How to Prepare a Tincture

Tinctures concentrate the medicinal properties of herbs into a liquid. Making your own tinctures is a simple way to incorporate the use of herbs into your life. By making your own tincture, you can ensure its purity and save quite a bit of money compared to purchasing the tincture in a bottle from a natural health foods store.

Things You'll Need

• 4 oz. fresh herbs or 1 oz. dried herbs
• Knife
• Blender (optional)
• 2 1-pint jars, 1 with lid
• 100-proof alcohol or vegetable glycerin
• Labels
• Marker
• Unbleached coffee filter, cheesecloth or muslin
• Dark glass bottles with dropper lids
• Funnel

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Instructions

• 1

  Remove dirt from fresh herbs, and chop fresh or dried herbs into small pieces. A blender may be helpful to chop roots.

• 2

  Place the chopped pieces of herbs into the bottom of one clean, dry 1-pint jar. Use 4 oz. of fresh herbs or 1 oz. of dried herbs.

• 3

  Pour 100-proof alcohol or vegetable glycerin over the herbs until they are fully covered. Then pour an additional 1 to 2 inches of the alcohol or vegetable glycerin into the jar. Typically, 100-proof vodka is used for tinctures. Gin or rum may be substituted for vodka. Use vegetable glycerin if you want to avoid alcohol, have liver problems or children will consume the tincture. Note that a tincture made of vegetable glycerin has a shorter shelf life and is less potent than a tincture made of alcohol.

• 4

  Close the pint jar with its lid in place tightly, and place a label on the jar with the name of the herb and the date the tincture was made. Store the jar in a cool, dark place.

• 5

  Shake the jar vigorously at least twice each day for two weeks.

• 6

  Strain the liquid through an unbleached filter, cheesecloth or piece of muslin and into a clean, dry 1-pint jar at the end of the two-week period. Squeeze the herbs tightly in the filter, cheesecloth or muslin to remove all of the liquid.

• 7

  Pour the tincture into clean, dry, dark glass bottles using a funnel. Seal small glass bottles with dropper lids. Label the bottles with the name of the tincture and the date you poured the tincture into those bottles. Store the bottles in a cool, dark place. Tinctures containing alcohol can retain their potency and last up to two years if made and stored properly.

• 8

  Compost the remaining herbs.