The short answer: buy Grade A when you'll scrape the seeds into food, and Grade B when you'll steep the beans in alcohol. A lower grade doesn't mean bad vanilla. It means the bean is suited to a different job.
The main difference is moisture
Vanilla is graded mostly by how it looks and feels, and moisture is the biggest factor. Grade A beans are plump, glossy and supple. Grade B beans have been dried further, so they're firmer and less pretty, and they cost less.
| Grade A (gourmet) | Grade B (premium extract) | |
|---|---|---|
| Moisture | 25–30% | 15–20% |
| Vanillin | 2–3.5% (our Sumatra) | 1.5–2% |
| Length | Over 15 cm (our Sumatra) | Over 12 cm |
| Texture | Soft, supple and oily | Drier and firmer |
| Best job | Baking and cooking | Extract, vanilla sugar and infusions |
These are typical ranges for our beans. Vanilla is a crop, so figures vary between harvests. You'll sometimes see Grade C too: mixed sizes and lower moisture again, made for larger extract batches.
When to buy Grade A
Choose Grade A when you'll see or taste the bean directly. The soft pods are easy to split, and the seeds scrape out cleanly. It's the natural choice for ice cream, custard, crème brûlée, pastry cream and panna cotta.
When to buy Grade B
Choose Grade B when the beans are going into a bottle. Nobody sees the pod in a finished extract, so there's little reason to pay for looks and suppleness. Because the beans are drier, you also get more beans per ounce.
Can you swap them?
Yes. You can make excellent extract with Grade A beans, though they cost more and carry more water, so use a little extra by weight. You can bake with Grade B as well. Soak the pods in warm milk or cream for a few minutes first, to soften them before you split them.
How to tell a good bean from a tired one
- Grade A should bend without snapping and feel slightly oily. If it's brittle, it has dried out.
- Grade B is meant to be drier, but it should still smell rich and sweet, not musty.
- Either grade: fuzzy grey or white patches with an off smell mean mould. Fine, glittering needle-like crystals are natural vanillin, which is a good sign.
Which one is right for you?
- Home baking: Grade A gourmet beans
- Homemade extract: Grade B extract beans
- Production in volume: Grade C can lower your costs further. See our wholesale terms.
Making extract? Read which alcohol to use next.