Tinctures for Beginners
Posted on May 24 2022
Tinctures are a great option for those that want to create their own herbal remedies. They’re simple to make with a botanical infuser and are super concentrated, which makes them highly effective. Below is a comprehensive tinctures for beginners guide.
How are Tinctures Used?
Tinctures are essentially herbal extracts that are mixed with alcohol and then placed beneath the tongue for rapid absorption. They can also be diluted using water or tea. The goal is to extract active herbal components. They have numerous advantages, including portability, ease of use, exceptional strength, and long shelf life.
Creating Your Own Tincture
The primary ingredients you’ll need are the herbs, a botanical infuser machine, plastic wrap or parchment and alcohol. The alcohol will act as a solvent that extracts compounds. You may use any type you want, but many people prefer vodka since it has a flavor which is neutral. If you go for vodka, the standard eighty proofs sold in stores will work, but higher proof will extract even more plant juices.
You’ll also need to choose your herbs with care. Tinctures can be made with flowers that are dried or fresh, as well as berries, bark or leaves. Specific herbs which are commonly used for tinctures include sage, thyme, rosemary, marshmallow root, licorice root, elderberries and raspberry leaf. The next thing you’ll need to do is weigh the herbs. This will help you ascertain the tincture strength. A general rule of thumb to follow is:
- Fill your botanical infuser kit with ½ full for dried herbs
- Fill your botanical infuser kit with 2/3 full for fresh herbs
- Fill your botanical infuser kit with ½ to 1/3 full for dried and fresh berries and roots
When placing your herbs in the infusing machine, do not pack them down. Just put them inside normally, leaving enough space for your alcohol which will be added later. Now you’ll want to:
- After filling your infuser with the herbs, pour in the alcohol until it totally covers them.
- Select the "130°F" option when setting the temperature.
- Next, select "4 Hours" under time. The “8 Hours” option will yield a more robust tincture with a deeper flavor.
- Let the botanical infuser work its magic!
- Once the cycle is complete, strain with one of ONGROK’s Nylon filter bags & store in a glass jar or tincture jar.
You can purchase our botanical infusers with confidence as they are backed by a one-year limited warranty. Contact us today at info@ongrok.com to learn more!