Making tincture

About ingrediens

Making the tincture is really easy. All you need is a little bit of alcohol and herbs. Making it can actually be fun, specially if you drink some of that alcohol (ha-ha).

Alcohol should be about 40%. It can be made from grain or fruit. I use alcohol made from plums, called šljivovica or rakija. Taste is fenomenal with the lovely burning sensation.

Finding herbs

Finding fresh herbs can be a little bit harder. Some of them like rosemary, thyme, marigold, etc. can be bought fresh. A lot of people have them in their garden or in pots. But some less known herbs you need to find it yourself. There are lot's of informations in the books or on the internet about herbs. My advice is to study them if you want to pick herbs. Study their characteristics and photos or ask someone who knows them, see my post Rules for gathering herbs.

When I begin with gathering herbs they all looked a like, I was afraid that I will make mistake and pick the wrong one, after a while I've learned to differentiate. It is not  mistake to picke the wrong herb, but it is a mistake to use it. Always check twice if you are not sure.

My mom thought me how to picke them and what they look like. She learned almost everything from books.

This is the beauty of working with herbs, you can do it yourself. All you need is some patience and a bit of courage.

Making  tincture

To make the tincture first cut herbs into smaller pieces, then put them in a glass jar or bottle (or something else). I prefer jars because it is easier to put herbs in it and to get them out.

You need plain jar one that has maybe left from mayonnaise or jam (that is recycleing on the spot). It is only important that the jar has a good lid.

While you are puting herbs in a jar don't press them. Then pour alcohol over so that it covers the herbs. Close the lid and put the jar on the place where it is sunny most of the day, or near some heat source. Shake it from time to time. Strain it after 14 days or more (see for each herb).

Tincture can be strained with the strainer or the strainer and some cloth (like linen). Squeeze herbs with hands to get all the alcohol out. Pour the liquid in to bottles. Ideal would be dark glass bottles, if you don't have them plain will do or even plastic (it is better to avoid plastic). I use dark bottles that have left from bought tinctures.

Final touch

Final touch is to write names of the tinctures on the bottles or put some labels on it. This is important because it will be easier to see the difference, so you don't need to open each bottle and smell it to find the one you need. I know this from personal experience.

It is best to keep the tinctures in a dark place.

Useing the tinctures

Some tinctures are only used externally for compress or massage and some can also be used for drinking, usually disolved in water or tea.

See my posts about tinctures of Marigold, Comfrey, Shepherd's purse, St. John's Wort, Common Speedwell, Walnut, Nettle and remedy for rheumatism.

Drying and keeping herbs

If you want to preserve herbs, you need to dry them. So that you can use them all year. Herbs can be dried outside but allways in the shadow or inside where it's aired and warm, away from heat source and sun.

Spread herbs in thin layer on cloth or clean paper (not printed or colored). I don't cut herbs before drying, some people do, they cut it in small pieces. To me, it seems better to cut them when they are dry because fresh herbs  leak their juice when they are cut. But which method is actually better I don't know.

If you need only leaves but you have picked them with stems, you can remove leaves from stems , drying will be faster.

Don't wash herbs before drying, only roots need to be washed.

Roots, peel and very juicy parts can be dried with the help of heat source, but temparature must not go over 35⁰C. It is good to cut them in small pieces before drying, they will dry faster.

Best way to keep herbs is to put them in paper bags, cardboard boxes or glass jars, avoid plastic and metal. Herbs should be kept away from light. I make little paper bag from clean paper, put dried herb in it, write it's name and year of picking on the bag and then I put that and other bags with herbs in larger cloth bag. I keep it in storage where it is cooler, some herbs that I use more often I keep in kitchen cupboard.

Don't gather to much herbs, because they loose their cureing properties after some time. It is best to keep them just for one year.