When I started to make herbal tinctures several years ago, I made a few mistakes! They aren’t really that big of a deal, tbh. But the #1 mistake I made when starting herbal tinctures was choosing the wrong alcohol. They are hard to take (They BITE! Ouch!). This post will demystify what alcohols are best for making different types of Herbal Tincture
I only make herbal remedies for my own family. I am not a clinical herbalist and am not professionally trained. These are just a few things I have learned along the way in my own opinion. I do not professionally make herbal tinctures. Instead, I use the folk method, with much eye-balling and trial and error.
sumac tincture in bourbon in amber glass dropper bottle
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The #1 Mistake: Using 190 proof Everclear for Everything
What’s Wrong with Everclear?
Okay. There’s nothing WRONG with Everclear. But have you ever drank it? If you are here, you survived to tell the tale. But it is ROUGH. Below are my thoughts on why using Everclear for all my tinctures as a baby herbalist was not the way to go.
Too Harsh for Sensitive Herbs: A high-proof alcohol like Everclear can decimate sensitive herbs. It can burn or dehydrate little flowers and leaves.
Everclear’s Taste Issue: Wow! It truly can hurt your mouth to take a tincture made with Everclear. Although you take a small amount (a dropper-full is only about half of your dropper size, or whatever comes out naturally when you squeeze the top), that little bit packs a punch. If you are already feeling unwell, it can be hard to be motivated to take the appropriate tinctures when they taste bad.
How to Dilute Everclear
Maybe you already bought Everclear and you don’t want to waste it. Maybe you only want to have one kind of alcohol on hand because you aren’t a regular drinker. Whatever the reason, you CAN dilute your Everclear to make it more suitable for your tincture.
In , Cech (2000) calculates the dilution as follows:
% Spirits needed = (Desired Alcohol % ÷ Alcohol Content of Spirits) ⋇ 100
So if you need a 40% alcohol for your tincture but you have a 95% Everclear, you would perform the following equation:
(40 ÷ 95) X 100 = 42.1% alcohol, and 57.9% water
Best Alcohol to Use for Different Types of Herbal Tinctures
Once you determine the percentage of alcohol needed for a given tincture, the choice is up to you! That is part of the beauty of folk medicine. I prefer whiskeys over vodka, so that is my go-to. For the mildest of tinctures, an apple brandy is so simple to take and can even be a delight! If you prefer vodka, you should use that! See the chart below to determine which alcohol percentage is appropriate for you.
