Step 2: How to Choose Your Alcohol for Homemade Vanilla Extract

Step 2: How to Choose Your Alcohol for Homemade Vanilla Extract

Everything you need to know about finding the best alcohol for your vanilla extract is below. From the taste difference between rums, vodkas, bourbons, cognacs and more, to top-10 lists to help you find the right brand to make vanilla extract. Next to your choice of vanilla beans, the spirit you select will have the greatest impact on taste. The tools below will help you make the best decision. 

Selecting Your Alcohol

  1. Top 10 Best Overall Alcohol for Vanilla Extract
  2. Top 10 Vodkas For Vanilla Extract
  3. Top 10 Rums for Vanilla Extract
  4. Top 10 Bourbons for Vanilla Extract
  5. Top 10 Whiskeys for Vanilla Extract
  6. Why do I need alcohol to make extract?
  7. What are the best spirit & vanilla bean pairings?
  8. How do different alcohols taste in vanilla extract?
  9. What is the difference between whiskey and bourbon? 
  10. Why use different alcohols in vanilla extract?
  11. Here is a detailed chart of spirits to print for alcohol shopping.
  12. How to dilute high-proof alcohol (like Everclear) for vanilla extract. 

Pairing Vanilla Beans with Alcohol - More Detailed Guides:

  1. Which vanilla beans pair best with Vodka?
  2. Which vanilla beans pair best with Bourbon?
  3. Which vanilla beans pair best with Spiced Rum?
  4. Which vanilla beans pair best with Dark Rum?
  5. Which vanilla beans pair best with Brandy?
  6. Which vanilla beans pair best with White Rum? 
  7. Which vanilla beans pair best with Cognac? 
  8. Which vanilla beans pair best with Irish Whiskey?
  9. Which vanilla beans pair best with American Whiskey?
  10. Which vanilla beans pair best with Tequila? 
  11. Beans that pair best with summertime cocktails.

Proceed to Step 3: Choosing Your Jars

Go Back to Step 1: Choosing Your Vanilla Beans

Visit our comprehensive extract making guide center for more free extract making tools designed from real trial-and-error by real people making spectacular extracts at home. 

— VanillaPura Pro
Taggué: baking ingredients bourbon vanilla DIY vanilla homemade vanilla extract rum vanilla extract vanilla beans vanilla extract alcohol vodka vanilla extract
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Let customers speak for us

from 1161 reviews

The scent and the size of the beans is quite inpressive, along with the major plumpiness. The oils are amazing-vanilla sugar is on tap for those bags!

J.R.
Premium Sumatra Indonesian Vanilla Beans - Grade A for Extract & Baking
Premium Sumatra Indonesian Vanilla Beans - Grade A for Extract & Baking
My all time favorite.

For me this actually smells and tastes like vanilla. My baking always come out great.

Mary Williams
The Kerema PNG Vanilla Beans - For Vanilla Extract & Baking (Grade A)
The Kerema PNG Vanilla Beans - For Vanilla Extract & Baking (Grade A)
Syrupy and delicious!

I did a double fold using these beans and Bacardi superior and after 18 months, the vanilla is sweet and syrupy with lots of caviar, perfect for that special recipe! I’m pleased to be gifting it to a special friend.

Robin Barr
The Colorado Ecuadorian Vanilla Beans - For Vanilla Extract Making & Baking Grade-A
The Colorado Ecuadorian Vanilla Beans - For Vanilla Extract Making & Baking Grade-A
It’s here!!!

It’s here!!! It arrived very fast for a group buy! It smells AMAZING!!! I can’t wait to bake with it!

Eva Simpson
Crimson Spice Blended Extract - Premium Madagascar Vanilla with Cinnamon, Rooibos, Honeybush, Ginger & Honey Crystals - By Jill (Group Buy)
Crimson Spice Blended Extract - Premium Madagascar Vanilla with Cinnamon, Rooibos, Honeybush, Ginger & Honey Crystals - By Jill (Group Buy)
Smells amazing

Smells amazing. Excited for the end results

Deborah Bennett
Crimson Spice Blended Extract - Premium Madagascar Vanilla with Cinnamon, Rooibos, Honeybush, Ginger & Honey Crystals - By Jill (Group Buy)
Crimson Spice Blended Extract - Premium Madagascar Vanilla with Cinnamon, Rooibos, Honeybush, Ginger & Honey Crystals - By Jill (Group Buy)
Madagascar vanilla beans ordered and received-

Madagascar vanilla beans orders and received- have not opened yet-

Emma Faulk
Madagascar Vanilla Beans - Grade A - Gourmet For Vanilla Extract & Baking
Madagascar Vanilla Beans - Grade A - Gourmet For Vanilla Extract & Baking
That lovely oil!

These beans look incredible! They are so oily and moist. I should be able to get some wonderful sugar just with the oil in the bag! With 4 ounces, I see so many possibilities!

PAULA J
Special Group Buy - Amazon - Jambi - Mimika - Blend - For Vanilla Extract Making & Baking
Special Group Buy - Amazon - Jambi - Mimika - Blend - For Vanilla Extract Making & Baking
Love the Madagascar vanilla beans

Love the Madagascar vanilla beans. Late starting thisyears Christmas gifts but I’ll be early next year!!!

Diane Dunn
Madagascar Vanilla Beans - Grade A - Gourmet For Vanilla Extract & Baking
Madagascar Vanilla Beans - Grade A - Gourmet For Vanilla Extract & Baking
Elegant

I love the way this bottle feels in your hand , it’s sleek and exquisitely made .. The beans if kept whole lay perfectly in the jar lengthwise and looks like a work of art.. beautiful way to display your extract

BJ
The Rimatara Extract Jar Collection
The Rimatara Extract Jar Collection
Loved the fragrance of this spice blend

Loved the fragrance of this spice blend. Can't wait till it is finished. Now I wish I had purchased more of it.

Anonymous
Crimson Spice Blended Extract - Premium Madagascar Vanilla with Cinnamon, Rooibos, Honeybush, Ginger & Honey Crystals - By Jill (Group Buy)
Crimson Spice Blended Extract - Premium Madagascar Vanilla with Cinnamon, Rooibos, Honeybush, Ginger & Honey Crystals - By Jill (Group Buy)
Ugandans

I just received my Ugandan beans so I haven't gotten them swimming yet. I am very anxious to taste them next year.

CT Smith
Ugandan Vanilla Beans - For Vanilla Extract Making & Baking (Grade-A)
Ugandan Vanilla Beans - For Vanilla Extract Making & Baking (Grade-A)
The Avera Extract jar collection is not only beautiful

The Avera Extract jar collection is not only beautiful, the way the mountains stand out when your extract starts getting dark, but they are also easy to store, without taking up a lot of room. You can actually get more bottles stacked together, on a shelf than you can canning jars. The Avera bottles are my absolute favorite, so far.

Nancy Ripley Meahl
The Avera Extract Jar Collection
The Avera Extract Jar Collection

Beautiful assortment of beans! Can't wait for the vanilla to be done extracting!

Barbara
Sweet Sunday Vanilla Bean Bag - For Vanilla Extract Making & Baking Grades A & B (Group Buy)
Sweet Sunday Vanilla Bean Bag - For Vanilla Extract Making & Baking Grades A & B (Group Buy)
They are very nice

They are very nice.

Anonymous
The Popondetta PNG Vanilla Beans - For Vanilla Extract & Baking (Grade A)
The Popondetta PNG Vanilla Beans - For Vanilla Extract & Baking (Grade A)
I have ordered these from VP before & loved loved loved the extract

I have ordered these from VP before & loved loved loved the extract. So I had to get more.

Phyllis Hone
The Virunga - Congo Vanilla Beans - For Vanilla Extract & Baking (Grade A)
The Virunga - Congo Vanilla Beans - For Vanilla Extract & Baking (Grade A)