Tinctures--Quick Question 
niteblume
14 y
1,635
I have a quick question about adding more vodka to my tinctures. I mixed my herbs with the vodka on august 10 early morning. If some of them look like they could use a little more vodka would it be too late to add some to them tonight and let them tincture a little longer b4 macerating? My guess is that it would be better not to because they wouldn't have time to do any tincturing before full moon unless I want to wait until september full moon to strain them.
A more knowledgeable answer though would be appreciated.
NB- Re: Tinctures--Quick Question Willowley
14 y
1,578
MoreThis is a reply to # 1,670,835
Hi niteblume,
There is absolutely no reason not to add more Vodka to your tinctures, just make sure to shake them several times a day. I always end up having to add more to mine and they always turn out great.
I don't know how much you've made of each tincture but remember that you don't have to press the whole jar, just press the amount you think you'll use until the next full moon. That way the rest of the tincture will get that much stronger when you leave it tincturing. I've got many tinctures that I did in October of 2009 that I've only pressed what I need at the time so what's left in the jars is going on 1 year old YAY! Those are some very STRONG tinctures indeed!
Willow
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- Re: Tinctures--Quick Question niteblume
14 y
1,527
This is a reply to # 1,670,880Willow, Thanks much for your reply. My internet connection has been messing up and I haven't been able to answer you. It still is not fixed so I may not be able to get online again later. A man is coming out to check it tomorrow.
I have a few more questions. Is it ok to add vodka AFTER they have been macerated? There are a few of mine(esp. hawthorn berry) that really need more vodka. I would think that it would be ok. It seems that they have less float on top since they were macerated.
I wonder if it bothers anyone else that the herbs end up all over the inside of the jar. The first one I made, which has not been strained yet, was echinacea and I have been stirring it rather than shaking. I guess it stands to reason that if you are shaking it often enough that it will stay moist enough that there will be no harm done. Probably nobody else worries about such things, but I have OCD(obsessive compulsive disorder). I know because my son tells me all the time. haha
Last question...have you been shaking yours several times a day for that many months. Wow..dedication.
Thanks in advance because I may not be able to get back on.
NB
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- Re: Tinctures--Quick Question Willowley
14 y
1,617
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This is a reply to # 1,672,442Well that's just the pits, I was on the phone trouble shooting a slow DSL connection last night myself. I hate it when that happens!
Most of my jars are about 3/4 herb and 1/4 float after macerating but I do have some that are more like 2/3 herb and 1/3 float but some have only a couple inches of float. It all depends on how strong you want your tinctures. There is nothing wrong with adding more vodka after you macerate it but I'd make that the last time I added any to the tinctures you've already started.
Don't you worry about the herb left on the jar after shaking it because the next time you shake (not stir) different herb will be left on the jar lol. Absolutely no harm is done by a little herb being on the glass out of the liquid but you are supposed to be shaking them several times a day. I'm afraid that stirring isn't enough. It very well might be but it seems like that would take longer and would be messy to boot, shaking only takes a couple of seconds for each jar.
We all have our quirks lol, you don't seem OCD to me at all in your posts so let's just call it a quirk. Worrying about the tinctures takes all the fun out of it, you're doing GREAT so have fun with it!
I shook mine several times a day for about 4 months but I don't think you really have to do it several times a day for that long. I shake the ones I started in October and December and April once every week and I don't even really know if that's necessary. I'm still shaking the ones I made after that every day. I guess that's one of my quirks lol, I NEED to shake my tinctures lololol!
You're welcome. I hope you can get your 'puter problems cleared up tomorrow.
Willow
- Re: Tinctures--Quick Question niteblume
14 y
1,474
This is a reply to # 1,672,503Willow, Thanks for the advice. I promise I won't add any more vodka. I have added quite a bit because you can't really tell until you have macerated them. My biggest percentage of float on any of them is less than one fourth. I WILL save some for straining later. Each of my four tinctures ended up in two jars so I plan to just strain one jar of each one. I plan on squeezing the devil out of them on the full moon(24th). I hope I can find some cheese cloth.
Do we really have to have a glass funnel? I have a plastic tupperware that would just fit the 4 oz bottles. I plan on getting a case of the 4 oz amber bottles from the place Uny recommended that has the droppers and the glass is thinner. I am assuming they are the same as the ones she sells with the tincture in them. In other words, the same diameter neck. I guess I won't really have to have the amber bottles and the funnel on the straining night. They can go in fruit jars and back into the cabinet. See, I told you I was OCD. lol
Thanks for all your help.
NB- Re: Tinctures--Quick Question unyquity
14 y
1,471
This is a reply to # 1,673,749You want your tinctures to have some level of "float". Remember the 'typical way' is for the jar (when settled) to have 1/4 herbs on the bottom and 3/4 alcohol on the top. If you do 1/2 herbs and 1/2 float (once they've swollen and been macerated), you'll be getting a tincture that's twice as strong as anywhere else! So as long as you keep it 50/50, you'll end up FINE.
(Most of ours are more like 1/4 float and 3/4 herbs) We add more alcohol after the initial swelling, and with some (like Hawthorn) we need to add more after the maceration.
You don't need a funnel and you do NOT want cheesecloth (the holes in the cheesecloth are too big, and all kinds of sediment goes right through it). Use the corner of a white pillow case (organic cotton if possible, if not "old" is more toxin free than 'new'). Remember alcohol is a solvent, so whatever you put the tincture in to press it needs to be as toxin-free as possible.
Be sure and cut the 'corner' large enough, and then pour (or scoop) the 'tincture sludge' into the corner-end of it. Then start twisting (over a large bowl or container)...and twist and twist and twist some more until you've twisted out as much of the liquid as possible. Be careful not to knock over the bowl (that's the voice of experience speaking, and it was NOT a pleasant experience - lol, not-so-funny). I found it was easier (when doing small amounts) to sit in a big chair and put the bowl between my legs than to do it standing up. You'll figger out what works best rather quickly, methinks :)
Tincture ON!
Uny
- Re: Tinctures--Quick Question unyquity
14 y
1,471
- Re: Tinctures--Quick Question niteblume
14 y
1,474
- Re: Tinctures--Quick Question Willowley
14 y
1,617
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Re: Tinctures--Quick Question nelucristian
9 y
788
This is a reply to # 1,670,880A very strong tincture press made from heavy stainless steel http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tincture-Pollen-Press-Heavy-Stainless-Steel-/281763320056?hash=item419a6710f8
- Re: Tinctures--Quick Question niteblume
14 y
1,527
- Re: Tinctures--Quick Question Willowley
14 y
1,578
