Aged Vanilla

Remember way back in October when I began brewing vanilla extract for Christmas gifts? If not, you can check it out here! Two months later, the vanilla is richly potent, and it’s time to get the bottles ready for gifting. This year I’m doing things a bit differently. Instead of sticky labels, I’m adding hang tags with the initial brew date marked on them, and I also plan to leave the vanilla beans in the bottles (rather than straining out the beans and seeds), so the extract can be topped off with more vodka as it’s depleted, thus becoming a bottomless bottle of vanilla extract. Imagine never having to buy vanilla extract ever again. It’s a crazy thought! Materials List:

• Bottles of Brewed Vanilla Extract
• Hole-punched Hang Tags like these.
• Snowflake Punch
• Red Pen
• Bakers Twine
• Scissors

Step 1. Fold the hang tags in roughly 1/2, leaving the hole punched end slightly longer.

Step 2. Center the snowflake punch on the opposite end from hole punch, and punch the tag!

Step 3. Hand write “Vanilla Extract” along with the date that you began brewing on the inside of the tag.

Step 4. Thread the tag with baker’s twine, and tie onto the bottles.