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Wayne Boatwright Wayne Boatwright is offline
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Default question about homemade vanilla extract

On Sun 21 Sep 2008 03:25:04p, zxcvbob told us...

> Ozark Baby wrote:
>> On Sun, 21 Sep 2008 16:06:28 -0500, zxcvbob >
>> wrote:
>>
>>> zipporah wrote:
>>>> cooksalot wrote:
>>>>> On Sep 20, 6:15 pm, Ozark Baby > wrote:
>>>>>> On Sat, 20 Sep 2008 18:26:57 -0500, zxcvbob >
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Ozark Baby wrote:
>>>>>>>> We are planning on making our own homemade vanilla extract. What
>>>>>>>> I want to do is to be able to give some as gifts. What size
>>>>>>>> bottle would anyone recommend for gifts? The other question is if
>>>>>>>> I would need to seal, like with canning, such jars of extract
>>>>>>>> once it is made, after 6 months, or what? Would this homemade
>>>>>>>> extract be ok just sitting on shelves or should it be
>>>>>>>> refrigerated or what? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
>>>>>>> Are you gonna get 5 ounce glass bottles for it? (I've never seen
>>>>>>> little
>>>>>>> brown bottles for sale, but that would be the way to go if you can
>>>>>>> find them.) I don't know how you intend to make your extract,
>>>>>>> I'll assume by
>>>>>>> steeping chopped vanilla beans in bourbon or rye or vodka, but i
>>>>>>> think you just need to screw the lids down tight.
>>>>>>> Bob
>>>>>> Thank you for your reply. Yes, I was thinking about 5-8 oz sizes,
>>>>>> as these will be presents for Christmas.
>>>>> Well you do realize that once we open those bottles of vanilla they
>>>>> sit in the cupboard sometimes for years and are just fine. My
>>>>> bottle source is Mountain Rose Herbs
>>>>> http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/sup...s_bottles.html
>>>> Specialty Bottle (http://www.specialtybottle.com/) is another fine
>>>> source for containers. I've been very happy with my orders from
>>>> them. I use their tins for dry herbs and spices and have some
>>>> eye-dropper bottles for citrus oils and the like. They have very
>>>> competitive pricing too (always a bonus).
>>>
>>> I think I would use these: (either the 2 oz or 4 oz with plain lids)
>>> http://www.specialtybottle.com/index...on=Custom&ID=2
>>>
>>> Bob

>>
>> I am wondering if plastic can be used? What are your thoughts?

>
>
> The extract will last a lot longer in glass (especially brown glass) and
> you don't have to worry about the alcohol slowly leaching chemicals from
> the plastic.
>
> BTW, I read an article in Cooks magazine a few years ago, and their
> homemade vanilla was more expensive than commercial vanilla and not as
> good -- even though they used good beans. Of course yours will be
> different ;-)
>
> What spirits are you planning to use? (I would use bourbon or rye
> whiskey because they have a spicy aroma already.)
>
> Bob
>


I always use bourbon when I make my own.

--
Wayne Boatwright

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