How to Make a Tincture

Here you can read a brief introduction to tinctures. The basic questions that I want to answer here are as follows. What is a tincture? How are tinctures made? And, how do you use tinctures?

A tincture is liquid extract of any type of plant mater. Tinctures are most often made with a alcohol based liquid with a alcohol percentage of between 40 – 60 %. A tincture can also be made on a vinegar or glycerol base. Alcohol tinctures are use most often because they stay the longest and are best absorbed into the body. Glycerol is used to make tinctures for children because it has a sweet taste.

There are many different ways that a tincture can be made. For every plant there is a alcohol percentage which is optimal for the preparation of a tincture of that herb. There is also an amount of liquid to weight of dry herb that is optimal for each individual plant.

The simple way to make a tincture is as follows. Decide which herb you would like to make a tincture out of. Crush or grind the herb as much as possible. Put the crushed herb into a air tight sealable container. Now fill the container with vodka or any other grain alcohol of 40 – 60 %. Fill it so that the alcohol is covering the dry herb by just a little bit. Now shake every day for two weeks. If you see that the alcohol is no longer covering the herb then add alcohol. After two weeks strain out the herb using a cheese cloth and keep the finished product in a dark glass container.

Standard dose for internal use of tinctures is 30 drops 3 times a day.

Now you will know what some one is talking if they say the word tincture.