How to Make a Tincture at Home- DIY (Kids & Adult Versions)
^^For more information on herbs and tinctures please visit my Guide to Tinctures.
How to make a Cold & Wellness Tincture for the Whole Family
Making tinctures at home can be pain-free and fun! You can make tinctures from fresh or dried herbs and flowers. Each requires their own equipment. You can use alcohol steeped tinctures for adults and vegetable glycerin steeped tinctures for kids or adults. Before you get started you will need a few items to start such as:
Herb/Spice Grinder- for dry herbs and flowers
Blender or Food Processor- Optional
70-80% alcohol for fresh herbs or 40-60% alcohol for dried herbs- for adults
Vegetable Glycerin- palm oil free
Distilled Water
Cutting Board- only for chopping fresh herbs
Pen/Pencil
Tincture Bottles with Dropper, funnels, and labels
Dried Herbs or Fresh Herbs- Echinacea, Elderberry, Chamomile, Fennel seed, Catnip, & Elderflower
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Directions:
1. If using fresh herbs wash and rinse. Chop fresh herbs on a cutting board. If using dried herbs grind them into small pieces in a spice grinder.
2. Place herbs into a sterilized (boiled in hot water) mason jar. *Fill about 1/4 full with dry herbs or nearly 3/4 full with fresh herbs.
3. Pour alcohol (Adult version) OR vegetable glycerin(3) and filtered water(1) 3 to 1 ratio (Kids version) over herbs and cover about 1 inch. OR if you want to blend herbs with solvent of choice in a blender that would be fine too. Just a quick chop or blend! We don’t need to puree the solution. This reduces the amount of space needed in the mason jar. Set the mason jar on the counter for a day and check it to see if the solution needs to be topped off with more alcohol or vegetable glycerin. You want to make sure the herbs are fully submersed to avoid molding or decomposing.
4. Cut a square piece of wax paper and place it over the mason jar then place the lid tightly over it. Give the mixture a shake.
5. Label your jar and store it in a cool, dark place like a cabinet or pantry. It will steep here for 4-6 weeks. Come check on it every day or so and give it a shake.
6. Once the mixture has steeped get another sterilized mason jar ready with a funnel and a few pieces of cheesecloth over the funnel and place it in the mason jar.
7. Wash and dry your hands and pour your steeped mixture into the cheesecloth and let it drain into the funnel and mason jar. Once most of the liquid is strained gather the cheesecloth and squeeze as much liquid out into the funnel as possible.
8. Let this strained mixture set at room temperature for a night in that cool, dark place.
9. Strain the mixture again into another sterilized mason jar and funnel but not put a coffee filter over the funnel. Pour slowly! It may take a few minutes for it to strain through the coffee filter.
10. Get your sterilized tincture bottles out and place small funnels over the bottles. Pour your strained mixture slowly into your tincture bottles, and place the dropper cap tightly over the bottles. Label your tincture bottles and place them in a cool dry place for up to 2 years!
Dosage: Take 1 drop per 4lbs of body weight every 4 hours or as necessary*
*Can be given to children 6+ months. If pregnant or breastfeeding, please consult with a licensed healthcare professional. If you take prescription medications like blood thinners or have autoimmune disorders, please consult with your doctor before taking any herbal medicines.
Here are some scientific studies on the plants in the tincture recipe:
Scientific Studies on Echinacea:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8028575/
Scientific Studies on Elderberry:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1756464614002400
Scientific Studies on Fennel Seed:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4137549/
These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and this product is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure anything.
