In a blender add 5 cups of water, rice and almonds. Blend well until the rice and almonds are a fine purée. Pour into a pitcher and refrigerate overnight

Pour the liquid mixture over a fine mesh strainer lined with cheese cloth that is over a heat safe pan. Squeeze the cheese cloth until all the liquids strain out into the pan. Discard the solids in the cheese cloth

Add the sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla (split lengthwise and scrape the seeds out into the liquid, place vanilla bean in too)

Add 2 cups of water, stir

Optional, simmer over low heat to dissolve the sugar quicker and meld all the ingredients together. About 5 mins. This step is not customary, but I found good results with it. Let cool, if you skipped this step jump straight to step 6

Refrigerate for up to a week, pour over a tall glass of ice with cold coffee.

Optional, drizzle with homemade white chocolate ganache