Using Vodka for Cacao Nib Extraction

[Ethanfox]

I've read plenty of posts suggesting the use of vodka to soak cacao nibs for a few days prior to utilization in the fermenter. So, I did just that. I took 4 oz of nibs, and poured just enough vodka in the jar to cover them. I let it sit for 3 days. Now, there's no Vodka to pour into the fermenter - it's all been soaked up by the nibs!

I'm using canning jars with the lid tightly closed, so there's no evaporation - the vodka is just in the nibs.

Should I add more vodka and let it sit a few more days so I can have some liquid (extract) to pour into the fermenter, or leave it as is and just dump the vodka soaked nibs directly into the fermenter?

I've never used these cacao nibs before - so any advice would be GREATLY appreciated. (they smell great, btw)

 

[Ethanfox]

Am I the only one with the problem of vodka absorption? :/

 

[Brewkowski]

I had done something similar to infuse a Raspberry wine with cocoa nibs and it turned out pretty good. I let the nibs soak for several weeks I think, and the only problem I came across was that there was some kind of oil separation from the nibs. I ended up using a coffee filter to keep the mixed solids out of the wine but you can still see some of it, but with homebrew I think that would be less of an issue. Sorry, actually now that I think about it, it was a fortified wine and through the nibs in the whole batch because I knew there would be 20% ABV to help extract flavor. I'd give it a week or so and see if there is any noticeable flavor extraction.