Author: MrTincture

FAQ

Glossary of Helpful Terms – A work in progress

Amber Glass:  Any dark-brown to light-brown colored glass.  The dark color blocks transmission of ultraviolet light to the contents of the bottle, protecting the contents from premature degradation or other loss of quality.  Other colors of glass do not provide the same UV blocking properties as amber glass.

Buchner Funnel: a fine particulate filter setup, where flow of a liquid to be filtered is pulled through the filter medium using a vacuum, FMI visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%BCchner_funnel

Filter: Any

Infusion:

Liquid: A term used on tincture.recipes to describe the solvent that will draw characteristics from the provided solid component of the tincture.  See also, Menstruum.

Marc:

Menstruum:

Light-blocking: See amber glass

Solids: A term used on tincture.recipes to describe the physical ingredient that will provide characteristics to the liquid solvent component of the tincture. See also, Marc.

Tincture:

 

 

 

Start Here – Tincture Terms and Basics, A Beginner’s Guide

Glossary of Helpful Terms

All tinctures contain the same two components: the liquid and the solid.

The liquid component of every tincture is responsible for acquiring properties obtained by the solid.  The official tincture term for the liquid component is menstruum, but we’ll refer to it as “the liquid” when sharing recipes.

The solid component of every tincture is responsible for providing properties to the liquid.  The official tincture term for the solid component of the tincture is “marc”, but we’ll refer to these components as “the solids” throughout this site.

A tincture recipe is a simplified set of instructions to guide each individual herbalist on the best practices for creating a tincture with predictable and repeatable effects.  Recipes will contain the same basic 3 components: how to prepare the solid, how to prepare the liquid, and how to combine the two to maximize extraction.

If you have ever made coffee or tea, you are already an experienced tincture maker.

In the coffee example, coffee grounds are the solid, and hot water is the liquid.

Tincture can be made with any liquid that will dissolve some property from the solid.

 

Full Extract Botanical Tincture Recipe

Follow this recipe to make a full extract botanical tincture using 200 proof ethanol.
New to tincture terminology?  Visit our introduction guide here. [posted soon]

Ingredients & Tools

  • 1 oz (by weight) – Cured botanical flowers or trim leaves.
  • 8 fl oz – 200 proof food grade ethanol.  We recommend using 200 proof Culinary Solvent (link)
  • One (1) – 32 oz Glass Mason Jar with a new lid
  • Coffee Filter, Stainless Steel Fine Mesh Strainer, Large Stainless Steel or Glass Bowl (no plastic)

Preparation

  • Ethanol:  This recipe calls for room temperature, 55 degrees to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, solvent.
  • Botanical Herb Flowers:  Consider decarboxylation first to activate the CBD or THC contained within your botanical, see note below.  Remove all stems and seeds.  Longer soaks do not require the fine grinding which benefits quicker soaks, consider leaving the botanical as “whole” as possible for this long soak infusion.  If desired, grind using a mortar and pestle, or food processor, until any dense buds of the colas have been broken up evenly.

Recipe Steps

  1. In a clean glass jar, combine botanical with room temperature 200 proof ethanol.  Use a spoon to push material down into alcohol, or add more 190 proof alcohol to ensure that the plant material is completely submerged in the ethanol.  Do not add water.
  2. Stir or shake briefly to ensure total coverage of solvent across all plant material.
  3. Set jar of tincture aside in a cool dark place for 24 hours.
  4. Return to jar of tincture after 24 hours and strain plant material from liquid using a fine mesh strainer placed over a stainless steel bowl.
  5. Using a spoon, carefully scoop remaining botanical herbal flowers from bottom of the jar onto the fine mesh strainer.  Press pile of herbal flowers gently to release last amounts of tincture.  Pressing too hard to get every last drop from your plant material can potentially add color and bitter flavor to your tincture, for this recipe a firm press is recommended.
  6. Discard plant material.
  7. Done! – This full extract tincture is technically complete and ready to be administered.  See optional finishing steps below.

Optional Finishing Steps

Filtering through a coffee filter, or other filter paper, will improve the clarity of your tincture by removing fine plant particles from suspension in the liquid.  The potency of the tincture is not affected by filtration.

  1. Arrange a fine mesh stainless steel strainer across the top of a stainless steel (or glass) bowl.
  2. Place 1 coffee filter in basket of fine mesh strainer.  There is no benefit to using more than one filter at a time.
  3. Wet the coffee filter using a few drops of ethanol, this will keep the filter adhered to the strainer and reduce tincture loss to the filter paper as well.
  4. Using a measuring cup, carefully pour two (2) fl oz of tincture into the coffee filter sitting in the fine mesh strainer. Starting small gives you a feel for the filter rate, and to ensure that you have adequate room to add more liquid before you attempt to.
  5. Wait.  Coffee filtering can take a long time.  Consider a Buchner Funnel for your next run if you want to wait less.

Storage & Shelf Life

  • For volumes over 4 fl oz: store tincture in a glass mason jar with a new lid.  If not in amber glass, store in a cool dark place, keep out of direct sunlight and from sources of heat.
  • For volumes under 4 fl oz: transfer tincture into an amber glass bottle, dropper optional.  Store in a cool location away from direct sunlight.  Amber glass is “light blocking” and need not be kept in the dark.
  • Shelf Life: Use within 1-3 years.

Noteworthy Notes

  • Have you considered decarboxylation?  Some botanical herbs increase in potency and effects if heated gently in a controlled setting for a quick period of time, a process called decarboxylation.  Read more on decarbing botanical herbs here.
  • This tincture should be diluted before consuming sublingually.

Quick Wash Botanical Tincture Recipe

Follow this recipe to make a quick wash botanical tincture using 200 proof ethanol.  New to tincture terminology?  Visit our Beginner’s Guide to Tincture Terms & Basics.

Ingredients & Tools

  • 1 oz, by weight – Cured botanical flowers or trim leaves.
  • 8 fl oz – 200 proof food grade ethanol.  See Noteworthy Notes below for link to buy 200 proof food grade ethanol.
  • One (1) – 32 oz glass jar with a lid that seals tightly
  • Coffee Filter, Stainless Steel Fine Mesh Strainer, Large Stainless Steel or Glass Bowl (no plastic)

Preparation

  • The Liquid:  This recipe calls for room-temperature solvent.
  • The Solid: Remove any stems and seeds.  Grind dense flower buds gently using a mortar and pestle or food processor.  Consider decarboxylation to activate your botanical if applicable, see notes below.

Recipe Steps

  1. Combine chilled botanical flowers with chilled 200 proof ethanol in a clean glass jar.  Ensure that all plant material is completely submerged in the ethanol.
  2. Seal tightly and stir/shake to ensure total coverage of the liquid across all botanical plant material.
  3. Return mason jar to the freezer for 3 minutes.
  4. While tincture is infusing, prepare for filtration by arranging fine mesh strainer across top of stainless steel bowl. Place coffee filter in basket of fine mesh strainer.
  5. After 3 minutes, remove tincture from freezer
  6. Pour liquid slowly into the coffee filter, permitting most of the plant material to remain in the jar mason jar, allow to drain.
  7. Using a spoon, carefully scoop remaining botanical herbal flowers from bottom of the jar onto the coffee filter.  Press pile of herbal flowers gently to release last amounts of tincture.  Pressing too hard to get every last drop from your plant material can potentially add color and bitter flavor to your tincture, a light press is recommended.
  8. Discard plant material, reserve liquid.
  9. Done! – Liquid is now a full strength alcohol tincture.

Storage & Shelf Life

  • Container: Store in a tightly sealed glass jar or light blocking glass bottle.
  • Location:   Keep tincture in a cool, dark place like a cupboard cabinet.  Always keep away from direct sunlight or nearby sources of heat.
  • Shelf Life: Use within 1-3 years.

Noteworthy Notes

  • Have you considered decarboxylation?  Some botanical herbs increase in potency and effects if heated gently in a controlled setting for a quick period of time, a process called decarboxylation.  Read more on decarbing botanical herbs here. [posted soon]
  • This tincture should be diluted before consuming  See post on diluting tincture to different strengths here. [Posted Soon]
  • This method is sometimes abbreviated QWET which stands for Quick Wash with Ethanol.