How to Make a Basic Herbal Tincture
Author: Emily Kyle | EmilyKyleNutrition.com
Are you ready to make your own herbal tincture at home? It is surprisingly easy! Discover how easy it is to make an alcohol-based tincture with your favorite herbs at home.
Instructions
- If you haven't already, dry your herbs, unless you're following a recipe that specifically calls for fresh herbs. If you're choosing to measure ingredients, weigh out one ounce of dried herbs.
- Place the dried herbs in a pint-sized mason jar.
- Pour your desired amount of alcohol over the herbs. If you're following the Folk Method, you only need to add enough alcohol to completely cover the plant matter. Screw the lid on tightly and shake gently.
- Place the jar in a cool, dark location like a cupboard, and leave it to infuse for anywhere from 24-hours to 6 months. See notes for timing. Shake occasionally.
- After your tincture has been left to sit for your desired amount of time, it is time to separate the plant material from the infused alcohol. You can use a fine mesh strainer to strain off the alcohol into another clean jar.
- Alternatively, you could securely attach a piece of cheesecloth to the mouth of the jar and strain the liquid into a new, clean jar or tincture bottles.
- After straining, some people help the leftover plant matter to be re-used in other recipes, like homemade soap. Discover all of the ways to use the leftover plant material from a tincture here.
- You now have an herbal tincture. You can choose to evaporate off some or all of the alcohol now, if desired.
- It is recommended to move this tincture into a dark jar, if possible. Store your final tincture in a dark bottle in a cool, dark space.
Notes
Starting amount: You do not need to use the full 1/2 ounce (14 grams) of herbs called for in this recipe. You can use as much or as little as you want. For a small, starter batch, start with just 3.5 grams.
How long to soak? I’ve seen traditional, long-soak tinctures steep anywhere between a few days to up to 6 months, or longer, in some cases. Rodales Recommendation is to shake a tincture several times daily over a 2 week period before straining.
Reduce the burn: If you want to reduce some of the alcohol to concentrate the potency, follow this guide for how to safely evaporate the alcohol from a tincture.
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