Re: Tinctures--Quick Question

You 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