Questions about making Vanilla Burbon Porter!

[dabeer]

What amount of Vanilla beans and bourbon do I put in. I figured two vanilla beans, and a cup of bourbon.  Add the vanilla beans, and bourbon to the secondary for two weeks?
Does this sound OK, or should I alter this a bit.

[SleepySamSlim]

I've done a brown ale with bourbon - I added the bourbon right at bottling (or kegging) and 1 cup is about right for a stronger taste go 1.5 cups.  I would guess the vanilla beans go in for the entire secondary --- MaltLicker had an idea about using a grain bag with a couple of glass marbles so that whatever you are adding could be suspended in the middle of the carboy. Of course sanitize the bag + marbles and perhaps use some thread to hang it as you should still get a decent seal with the rubber stopper.

Good Luck

[MaltLicker]

I would like to hear people's opinion about how much vanilla (bean or extract) to use.  

I judged Herb/Spice/Veggie beers for the first time last weekend, and several vanilla beers were too strong, and the vanilla took over the other elements.  It made me hesitant to add the vanilla to the pumpkin I've got sitting in secondary.  

BTW - I recently added 3 tsp Glenlivet to 12 oz of porter at bottling and it barely showed up in the background.