Herbal Infusions

DIY: Tinctures | Make Your Own Herbal Remedies

Hello Superfoodie lovers, wellness warriors, at-home herbalists and friends! Thank you for joining this series on DIY: Make Your Own Herbal Remedies, Tinctures edition. Let’s begin!

What is a tincture?

Tinctures are concentrated herbal extracts (made with fresh or dried herbs and powders) that have alcohol as the solvent. If you are using water, vinegar, glycerine, or any menstruum (solvent) other than alcohol, your preparation is an extract – not a tincture. Although, there are exceptions to every rule and sometimes an acetum is defined as “a vinegar tincture” in the tomes.

For the sake of keeping things simple, we are going to be learning how to create a TINCTURE using alcohol. 

Choosing Your Herb(s)

Fresh Herbal Material: Leaves & Flowers
• Finely chop or grind clean herb to release juice and expose surface area.
• Only fill the jar 2/3 to 3/4 with herb.
• Pour alcohol to the very top of the jar. Cover plants completely!
• Jar should appear full of herb, but herb should move freely when shaken.

Dried Herbal Material: Leaves & Flowers
• Use finely cut herbal material.
• Only fill the jar 1/2 to 3/4 with herb.
• Pour alcohol to the very top of the jar. Cover plants completely!

Fresh Herbal Material: Roots, Barks, Berries
• Finely chop or grind clean plants to release juice and expose surface area.
• Only fill the jar 1/3 to 1/2 with fresh roots, barks, or berries.
• Pour alcohol to the very top of the jar. Cover plants completely!
• Jar should appear full of herb, but herb should move freely when shaken.

Dried Herbal Material: Roots, Barks, Berries
• Use finely cut herbal material.
• Only fill the jar 1/4 to 1/3 with dried roots, barks, or berries.
• Pour alcohol to the very top of the jar. Cover plants completely!
• Roots and berries will expand by ½ their size when reconstituted!

Choosing your alcohol

40% – 50% (80-90 proof vodka)
• “Standard” percentage range for tinctures.
• Good for most dried herbs and fresh herbs that are not super juicy.
• Good for extraction of water soluble properties.

67.5% – 70% (½ 80 proof vodka + ½ 190 proof grain alcohol)
• Extracts the most volatile aromatic properties.
• Good for fresh high-moisture herbs like lemon balm, berries, and aromatic roots.
• The higher alcohol percentage will draw out more of the plant juices.

85% – 95% (190 proof grain alcohol)
• Good for dissolving gums and resins – but not necessary for most plant material.
• Extracts the aromatics and essential oils bound in a plant that do not dissipate easily.
• The alcohol strength can produce a tincture that is not easy to take. Stronger is not always better!
• Often used for drop dosage medicines.
• Will totally dehydrate herbs.

A fun experiment for nerdy kitchen witches: You can magnify the energetics of the medicine you make by using different kinds of alcohol.  For very warming tinctures made from dried herbs try brandy or scotch, because the liquors themselves add heat. Likewise, cooling tinctures of dried herbs go nicely in gin (which is also a tincture, incidentally).  Get creative with this! You will feel like the queen of kitchen witchdom and you tell other people about it and they look at you like you’re green and melting, but that’s okay, because you can make medicines that work, and that’s one of those things you carry around with you 😉

Via Mountain Rose Herbs

Via Mountain Rose Herbs

Storing your tincture

Store your tincture in a cool, dry, dark cabinet. Shake several times a week and check your alcohol levels. If the alcohol has evaporated a bit and the herb is not totally submerged, be sure to top off the jar with more alcohol. Herbs exposed to air can introduce mold and bacteria into your tincture. Allow the mixture to extract for 6-8 weeks.

Now it’s time to squeeze. Drape a damp cheesecloth over a funnel. Pour contents of tincture into an amber glass bottle. Allow to drip, then squeeze and twist until you can twist no more! Optional: Blend herbs into a mush and strain remaining liquid. Keep extracts in a cool, dark place and your tinctures will last for many years.

Just Try it!

The best way to learn is to experiment–tinctures are loose, estimate and adjust as necessary.  In the beginning, make several batches at the same time to gain experience of the different character of the medicine. When it comes down to it, there’s no right or wrong here so figure out what you think works the best–just be sure to write it down!  If you’re in doubt, you’re working with a new plant, or you want more plant-specific guidance on their benefits, GOOGLE will be your best friend!

Making your own tinctures is simple and rewarding. The process allows you to form an intimate relationship with both the herbs you study and the medicines they offer.

unnamed (3)It takes time and experience to gather everything you need together. You can begin with a few herbs and a few tea recipes. Blending something as simple as rose hip and ginger tea, placing it in a recycled jar, labeling it, then stocking it in your kitchen can give you a great feeling of independence. Just think — the next time you have a cold (rose hips have lots of vitamin C), an upset stomach (cue ginger), or have winter chills (rose hips and ginger both warm the body by increasing circulation), you have your own remedy, made with your own hands, knowing you have plenty of raw materials to make more, whenever you need it.

And, when you sign up for Rosehive Superfoods Box, each month you will get a new herb you can use to create a new tincture and start building your own home apothecary! We can’t wait to see what magic you create with them!


Rosehive Superfoods Box: Monthly superfoods and herbs delivered to your door.


 

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