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.

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.
Seal tightly and stir/shake to ensure total coverage of the liquid across all botanical plant material.
Return mason jar to the freezer for 3 minutes.
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.
After 3 minutes, remove tincture from freezer
Pour liquid slowly into the coffee filter, permitting most of the plant material to remain in the jar mason jar, allow to drain.
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.
Discard plant material, reserve liquid.
Done! – Liquid is now a full strength alcohol tincture.

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.

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.