inorganic solvant like water and
in a mixture. I think there's something that dissolved in the nearly
pure alcohol that would not have dissolved in the vodka. When water was
added to it that ingredient precipitated out in a fine dust to form the
cloud.

I wonder if the particles are coarse enough that a coffee filter will
strain them out? They could be so fine that won't work but it's an easy
thing to try.

Alternately you may not be willing to use them as gifts but I bet it
still tastes good. Hot cocoa time!

[Garland Grower]

Post by Doug Freyburger
Vodka is ethanol and water. If mixing it makes the result cloudy I
think that's a matter of timing. Mix the ethanol and water to make
homemade vodka, shake and let settle for a bit. Then add the vanilla.
As opposed to add the vanilla to concentrated alcohol and then add the
water.

Yep, this makes a lot of sense. If commercial vodka is ethanol and water,
we should be able to make it work too, w/o the cloudiness. Little did we
know we were making homemade Vodka as well as homemade vanilla. I think we
did add the beans to the pure Everclear, then dilute. There are little
drops of oil floating which I have not seen in commercial vanilla, in line
with your theory that the pure alcohol may have pulled that out.

Post by Doug Freyburger
My theory is the different solubilities or organics in an organic
solvant like alcohol, in an inorganic solvant like water and
in a mixture. I think there's something that dissolved in the nearly
pure alcohol that would not have dissolved in the vodka. When water was
added to it that ingredient precipitated out in a fine dust to form the
cloud.

Makes sense.

Post by Doug Freyburger
I wonder if the particles are coarse enough that a coffee filter will
strain them out? They could be so fine that won't work but it's an easy
thing to try.

If I strain this through a coffee filter I will strain out all the loose
vanilla particles which I want to remain in there. I suppose it could be
done at the end after all is extracted out. I'm sure that is what I'll do.
Strain it before we bottle into the smaller bottles for gift giving.

Post by Doug Freyburger
Alternately you may not be willing to use them as gifts but I bet it
still tastes good. Hot cocoa time!

Yep! Thanks,

Rita
Garland, TX
Zone 7b-8a
Farmer Jones Eco Friendly Plants & Produce
http://www.localharvest.org/farms/M10383

[Garland Grower]

Post by Geoffrey S. Mendelson
BTW, I don't use Everclear, I use 95% (drinking) alcohol. I assume Everclear
is a US only product. If I don't dilute it, the vanilla has a "harsh" flavor.
Why don't I use vodka? Because the cheapest vodka is at least twice the price of
the 95% alcohol.

...
Exactly! Just what I just explained to the other nice lady.
Everclear is just a brand name of the 95% alcohol, fyi.
We found a site where standards for commercial vanilla here was 13 something
ounces of vanilla bean per gallon of alcohol, so that's what we used, about
24 beans per liter of vodka/ Everclear mix.


Rita
Garland, TX
Zone 7b-8a
Farmer Jones Eco Friendly Plants & Produce
http://www.localharvest.org/farms/M10383

[Garland Grower]

--
Rita Foust
Garland, TX
Zone 7b-8a
Farmer Jones Eco-Friendly Plants & Produce
http://www.localharvest.org/farms/M10383

Post by Ranée at Arabian Knits

Post by Dave Balderstone
A quick google search for "cloudy vanilla extract" reveals that adding
water to the mix will make the extract cloudy, as will grinding the
vanilla bean instead of chopping it.

My initial question was why the water was added at all. I make it
with vodka and with bourbon and I've read of it being made with
everclear, but never with water added.

...
Everclear's too strong, it's 95 percent alcohol. Research results found
that optimum extraction occurs at 47.5%.
Okay, now I sound like a total geek : P
We used it because it came out cheaper. The dilemma was that you don't want
to use the really cheap vodka, too many impurities etc. So we settled on
Tito's, a handmade Vodka made here in TX. It was on sale for 14.99 but now
is 17.99, it won many awards and was compared to Absolut and some other good
Vodkas. We wanted to do three liters or so to give away at Xmas so we did
one with the Titos. Then we bought the Everclear and diluted by half to do
two more. It all smells yummy, but the Vodka one is beautifully clear, the
other not so much.

Rita

[Ranée at Arabian Knits]

Post by Garland Grower
Everclear's too strong, it's 95 percent alcohol. Research results found
that optimum extraction occurs at 47.5%.
Okay, now I sound like a total geek : P
We used it because it came out cheaper. The dilemma was that you don't want
to use the really cheap vodka, too many impurities etc. So we settled on
Tito's, a handmade Vodka made here in TX. It was on sale for 14.99 but now
is 17.99, it won many awards and was compared to Absolut and some other good
Vodkas. We wanted to do three liters or so to give away at Xmas so we did
one with the Titos. Then we bought the Everclear and diluted by half to do
two more. It all smells yummy, but the Vodka one is beautifully clear, the
other not so much.

I understood your reasoning, but no recipe or method I've ever seen
for making vanilla has you dilute the alcohol, even when recommending
everclear. It seems you introduced a problem by assuming you should
dilute to bring the alcohol levels to the same or closer to those of
vodka, etc.

Regards,
Ranee @ Arabian Knits

"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13

http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/

[Doug Freyburger]

Post by Garland Grower
The dilemma was that you don't want
to use the really cheap vodka, too many impurities etc. So we settled on
Tito's, a handmade Vodka made here in TX. It was on sale for 14.99 but now
is 17.99, it won many awards and was compared to Absolut and some other good
Vodkas.

This reminds me of a blind tasting we did with a group in the college
dorms (serious expertese, sure ;^). We got 3 brands of cheap Vodka -
Kamchatka, Popov and something, plus 3 brands of fancy vodka - Absolut,
Finlandia and Stoli straight from the Soviet Union (this was long before
the wall fell).

Once the letter codes on the shot glasses were converted back to the
brands it turned out that no one could tell any of the cheap brands from
each other, no one could tell any of the expensive brands from each
other, about half of us could tell the cheap brands from the expensive
brands.

If you can find an inexpensive vodka that reviews against Absolut I
already know I will not be able to them the two apart in a blind tasting.

[Morebella Morbid]

On Sun, 17 Jan 2010 22:56:55 -0600, "Garland Grower"

Post by Garland Grower
Hello,
Needing to ask about a fix or correction or if there is anything I can do to
save this.
My brother made some vanilla and we talked to him and also we did a little
research on the internet about how to do this.
The alcohol it said was optimum at 47.5%, and vanilla I believe we did 13.5
oz per gallon of alcohol.
We made three bottles, the first with straight vodka and the second two we
diluted one bottle of everclear with distilled water to make two bottles of
vanilla. So we have three litres extracting and will bottle them up into
smaller portions when they are done.
The PROBLEM is that the two bottles of diluted everclear became cloudy.
This really looks like crap and I wouldn't give them away to people like
this, they were going to be Xmas gifts for Christmas 2010.
IS THERE ANY WAY TO FIX THIS???
People on the internet said they had done it before with EverClear, but we
did not realize it would cloud.
Ugh.
Thanks for any suggestions,
Rita

I have made and do make homemade vanilla. I usually make Mexican and
Tahitian vanilla.

I have never used anything except vodka. I allow mine to sit for at
least 6 months. Did you do that? Once I the vanilla beans all split
and scraped into the vodka, and I also use the bean hulls, I shake the
jars and bottles really good every day for a week and then every other
day for the next week. The third week I shake every couple days. By
the 4th week they just sit in the dark. Did you allow them to sit in a
closet or some place dark? I always gave a good shake at least once a
week while it is sitting and brewing.

[Cher Gosney]

Post by Garland Grower
Hello,
Needing to ask about a fix or correction or if there is anything I can do to
save this.
My brother made some vanilla and we talked to him and also we did a little
research on the internet about how to do this.
The alcohol it said was optimum at 47.5%, and vanilla I believe we did 13.5
oz per gallon of alcohol.
We made three bottles, the first with straight vodka and the second two we
diluted one bottle of everclear with distilled water to make two bottles of
vanilla. So we have three litres extracting and will bottle them up into
smaller portions when they are done.
The PROBLEM is that the two bottles of diluted everclear became cloudy.
This really looks like crap and I wouldn't give them away to people like
this, they were going to be Xmas gifts for Christmas 2010.
IS THERE ANY WAY TO FIX THIS???
People on the internet said they had done it before with EverClear, but we
did not realize it would cloud.
Ugh.
Thanks for any suggestions,
Rita

I just recently ran into the same problem using Everclear 190 prf. I diluted the Everclear 50/50 with filtered water. Using 1 oz of weighed beans per 8 oz of the 50/50, I made 5 bottles. I used Tahitian beans. 3 of the bottles are perfectly clear, the other 2 are cloudy. I ran across an article that addresses this problem. I must have had some very oily beans in those two bottles because they said the problem is in the suspension. Too much oil for the alcohol to break down. They offered 2 solutions, heat the extract slowly to evaporate some of the water out or, decant the two bottles and add more alcohol to them. I am inclined to use the latter method for fear of breaking down the alcohol by using heat. I don't know how this is going to turn out but, if I can save 20$ in beans you can bet I'm going to try.