How to substitute vodka in home-made vanilla extract?
I came across this recipe for making my own vanilla extract. However, the vodka in my country isn't very cheap. So, I would like to replace it with a cheaper alternative.
We discussed this in the chat room already and decided that there must be some alcohol in it and vodka works good because it's quite a neutral flavour.
Anyone knows what I can substitute the vodka with?
Best Answer
Think about this question another way:
- You are making vanilla infused liquor, you just happen to be cooking with it. And Yes, you can infuse any liquor
If you want to use a substitute for Wodka brand Vodka (i.e. use cheaper, off-brand vodka like Kamachatka), I would say that yes, you can substitute out one vodka for another with the caveat that you will want to consider the purity of the distillation you are using as it may impact the flavor of your extract. Substituting top-shelf vodka for "well" vodka may result in an inferior extraction.
If you are asking whether you can use some other grain alcohol other than vodka, itself, the answer is that yes, you can. You can even use brown liquors and so on; bear in mind they will all extract the oils but will carry the flavors differently (vanilla infused bourbon doesn't sound half bad). In particular, I would recommend going with a neutral grain spirit like Everclear; I have used it in making lemoncello, orangecello, and homemade Kahlua and it is pretty effective in extracting flavor while having none of its own.
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Can you substitute vodka for vanilla extract?
Recipes tell you how easy-breezy it is to DIY the solution, which is essentially just vanilla pods soaked in alcohol. Just buy vanilla beans, split down the center, stuff in a jar, drown in booze (most people use vodka; bourbon is fair game, too).Does vodka matter for vanilla extract?
For vanilla extract, smoother and cleaner means you get to taste stronger tones of vanilla. The vast majority of Vodka is 80 proof or 40% alcohol. The FDA dictates that a pure vanilla extract needs to be at least 70 proof or 35% alcohol, and this makes Vodka an ideal choice for vanilla extraction.What is the best alcohol for homemade vanilla extract?
What Kind of Alcohol is Best for Making Vanilla Extract? You can use any alcohol as long as it is 80 proof. The best and most popular choices are vodka, bourbon, brandy, or rum. Vodka is the most versatile because it has a neutral flavor.What can I substitute for vanilla vodka?
Summary table of vodka alternativesApplicationSuggested SubstitutePie CrustWhiskeyVanilla extractBrandy, bourbon, white rumVodka saucePremade vodka sauceWhite RussianGin18 more rows•Jul 17, 2021Making homemade vanilla extract with vodka
More answers regarding how to substitute vodka in home-made vanilla extract?
Answer 2
Any neutral white spirit without flavourings should do nicely.
Answer 3
Bourbon Vanilla Extract is a kind of vanilla extract with the added flavor profile of bourbon - is whiskey available or cheaper than Vodka in Belgium? I am not aware of the trade specifics of the EU but Scottish Whiskey (in general) is quite good and would be very similar to Bourbon, which is an American version of whiskey. Looking at the recipe I think you could just replace the whiskey for vodka 1 to 1.
You could also use half a cup of whiskey and half a cup of diluted ethanol / grain alcohol if you didn't want the whiskey flavor to be as strong.
Answer 4
In many countries you can buy pure ethanol that has not been tainted with IPA or BITREX or other non food grade supstances from a good medical supply retailer (pharmacy) or hardware store
You will still be paying alcohol tax etc., but it should work out cheaper
Cut it to 50% dilution with water to make a usable infusion liquid
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