Mexican Vanilla

[Thirsty Mallard]

Hey all,

I just got back from a cruise and while in Mexico I bought some high quality mexican vanilla. (It was only $2 for a small bottle, I figured, why not).

Anyone ever use Mexican vanilla in a beer? Is there a substantial difference between it and regular vanilla?

-Jeff

PS - Greatest stop on the cruise was Grand Cayman... with Hammerhead's Brewpub right on the coast! Met the brewer while I was at it. Nice guy, and you have to like that living... brewing and drinking beer on the beautiful coastline of a Carribean paradise!

[Bugeater]

I haven't tried it in brewing as I have a large number of vanilla beans in the freezer. However, I cook for a living. The mexican vanilla like you have is the only kind I use in my cooking. Much better than the stuff you normally find in the stores here in the states. If you try it in beer, use much less than what you think you might need. Put a little in secondary towards the end of fermentation (or in the keg, if you keg) and give it a taste. It is real easy to overdo vanilla in a beer.

Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company