Vanilla beansin soda

[WIMARIPA]

I've seen a number of root beer recipes that call for using vanilla extract, but as long as I'm going to be steeping some frickin roots and bark in my soda I figured I'd go all natural. Does anybody have any recs for conversion of vanilla extract to usin beans with a 1 hr steep/ simmer. I suppose I could start out light, adjust with extract, an dial it in in future batches.

 

[ZenBrew]

For what its worth, I recently made a cherry vanilla soda. I made 5 gallons and used three vanilla beans. I crushed up the beans and let them steep in water for about an house.

I think it was too heavy on the vanilla, but I also think I should have used a little more cherry juice.

I suspect next time I'll turn up the cherry juice and use only 2 vanilla beans. I know it isn't root beer, but I hope that helps!

 

[Kuhndog]

I've seen a number of root beer recipes that call for using vanilla extract, but as long as I'm going to be steeping some frickin roots and bark in my soda I figured I'd go all natural. Does anybody have any recs for conversion of vanilla extract to usin beans with a 1 hr steep/ simmer. I suppose I could start out light, adjust with extract, an dial it in in future batches.

You can still go natural via vanilla extract - make your own. There are tons of instructions out there about making your own vanilla extract. It's bascially vodka and beans in a container for a couple to a few months and boom - nice quality extract. Plus you can use your beans over again...they are not as strong but they work...then after your second batch of using them - add them to sugar to have some vanilla flavored sugar...good on a ton of things.

Ground up beans would be the most "natural" but you really don't really get all the flavor of the beans though - it takes a while for the flavor to come out that is why it takes months to make an extract (good quality one) and not watered down like mccormick...etc. Oh - get madagascar beans too - they are the best!

 

[levon15]

For what its worth, I recently made a cherry vanilla soda. I made 5 gallons and used three vanilla beans. I crushed up the beans and let them steep in water for about an house.

I think it was too heavy on the vanilla, but I also think I should have used a little more cherry juice.

I suspect next time I'll turn up the cherry juice and use only 2 vanilla beans. I know it isn't root beer, but I hope that helps!

Can you let me know the process / recipe for your cherry vanilla soda. Looking to make 5 gallons and force carb for the weekend.

Switching from homebrew to soda. The man got us down.
http://stlbrews.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=25366#p25366

 

[ZenBrew]

levon15 -

Sure! Here it is for 5 gallons:

* 1 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
* 2 vanilla beans (about 8-9 inches worth)
* 2 to 2.5 gallons cherry juice (I don't use concentrate. I use something like the following: http://www.rwknudsenfamily.com/products/just-juice/organic-just-tart-cherry/)
* 2.5 to 3 gallons water

1. In your brew pot heat the water, sugar, and vanilla bean just below boiling. Then simmer uncovered for about 15-20 minutes while stirring occasionally.
2. Remove from heat, cover and allow to sit about 20 minutes.
3. Pour the cherry juice into your brewpot.
4. Chill and carbonate!

Notes:

The first time I made this I used about a gallon of cherry juice and three vanilla beans. It did not have enough cherry flavor and had too much vanilla flavor. I think doubling the cherry juice and reducing the vanilla would be a good idea. You'lll have to experiment though, because I have no idea how this will turn out!

 

[Soulpanda]

Sorry,
I haven't actually made a soda yet and I was
Wondering how you carbonate. I've just brewed
a few beers and am only marginally used to that
Carbonating. Thanks!.

 

[ZenBrew]

Sorry,
I haven't actually made a soda yet and I was
Wondering how you carbonate. I've just brewed
a few beers and am only marginally used to that
Carbonating. Thanks!.

Depends on how you are storing it. I've never bottled soda, because I've always kegged it. For kegging soda I force carbonate it.

When you bottle soda, I understand that you use yeast to create the carbonation, much like when you use priming sugar to carbonate beer. The difference is you gotta get the soda in the fridge after a day or two so you don't end up with alcohol soda that may explode the bottles.