DIY Percolation Tincture Methods

Making tinctures by percolation can be a fun and rewarding activity. Though it can be a time-consuming process, your efforts will pay off in the end, with a large amount of freshly-made tincture at a fraction of the retail price.

Buying a Percolator

• Percolators are available from glass-blowing studios, kitchenware stores, and some herbal wholesalers. It is also possible to buy one from a site like Amazon or Ebay. They range in price from about $10 to $50, at the time of publication.

Making Your Own Percolator

• Make your own percolator with a screw-top glass bottle and a glass cutter.

  It is possible to make your own percolator, either out of copper tubing or glass. If you have a glass cutter, you can use a recycled glass bottle, such as a Perrier bottle.

Choosing Your Herbs

• Some herbs make better tinctures than others. Consider whether making a tincture is necessary or worth the effort. If you can easily access fresh herbs year-round, it might be easier to use infusion or decoction methods to extract the medicinal qualities from the plant. Percolation tinctures are generally made with dry herbs, which are then ground and sifted into a powder.

Alcoholic Tinctures

• Many tinctures use grain alcohol, such as Everclear. Grain alcohol is generally 150 to 190 proof, or 95 percent ethanol, and is generally flavorless. Use the alcohol to make a menstruum of herbs, combining equal parts water, alcohol and ground herbs, and cover. Let it stand for 12 to 24 hours for best effect.

Non-alcoholic Tinctures

• It is also possible to use vinegar or glycerine in a tincture instead of alcohol. Apple cider vinegar is a good choice because it has its own health benefits. Glycerine-based tinctures generally last longer than alcohol- or vinegar-based tinctures, with a shelf-life of two to three years. Apple cider vinegar and glycerine can usually be found in most grocery stores.