I was wondering what the color should be of homemade vanilla? I've had some steeping for maybe 3 months or so, I know it needs to go another 3 months I guess...anyway store bought pure vanilla is extremely dark. So far, mine is semi-dark...maybe half as dark as store bought.

I'm wondering what color I should be going for, to know when its "done" or strong enough? I think I have about 6 split beans in maybe 30-ish ounces of vodka? (Not sure the exact volume).

Thanks!

My vanilla is very dark. I started about 15 beans in enough everclear to cover and steeped for a couple of months, then added a pint of vodka and steeped for another 4 months. The higher alcohol content in everclear supposedly extracts more flavor. I've been pouring off about half of the extract every 6 months and adding more beans and vodka. Gooooood stuff, but very dark.

Mine is very dark. When ever a cake recipe calls for vanilla essence, I use vanilla pods, I scrape the seeds out then put the remainder of the bean in my vodka bottle. I start out the home made vanilla process with the whole beans (split) and keep adding the split and scraped beans and top it up with vodka every now and then.

I use vanilla pods when baking and vanilla essence in things like buttercream. I find the cooking process releases the vanilla flavouring out of the pods.

Yes, the woody bits are completely normal. If you want to get rid of them (it takes out the seeds too though) you can pour your essence through a brand new pair of tights (Think they're called panty-hose in the US maybe??) into a container or bottle.

Kitagrl, mine is 16 beans to two cups Grey Goose Vodka. When I first used it when it was four months old, I could not believe this incredible taste existed. I now use 50/50 vbp and homemade. Mine is very dark. The cost ended up being pretty steep, but I use it as a selling point. And it makes a huge difference in the taste.

I just made up 10 little 5oz bottles this week. My recipes is a 7 month vanilla. They are already amber colored after 1 week. I put two split, extract grade beans in each 5oz bottle. We'll see. I read that to test the vanilla, put one tsp in a cup of milk and sip to check the flavor/strength. You aren't suppose to taste it from the bottle.