How to Make a Tincture

5 from 1 vote

How to Make a Tincture

Tinctures are potent herbal extracts made with alcohol, which can be taken straight or diluted in water. Just a dropperful can provide the same benefits as several cups of tea and in less time.

Prep Time5 mins

Active Time15 mins

Rest Time60 d

Total Time60 d 20 mins

Course: Wellness

Keyword: natural remedies

Yield: ounces

Author: Stephanie Pollard

Cost: $15

Equipment

Pint size glass jar with lid
Glass dropper bottle
Parchment paper or plastic wrap

Materials

Vodka, grain alcohol, or rum 80-proof or higher
Herbs of choice

Instructions

Finely chop or grind your herbs with a mortar and pestle, and place them in your jar. (Sometimes I’m lazy and don’t do this, but I definitely notice a difference in the strength of my extract when I do.)
Once you have filled your jar with the right ratio of herbs, you’ll want to fill it the rest of the way with alcohol so that it completely covers the plants. To keep your herbs from molding, you need to make sure there’s about an inch of space above your herbs (that’s filled with alcohol) and that your herbs stay submerged.
Screw on the lid. If using a jar with a metal lid, you’ll need to keep it from rusting by placing a piece of parchment or plastic wrap over the mouth of the jar, prior to screwing on the lid. Place your jar in a cool, dry, dark cabinet.
Let the mixture steep for 8 weeks, shaking every other day. If the herbs are no longer totally submerged, top it off with additional alcohol.
At the end of 8 weeks, strain out the herbs and pour the tincture into a dropper bottle. To extract more of the tincture, wrap the herbs in cheesecloth and squeeze the remaining liquid from the herbs.

Video

Notes

Label each bottle and store in a cabinet until ready to use.

To take, either place a few drops directly under your tongue or squeeze a dropperful into a glass of water up to 3 times a day. The actual amount you want to take will depend on the strength of your tincture, the herbs used, and your body chemistry. I usually start with half a dropperful.

Cleansing Tincture