Adding infused simple syrup to the fermenter

I would just dry-vanilla-bean it; actually I would probably soak some vanilla beans in a small amount of rum or cognac and then add the mixture to a coffee porter; but that's just me ;-)

I would wait for primary fermentation to be over before the dry beaning.

If you want to "feed the yeast" I would just add some boiled table sugar, LME or DME and a bit of nutrient (You mentioned sluggish fermentation)

 

IF you fell the need to infuse the simple sugar with vanilla beans go for it.

Are you just going to soak the beans in the simple sugar for a few days or what?

Personally I'd just add the beans and sugar you want without the extra step of "infusing" them together; as it just adds an extra step, and I am not sure what this will accomplish.

Is there a specific reason for the infusion, or am I misunderstanding something?

 

Okay, now I get what you're going for...

Soak the beans in one of the following:

-bourbon
-cognac
-rum
-vodka
-alcohol of your liking

Age the beans on the alcohol for about a month; or however long you have since you already brewed.

Then add the whole mess to your beer.

 

I think you either read a thread with some bad advice, or took something out of context. Adding simple sugar to an in progress fermentation doesn't kick anything.

 

For the record, I've also read on here numerous times that boiling vanilla can have an adverse effect and decrease the amount of flavor added.

I've never gone the boiling route myself, so I can't verify

 

Definitely skip the sugar if you want to get the most out of the vanilla beans, since adding the sugar will cause re-fermentation which will cause gassing off which will remove some of the vanilla beans volatile aromas. Soaking the beans in a few oz of a neutral spirit will extract more out of them and adding the neutral spirit to the bottling bucket will give you the most vanilla bang for your buck.