It is simple and yet difficult to make a tincture. Some people call tinctures extracts or elixirs. What is meant by tincture is that you let something steep in a liquid to extract the active ingredients. You can make a tincture from herbs and mushrooms.
The most commonly used method for making a tincture is called maceration . This means that the herbs are steeped in a solvent, as in the picture below.
Solvents and alcohol
The most commonly used solvent to make a tincture is alcohol . Other common solvents include water, vinegar, honey, and glycerin.
The advantage of alcohol is that it dissolves most of the active substances. Alcohol works well for bark, flowers, leaves, roots. And most of the active substances are dissolved such as: Alkaloids, glycosides, essential oils.
Vitamins and minerals and some other substances do not dissolve in alcohol, however. They require water. But then it is so ingenious that when you use alcohol, it is part water and part alcohol (for example, 50% alcohol contains 50% water). That way you get what you need from the plant.
Vinegar is very popular for extracting vitamins and minerals. For example, it is common to make a strengthening tonic from spring's mineral-rich plants. Or you can make Fire Cider (see recipe here). Glycerin gives a sweet, tasty tincture that is appreciated by children and those who do not want alcohol. You should try a glycerate of rose petals at some point in your life. See recipe here . The disadvantage is that glycerin does not dissolve several active substances that we want to eat, such as alkaloids.
How long does a tincture last?
The advantage of alcohol is its long shelf life. For example, if you make an infusion of herbs (let herbs steep in water), it will last a couple of days in the fridge at most. But a tincture on alcohol will last for several years. Some say forever and that you could leave your tinctures as a will. :-)
If you use alcohol that is at least 20% alcohol, it should not be possible for dangerous bacteria to grow in the tincture. This is therefore a safe method for long shelf life.
If you make a tincture in vinegar or glycerin, it will keep for about 6 months in the refrigerator. However, opinions differ, as some herbalists believe that it will last significantly longer. Test your tincture in glycerin! How does it taste? What does it smell like? What does the color look like?
Tincture of dried or fresh herbs
You can make tinctures from both dried and fresh herbs.
The herbal factory's tinctures are made from alcohol and fresh herbs. Dried herbs are used when necessary.
How much herb?
Generally, you will need a larger amount of fresh herbs, as the plant in its fresh state contains more water. Dried herbs have less liquid in them, so you will need a smaller amount.
The standard for fresh herbs is 1:2. This means you take 1 part herbs to 2 parts liquid. In our case, that means 1 gram of herb to 2 ml of alcohol.
The standard for dried herbs is 1:5. This means you take 1 part dried herb to 5 parts liquid. This means 1 gram of herb to 5 ml of alcohol.
Tincture of mushrooms
Mushrooms like Chaga, Lion's Mane, and Shiitake are popular. If you want to make your own mushroom tincture, you should know that you need to double extract the mushroom. You make a tincture in several steps.
Here is our recipe for how to make a tincture of Chaga , or the Explosive Herb as it is also called.
