I tend to do one bottle at a time. I just use the bottle the everclear came in. Once it's about a third to a quarter or so left, I start another bottle. I don't use it fast, so it's probably a few years between starting bottles. It's about time now for me to start a new bottle, I think I started the last one in late 2019. I've been putting off making a new bottle, should have done it earlier this year- but it's on the shopping list.

I don't use vanilla extract so fast probably because I also make vanilla sugar. I tend to burn through that more quickly and tend to fill a couple quart jars every year- year and a half or so. And I was gifted with a big jar of vanilla paste so I've been using that more too.

I prefer the vanilla paste, but I have to dilute it at times with Everclear.

I use vanilla beans more often than I use the vanilla paste or extract.

Wait, you guys use Everclear? I thought it was Vodka that was the usual alcohol used.

I have used Grey Goose vodka in the past. My favorite, so far, was made with Flor de Caña rum.

I use a good bourbon - meaning a bourbon I like - which already has a vanilla-y flavor - for steeping vanilla beans to make flavoring. I don't think it's an extract, rather, infused bourbon. Sometimes I use straight bourbon instead of vanilla.

I've only done it once, and at the time all the recipes I found called for rum. So long as the proof is right, I don't think it matters what you use. You could go full on floral with an herbaceous gin... (I wouldn't, but you could...)

I use a small bottle (750ml) of vodka and after removing some of the vodka I add my vanilla pods and add back as much of the vodka as the bottle will take. And wait. When I've used about half the bottle I buy another and get it going.

I like everclear for vanilla beans because it is the most tasteless to me. So it carries the vanilla best to me. I use vodka for wild chive and peppercorn vodka (bloody marys), and for extracting lemon peel- mostly for limonchello. Brandy for walnuts, almonds, pecans, blacberries, cherries.

try making some with captain morgan spiced rum instead of vodka or everclear ... game changer

We use a HUGE amount of vanilla in our baking and over the years, we've tried at least 30 different types of vanilla extract, including making our own. This one, from Paradise Spice Jamaica, is a million times better than any of the ones we tried and ten million times better than the one we made.

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Vanilla extraction made with alcohol technically creates a tincture. Using a lower alcohol percentage meaning it has more water means that things that don't dissolve well in the alcohol will likely dissolve in the water so super high percentage alcohols might not give the same flavor profile. The alcohol will act as a preservative as will sugar if you add that to a tincture (making a liqueur) The quality of your extract is going to be vastly different based on the kind of vanilla beans. Everyone has their preferences just as they do with things like coffee or cinnamon. You can use any sort of alcohol, but it will bring its flavors to your mix. I will often use brandy. I just toss in a lot of beans as we happen to have a lot and will do a second extraction.