There’s something deeply satisfying about crafting your own herbal preparations. Tinctures are one of my favorite ways to preserve herbs because they’re concentrated, easy to use, and have an exceptionally long shelf life. Whether you’re working with chamomile from your garden or dried herbs from a trusted supplier, tincturing is a wonderful skill to learn.
What is a tincture?
A tincture is a concentrated herbal extract made by soaking herbs in a liquid called a menstruum. The menstruum draws constituents from the plant and preserves them for future use. Alcohol is the most common menstruum, but it isn’t the only option.
Choosing a menstruum
Alcohol
Alcohol is the traditional choice for most tinctures. It is especially useful for extracting resins, balsams, camphors, essential oils, and alkaloids, and it gives the finished preparation a long shelf life.
Helpful tip: The alcohol percentage is half the proof. An 80-proof vodka is 40% alcohol.
Apple cider vinegar
Vinegar is useful when you want to extract minerals from herbs. It can also be combined with alcohol in certain preparations. Because vinegar is acidic, place a piece of parchment paper between the jar and a metal lid to help prevent rust.
Vegetable glycerin
Vegetable glycerin creates a naturally sweet extract called a glycerite. It is often preferred for children or anyone avoiding alcohol. Glycerites generally produce a gentler extraction, have a shorter shelf life than alcohol tinctures, and are best kept refrigerated.
What you’ll need
- Fresh or dried herbs
- A clean glass jar with a tight-fitting lid
- Your chosen menstruum
- A digital scale and measuring cup, if using the weight-to-volume method
- Cheesecloth or muslin
- Amber bottles for the finished extract
- Labels and a permanent pen
Two ways to make a tincture
The folk method
The folk method is simple, forgiving, and perfect for beginners.
- Fill the jar about one-third full with dried herbs.
- Fill the jar about three-quarters full with fresh herbs.
- Cover the herbs completely with your chosen menstruum.
Because you’re working by volume rather than weight, every batch will be slightly different. That’s perfectly acceptable for many home herbalists.
The weight-to-volume method
If you want consistent, repeatable tinctures, use the weight-to-volume method.
Dried herbs — 1:5 ratio
One part dried herb to five parts menstruum. For example: 100 grams of dried herb with 500 milliliters of menstruum.
Fresh herbs — 1:2 ratio
One part fresh herb to two parts menstruum. For example: 250 grams of fresh herb with 500 milliliters of menstruum.
Step-by-step instructions
- Place the herbs in a clean glass jar.
- Pour in your chosen menstruum until the herbs are covered by at least one inch.
- Seal the jar tightly.
- Store it in a cool, dark place.
- Shake the jar at least once each day.
- Allow the herbs to macerate for two to four weeks.
- Strain the liquid through cheesecloth or muslin.
- Transfer the finished extract to clean amber bottles and store them in a cool, dark place.
Don’t forget the label!
Every jar should include:
- Common name
- Latin name
- Fresh or dried herb
- Plant part used
- Alcohol percentage, if applicable
- Weight-to-volume ratio, if used
- Date started
- Date strained, if helpful
A lesson I apparently had to learn twice: One of the very first things we were taught in herb school was to label everything. Naturally, I thought, “I’ll never forget what’s in that jar.” I was wrong. More than once, I found an unlabeled jar—or one that only said “Immune Blend,” with no date, ingredients, or alcohol percentage. Learn from my mistake. Your future self will thank you.
A few notes from my herbal kitchen
Beginners often worry about making tinctures perfectly. Don’t let that stop you. Herbs were prepared with the folk method for generations, long before digital scales and graduated cylinders were common in home kitchens.
If you’re making tinctures for your family, the folk method is a wonderful place to begin. If you’re creating formulas professionally or want to reproduce the same preparation every time, the weight-to-volume method provides much greater consistency.
The most important ingredients are quality herbs, patience, and good labeling.
From The Herbal Hearth: Medicine making doesn’t have to be complicated. Every tincture is an opportunity to slow down, connect with the plants, and carry forward a tradition practiced for generations.
A note about herbal safety
This article is for educational purposes and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Herbs can interact with medications and may not be appropriate for everyone. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or take prescription medications, consult a qualified healthcare professional before using medicinal herbs.