In the world of natural remedies and herbal medicine, tinctures and extracts play a significant role. They are concentrated forms of herbs, plants, or other natural ingredients that are used for their therapeutic benefits. Making your own tinctures and extracts can be a fun and rewarding process. Not only do you get to control the ingredients and quality of the final product, but you also save money compared to buying them pre-made.
Benefits of Making Your Own Tinctures and Extracts
Cost-Effective: Making your own tinctures and extracts is often more affordable than buying pre-made versions. Customization: You can tailor the ingredients and concentrations to suit your specific needs and preferences. Quality Control: By using high-quality herbs and solvents, you can ensure the purity and potency of your final product.
What is a Tincture?
A tincture is a concentrated liquid herbal extract that uses alcohol as a solvent. The alcohol extracts the medicinal properties of the herbs, resulting in a potent solution that is easy to store and use. Tinctures are typically taken orally by adding a few drops to water or another beverage.
What is an Extract?
An extract is similar to a tincture but uses a different solvent, such as vinegar, glycerin, or oil, instead of alcohol. These non-alcoholic extracts are often preferred by those who avoid alcohol for health or personal reasons.
How to Make Your Own Tinctures
Ingredients and Supplies
- Herbs or plants of your choice - we recommend dried herbs Alcohol (such as vodka, rum, or brandy) for tinctures
- Glass jars with lids
- Cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer
- Labels and marker
Choose Your Herbs:
Start by selecting the herbs or plants you want to use for your tincture. We only use dried herb/plant material to make as pure a tincture as possible. Fresh herbs contain water and so your mix will not be as potent as using dried herbs.
Dried Herbs have a ratio of 1:5 = Herbs (Weight G) to Alcohol (Volume ML)
Example: 10 Grams of Herbs to 50 ML of Alcohol
Fresh Herbs have a ration of 1:2 = Herbs (Weight G) to Alcohol (Volume ML)
Example 1gram of Fresh Herbs to 2 ML Alcohol
Dried herbs can have some advantages over fresh herbs when making tinctures, including:
- Alcohol can more easily penetrate the cell walls of dried herbs, allowing for more efficient extraction.
- Dried herbs can be extracted at higher concentrations, resulting in a stronger tincture.
- A standard tincture recipe for dried herbs typically uses a 1:5 ratio of herb to liquid, while fresh herbs may require a 1:2 ratio. This is because fresh herbs have more water, so a higher concentration of alcohol is needed to achieve the desired strength.
- Drying herbs preserves their plant constituents and increases their concentration as a percentage of the herb's weight. When stored properly, dried herbs can last up to two years, while fresh herbs may go bad quickly.
Prepare Your Jar: Place the herbs (dried or fresh using the appropriate ratios) in a clean, sterilized glass jar and cover them with the alcohol.
Simplicity Note: We have found if you want to forego the math, For fresh herbs fill jar completely, really packing it in tightly with fresh herbs and leave about 1/2 inch at the top fill with Alcohol. For dried herbs, fill the jar about 1/2 way and fill with alcohol. It's not exact, but pretty close.
Store and Infuse: Seal the jar tightly and store it in a cool, dark place for several weeks to allow the herbs to infuse into the solvent. Shake the jar gently every few days to help the extraction process.
Strain and Bottle: Once the tincture or extract has been infused for the desired amount of time, strain out the herbs using a cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer. We like to use a French press to strain all of the herbs. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Transfer the liquid into a clean glass bottle and label it with the name of the herb and the date it was made.
Storage and Usage: Store your tinctures in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight. Alcohol Tinctures can last for 5-10 years if stored properly. To use, add a few drops to water, tea, or another beverage as needed.
How To Make Your Own Herbal Extracts - Glycerites
Here’s a simple guide on how to make your own herbal extract using glycerin
Ingredients and Supplies
- Fresh Herbs Or Dried Herbs
- Sterilized Glass Jar
- Wooden Spoon
- Label for Jar
Step 1
If using Fresh Herbs: 1:2 Ratio Herbs to 100% Glycerine
Harvest, clean and chop fresh herbs. You can follow the 1:2 ratio for Herbs to Glycerine, but we've found that if you pack as much fresh herbs that will fit into your sterilized jar leaving about 1/2 inch from the top, it's pretty close. Fill the jar with pure undiluted Vegetable Glycerine to cover herbs. Go to Step 2
If using Dried Herbs: 1:5 ratio of Herbs (wt) to Liquid (Vol).
Your liquid is comprised of 3 parts Glycerine and 1 part distilled water. For simplicity sale, you can fill the jar about 1/2 way with dried herbs and top it off with a mixture of 75% Glycerine and 25% distilled water.
Go to step 2
Step 2:
Mix & Stir Use a long, clean spoon, knife, or chopstick to mix the plant material to release any air bubbles. Add more glycerine/water mixture to dried herbs as necessary to bring liquid back up to one inch from the top to completely cover plant material and stir again.
Seal and Store: Secure the lid tightly on the jar and place it in a cool, dark location. Shake the jar gently every few days to help distribute the extract.
Allow Infusion: Let the herbs infuse in the glycerin for at least 4-6 weeks. The longer you let it infuse, the stronger the extract will be. Check the jar periodically to ensure the herbs remain submerged.
Strain and Store: After the infusion period, strain the liquid through a cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer into a clean glass bottle. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible from the herbs.
Label and Store: Label the bottle with the name of the herb, type of extract, and the date it was made. Store the herbal extract in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight. Herbal Extracts should have a shelf life of 2-3 years.
Tips for Success Use a clean jar and utensils to prevent contamination. Experiment with different herbs and ratios to find your preferred strength and flavor. Consider adding a small amount of honey for flavor if using vinegar as the solvent. Research dosage recommendations for the specific herbs you are using.
Making herbal tinctures and extracts is a versatile and accessible way to incorporate the benefits of herbs into your wellness routine. Whether you are crafting a soothing chamomile extract for relaxation or a potent echinacea infusion for immune support, the process allows for customization and creativity in herbal medicine.
*Average daily dose of tinctures is 3-5 ml two to three times a day but you must do your own research as to exactly how much of any herbal tincture or extract you are taking.
DISCLAIMER Our products and information provided on this website is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or health condition. We do not make any nutritional or health claims. We recommend that you consult your physician before using any herbs, teas, or spices, especially if you are pregnant, nursing or have a preexisting condition or are taking any medication or other herbal supplements.