Place your vanilla beans on a cutting board, and with your knife, slice them open lengthwise. Some people cut them in half or just open a slit, I like to hold one end and split them open. The result looks like an old clothespin, where it’s cut down the middle but still attached at the top.

Place the sliced vanilla beans into your glass container and pour your alcohol over them. Whatever container you use, be sure the alcohol fully covers the beans, trimming their length if necessary. Exposed parts of the vanilla beans can become slimy during the extraction process, so be sure not leave them above the alcohol.

Now, simply wait. Store your extract at room temperature in a dark area, like a closed cabinet. Give it a shake occasionally, even if just once a week. You’ll want to let the extract age at least 8 weeks, ideally 6 months. The longer time it’s given to extract, the stronger and better its flavor will be. 6 months is great, 12 months is even better.