Question 01: Answered: Which is Better – Grade A or B Vanilla Beans?

The biggest (and most expensive) question: Which grade of vanilla beans to use?

Grade A beans were used initially for no real reason other than that’s what was chosen to purchase the first time around. But the cost difference between Grade A and Grade B keeps inviting a reevaluation and a continued search for additional information. Eventually, the decision was made to move to using Grade B for two reasons:

1. They are specifically marketed “for vanilla extract”.
2. They are lighter due to having less moisture content. Since we are choosing the amount of beans by weight, lighter beans means a higher number of pods for the same weight.

However, as there are probably more factors that go into choosing Grade A vs Grade B, an experiment needs to be conducted to ensure this is the case.

For this experiment, only one variable will be changed. Two identical bottles of vanilla extract will be made using the same type of bottle, the same alcohol, store them together through the aging process, shake them at the same time, and the only difference will be whether the beans included are Grade A or Grade B. At the end of four months (October, 2025), the two extracts will be compared with a method yet to be determined. These tests will continue for as long as possible.

A visit was made to the Big Machine Distillery in Lynnville, Tennessee. Two 375 ml bottles of Big Machine Vodka were purchased, and one loaded with Grade A vanilla bean pods, the other with Grade B vanilla bean pods. They sat on the counter in the office for four months, occasionally shaken, but generally ignored.

On 18 October, 2025, two batches of vanilla wafers were created using the recipe from Sugar Spun Run and two bottles of simple vanilla syrup were created. The wafers and syrup made with Vanilla Extract containing Grade A vanilla bean pods was tinted yellow, and the wafers and syrup made with Vanilla Extract containing Grade B vanilla bean pods was tinted green. These were offered to customers of the Nolensville (Tn) Farmers’ Market. They were given one of each of the cookies and offered to taste the syrup. Then, given a ballot, the testers rated each of the Vanilla Extracts.

44 customers participated in the survey. Ultimately, 23 of the 44 (52%) rated the Vanilla Extract made with Grade B pods to be superior. 16 of 44 (36%) rated the Vanilla Extract made with Grade A pods to be superior. 5 of 44 (11%) determined the two Vanilla Extracts to be equal.

Of those who had a preference (i.e., eliminating the tie ballots), 23 of 39 (59%) preferred Grade B vs 16 of 39 (41%) who preferred Grade A vanilla bean pods.

Interestingly enough, when the score awarded by each tester (on a scale of 0 – 5) was averaged, the “superior” Grade B Vanilla Extract had an average score of 4.2 out of 5. The average of the Grade B Vanilla Extract was … also 4.2 out of 5.

Ultimately, you can make an excellent Vanilla Extract using Grade A or Grade B Vanilla Bean Pods. But Grade B seems to produce a slightly superior product.

UPDATE #1: My niece, Micah Ewing at Awaiting Acreage, has conducted a similar test … and come out with vastly different results. Consequently, one of these weekends, I’ll follow her methodology and try to verify her results. Or my results. Or someone’s results. There are several differences in the Vanilla Extract being used. The samples I provided for her were made with Titul Vodka, literally the least expensive vodka I could find. My samples were made with Big Machine Vodka, a significantly more expensive (though still moderately priced) product.

UPDATE #2: I can’t find Grade B Vanilla Bean Pods that cost less than Grade A Vanilla Bean Pods. It might be that the Grade B sold out because of everyone making Christmas Gifts (this is being written in mid-November). Or, perhaps, they heard my results and jacked the price on us. Or it’s Big Vanilla trying to hose us all!! I’ll keep my eyes open and update as I can.