How to Prepare a Tincture

The art of tincture making has long been a mystery to me. It was not until a friend, Ronda LeBlanc, research this for her own information that I finally figured it out. Thanks Ronda!

The method seems to be very similar across the board. The ingredients, the containers and the length of time you leave it are the only changes. It really isn’t hard!

Before you attempt to make a tincture, educate yourself on the uses and warnings of the herbs you plan to use. If you are using a combination of herbs, check for any contradictions between the two. The items required to make a tincture are very simple:

Your tincture liquid - 80 proof or better pure grain alcohol (vodka), distilled water, white vinegar or glycerol.

200 grams dried or 300 grams fresh herb per liter of liquid.

Wide mouthed, quart-sized mason jar or a dark colored jar of equivalent size.

Unbleached muslin, unused cloth diaper or cheese cloth for straining.

Folklore instructs that a tincture should be started on a new moon. It is very simple to start a tincture once you have chosen and assembled your ingredients.

Pour your chosen liquid until you have reached an inch above your herbs. Never use wood or rubbing alcohol, to do so would be creating herbal poison!

Wrap your clear glass jar in dark paper or cover with a dark towel and place in a dark cabinet or closet.

Shake jar once daily and leave in dark place for two weeks or until the full moon if you started on the new moon.

Open jar, remove lid from ring and place cheese cloth, muslin or unused diaper over top of jar, replace ring and screw down tightly.

Strain liquid from tincture into a new, clean jar or bottle.

Dump herbs from first jar into cloth and squeeze remaining liquid into new jar.

Cap new jar tightly and label clearly with the name of the herb, the liquid and the date. Your tincture will be good for up to 2 years.

A tincture can be taken straight - 1 teaspoon one to three times daily - or by mixing it with juice, water or tea. Tinctures are very concentrated. One teaspoon full will equal to three capsules of the same herb. If you are mixing it with tea, be sure the ingredients will not contradict one another.

Tinctures have been proven to be one of the most effective methods of using herbal medicines. They are especially attractive to people who are tired of swallowing pills! Tinctures are cheaper and last longer than dried herbs.

*NOTE: Some herbalist do not strain the herbs from the mother tincture but only when transferring to small dropper bottles. This keeps your tincture very strong and concentrated for the duration. You may decrease the recipe proportionately if you do not wish to make the full quantity.

Psalm 104:14, "He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth."

If you have questions or would like to discuss using this article in your publication, please feel free to contact us:

This article is copyrighted by Mary E. Woodis. If you would like to print this article in whole or part in your publication please contact Jessie and Mary Woodis at jessiew@hiwaay.net for permission and more details.


	Crooked Pines Ministries \| home back to Articles by Mary E. Woodis How to Prepare a Tincture How to Prepare a Tincture By: Mary E. Woodis The art of tincture making has long been a mystery to me. It was not until a friend, Ronda LeBlanc, research this for her own information that I finally figured it out. Thanks Ronda! The method seems to be very similar across the board. The ingredients, the containers and the length of time you leave it are the only changes. It really isn’t hard! Before you attempt to make a tincture, educate yourself on the uses and warnings of the herbs you plan to use. If you are using a combination of herbs, check for any contradictions between the two. The items required to make a tincture are very simple: Your tincture liquid - 80 proof or better pure grain alcohol (vodka), distilled water, white vinegar or glycerol. 200 grams dried or 300 grams fresh herb per liter of liquid. Wide mouthed, quart-sized mason jar or a dark colored jar of equivalent size. Unbleached muslin, unused cloth diaper or cheese cloth for straining. Brown paper or some sort of dark covering for jar. A dark closet or cabinet to store tincture. Folklore instructs that a tincture should be started on a new moon. It is very simple to start a tincture once you have chosen and assembled your ingredients. Place in a clean, quart-sized jar: Fresh or dried herbs in the quantities listed above. Pour your chosen liquid until you have reached an inch above your herbs. Never use wood or rubbing alcohol, to do so would be creating herbal poison! Cap jar tightly to prevent evaporation. Wrap your clear glass jar in dark paper or cover with a dark towel and place in a dark cabinet or closet. Shake jar once daily and leave in dark place for two weeks or until the full moon if you started on the new moon. Open jar, remove lid from ring and place cheese cloth, muslin or unused diaper over top of jar, replace ring and screw down tightly. Strain liquid from tincture into a new, clean jar or bottle. Dump herbs from first jar into cloth and squeeze remaining liquid into new jar. Cap new jar tightly and label clearly with the name of the herb, the liquid and the date. Your tincture will be good for up to 2 years. Store in a cool dark place. A tincture can be taken straight - 1 teaspoon one to three times daily - or by mixing it with juice, water or tea. Tinctures are very concentrated. One teaspoon full will equal to three capsules of the same herb. If you are mixing it with tea, be sure the ingredients will not contradict one another. Tinctures have been proven to be one of the most effective methods of using herbal medicines. They are especially attractive to people who are tired of swallowing pills! Tinctures are cheaper and last longer than dried herbs. NOTE: Some herbalist do not strain the herbs from the mother tincture but only when transferring to small dropper bottles. This keeps your tincture very strong and concentrated for the duration. You may decrease the recipe proportionately if you do not wish to make the full quantity. Herb Sources for Loose Leaf Herbs:* www.frontiercoop.com The Bulk Herb Store 1010 Pearl Road Pleasantville, TN 37033 The Herb Lady Limestone County Flea Market Hwy. 72 East in Athens, AL (Ask her about her new book!) Information Sources: Sheila Holloway http://utut.essortment.com/howtotincture_rzwl.htm MAKE YOUR OWN HERBAL TINCTURES FROM ANY LOOSE HERB By: Herbalist Mary Satchell http://www.kcweb.com/herb/tincture.htm Scripture Reference: Psalm 104:14, "He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth." If you have questions or would like to discuss using this article in your publication, please feel free to contact us: Crooked Pines Publishing Jessie and Mary Woodis 1365 County Road 74 Florence, AL 35633 jessiew@hiwaay.net Back to the top This article is copyrighted by Mary E. Woodis. If you would like to print this article in whole or part in your publication please contact Jessie and Mary Woodis at jessiew@hiwaay.net for permission and more details. Page last updated February 2003