Re: diluting with 40% proof?

One more question and I swear we'll stop bugging y'all!! Okeedokee, I'll see if I can figger it out :)

If we use 100 proof vodka (not Everclear now???? what happened to the 190 proof Everclear? )

to begin the strong tincture process 100 proof vodka doesn't play into a "strong tincture process" (to me anyway) - 100 proof vodka is what I consider "normal strong".   (and I think since today's the Solar Eclipse it'll be even stronger!!! - this is likely true, no matter which proof you use) - can we then, add 40% in the next few days? Or only 100 proof (50%) goes into the tinctures?  Our tinctures are always 50% alcohol (100 proof) - but herbalists all over the world use 40% (80 proof). 

With our Cayenne #3, that sounds like what we're doing but slightly less, we're hoping to get more near the heat of Cayenne #2. I dunno what ratio of dried habbie powder to african bird pepper powder you're using, but it's not going to be anywhere near Cayenne #2 - it's going to be scorching (even to most experienced 'pepper-heads'...but not all).  So, with our 2 gallons of tincture with 100 proof - can we then dilute them down with lesser potency?  Depends on what you mean by less potency -  if you put 10 drops of cayenne tincture in 1/8 cup of water, and then put another 10 drops of cayenne tincture into 1/4 cup of water, will the effect be less "potent"?  It's the same 10 drops of cayenne - it'll just be diluted by the water and won't assimilate as rapidly as 50% alcohol.  If you mean can you take a tincture of cayenne that's over 350,000 HU, add more vodka and make it 200,000 HU?  Well, of course the HU are going to lower as you dilute it...but the alcohol seems to make it absorb 'substantially more into the tongue' than the powder, so even though the HU may be lower "technically", you have to dilute it a LOT to make your tongue/mouth think the HUs are lowered.   Of course, that's just our experience...your mileage may vary.  

We understand only beginning the tincture with 100 proof but thereafter - will the tincture efficacy be lowered with 80 proof alcohol?  Alcohol is a solvent, right? If you dilute the solvent, will the solvent's efficacy be lowered? Yes.  Will the efficacy be lowered substantially?  When mixing equal parts 100 proof and 80 proof, you end up with 90 proof...so you'll be going from 50% solvent to 45% solvent.  That 5% may not be important in most cases, but if I'm having a "heart event", I want that 5%!!!

Thanks guys! We're giggling like mad over here! lolol  You're more than welcome - enjoy yourselves!

...and don't forget to SHAKE THOROUGHLY once every 1-2 hours for the first 14 days with the tinctures made with powdered herbs :)

Hugs n' such -

Uny