Big name brands use heat and pressure for the extraction process. My homemade extract uses frequent agitation only. I age the extract for 12-24 months, shaking the jugs weekly. No heat, no pressure cookers, just time.

Better beans. The FDA guidelines for vanilla extract only indicate the weight of beans to alcohol ratio but says nothing concerning the quality. I use very high-quality Madagascar vanilla beans that are plump with a moisture content of 33% filled with bean caviar.

Absolutely! Different types of vanilla beans and different extracting agents give vanilla different flavor profiles.

I use vodka and palm derived vegetable glycerin for two wonderful all-purpose vanilla extracts. Vodka lends very little to the overall flavor profile and glycerin becomes a sweet, alcohol-free version of all-purpose vanilla.

Dark rum and bourbon are used in my other products. Both of these add a unique twist to the overall flavor profile of the vanilla.

You can read about how we use each type of vanilla in their product descriptions.

I cut and split each vanilla bean by hand, scrape out the caviar and add the caviar and pods into gallon size jars with the alcohol.

When it's time to bottle, we remove the beans and strain the product through cheese cloth three times to remove caviar and the remaining pods.

The beautiful, dark vanilla extra is then put into bottles, safety sealed and labeled.

I wrap each bottle in bubble wrap surrounded by packing peanuts. And I use sturdy cardboard mailing boxes, not flimsy plastic bags.

4oz bottle = 24 teaspoons
2oz bottle = 12 teaspoons

Vanilla extract made with alcohol has endless shelf life, no expiration date. Just keep your bottle out of direct sunlight.
The alcohol-free extract made with vegetable glycerin has a shelf life of approximately 3 years. We typically use it all well before that.