"Navigating the world of herbal medicine can inspire a hungry
fascination. Finding wellness through herbs often leads to an experience
that’s transformative and empowering. This experience can also bewilder
our curious minds! We are lucky to have an incredible wealth of
information about plant medicine at our fingertips today, but the
beautiful complexity that comes with herbal healing makes learning the
nuances a lifelong task.
A sip of herbal tea or a dropperful of tincture can easily unlock the
door to herbalism. Most of us begin our studies making these simple and
effective preparations. However, basic concepts sometimes become
muddied when juggling Latin binomial nomenclature, formulation
considerations, physiological effects, historical research, and other
pursuits within the art. The most common mix-ups arise from misused
terminology. One term that tends to be applied to a variety of
preparations is tincture. What is a tincture and is there any difference between a tincture and an extract?
All tinctures are extracts, but not all extracts are tinctures!
Tinctures are concentrated herbal extracts that have
alcohol as the solvent. If you are using water, vinegar, glycerin, 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.
The Folk Method
Fresh Herb
• Finely chop or grind clean herb to release juice and expose surface area.
• Fill jar 2/3 to 3/4 with herb. ~ OR ~ Fill jar 1/4 to ½ with roots.
• Pour alcohol over the herbs. Cover completely!
• Jar should appear full of herb, but herb should move freely when shaken.
• Finely chop or grind clean herb to release juice and expose surface area.
• Fill jar 2/3 to 3/4 with herb. ~ OR ~ Fill jar 1/4 to ½ with roots.
• Pour alcohol over the herbs. Cover completely!
• Jar should appear full of herb, but herb should move freely when shaken.
Dried Herb
• Use finely cut herbal material.
• Fill jar 1/2 to 3/4 with herb ~ OR ~ Fill jar 1/4 to 1/3 with roots.
• Pour alcohol over the herbs. Cover completely!
• Roots will expand by ½ their size when reconstituted!
• Use finely cut herbal material.
• Fill jar 1/2 to 3/4 with herb ~ OR ~ Fill jar 1/4 to 1/3 with roots.
• Pour alcohol over the herbs. Cover completely!
• Roots will expand by ½ their size when reconstituted!
Alcohol Percentages
40% – 50% (80-90 proof vodka)
• “Standard” percentage range for tinctures.
• Good for most dried herbs and fresh herbs that are not juicy.
• Good for extraction of water soluble properties.
• “Standard” percentage range for tinctures.
• Good for most dried herbs and fresh herbs that are not juicy.
• Good for extraction of water soluble properties.
67.5% - 70% (½ 80 proof vodka + ½ 190 proof grain alcohol)
• Extracts 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.
• Extracts 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 gums and resins.
• Extracts aromatics and essential oils that are bound in the plant and do not dissipate easily.
• The alcohol strength can produce a tincture that is not quite pleasant to take.
• Often used for drop dosage medicines.
• Will totally dehydrate herbs.
• Good for gums and resins.
• Extracts aromatics and essential oils that are bound in the plant and do not dissipate easily.
• The alcohol strength can produce a tincture that is not quite pleasant to take.
• Often used for drop dosage medicines.
• Will totally dehydrate herbs.
Extraction Time and Bottling
Store jar 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.
The last step is perhaps the most important of all! Once you’ve strained and bottled your tincture, be sure to label each bottle with as much detail as possible. You will be so happy to have this information to play with next time you tincture the same herb. Don’t plan to lean on your sense of taste or smell alone – regardless of how well honed your organpleptic skills may be. Skipping this step will surely lead to a dusty collection of unused mystery extracts.
That’s it!
Keep in a cool, dark place and your
extracts will last for many years. 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."
Source: http://mountainroseblog.com/guide-tinctures-extracts/
