Vanilla Beans in Secondary

[sullydavid]

In the most recent issue of BYO I saw a recipe for a Cherry Vanilla Stout that I am just getting ready to start.

It called for 2-4 vanilla beans to be added to the secondary. I am wondering if anyone has tried something like this. I have worked with spices before but they have always been boiled prior to adding.

On one hand I am thinking that the alcohol content by that time should help guard against an infection, but I am also concerned. Anyone see problems with dropping them straight into the secondary or boiling them prior to adding?

Thanks

[danno]

by the time your brew gets to the secondary, all the alcohol is already present, and will stave off most infections. One possible alternative if you're still skeptical, soak the vanilla beans in some vodka (or rum, mmmm :D), that will drive off any possible infection...

(this is essentially how vanilla extract is made, soak a couple of beans in some neutral alcohol for awhile, you've made pure vanilla extract... I'd even consider doing this after you've bottled, fish out the beans and keep using them...)