Re: do you top off your tincture?

[Guest guest]

>

> When I tincture herbs, I stuff a glass jar with as much leaves (or whatever)

as I can get into the container. Then I pour in the alcohol to fill it to the

top. I keep the mixture in a dark cabinet, shake it every day - for two weeks.

Then I drain the tincture into a clean bottle, pushing  the plant matter

(miniscus???) thoroughly onto the strainer to get as much liquid as possible out

of it. Cap the jar and you're ready to go. I believe the herb tincture will last

up to two years. So, no I do not top off the tincture during the two week, nor

after. I'm not saying this is the correct way, but it works for me.

>

>

>  

> Kleager

> brendajenkinskleager.com

> Blog: http://brendajenkinskleager.com/cgi-bin/blog

,

The method you describe is for making a medicinal tincture of an herb. I would

recommend you consider standardizing your proportion of herb to menstrum

according to the following ratios (which depends on how concentrated you wish

the extracted constituents to be, probably best to refer to a manual for this)

like 1:4, 1:2 etc. and using a 100 proof vodka so that you know your tincture is

50% alcohol. Also, it's best to allow the tincture to remain in a cool, dark

place for 6 weeks (these are all techniques I've learned from Susun Weed, an

herbalist).

However, for perfumery purposes, extracting a botanical for scent will require

several recharges of plant material until the fragrance intensity is reached.

This is a trial and error process, as there are no manuals on the subject. For

a fragrant tincture you will need to use 190 proof alcohol.

To answer Hemla's question, yes, I do top off because not only are you loosing

menstrum from the plant absorbing it, you're alcohol is getting diluted if you

use fresh botanicals.

Miniscus is the cartilage between bones and unfortunately I tore mine when I

leapt off the deck to rescue my daughter from our aggressive rooster who has

since found a new home!

Maggie

[Guest guest]

>> I stuff a glass jar with as much leaves (or whatever) as I can >get into

the container. Then I pour in the alcohol to fill it to the >top. I keep the

mixture in a dark cabinet, shake it every day - for >two weeks. Then I drain the

tincture into a clean bottle, pushing  >the plant matter (miniscus???)

thoroughly onto the strainer to get as >much liquid as possible out of it. Cap

the jar and you're ready to go.

I am refering to cases in which I remove and replace (there's a word for this

too... any idea what that one is?) the scented material frequently to achieve a

stronger tincture.

not sure whether you top off everytime you fill the jar and see there is more

plant than menstruum (thanks for that word Dara), or how often if at all

Hemla

[Guest guest]

> Yes, you will lose some scented alcohol each time you remove the material for

a re-charge.  When I do this I do not add more alcohol because it just weakens

the tincture.  I can often press out some of the alcohol when I filter the

flowers (or whatever) out.  If you use cheesecloth or paper filters just squeeze

the material to get as much alcohol out as you can.  Whatever you do, you will

most likely end up with less alcohol than you started with but it's worth it to

get the stronger scent.

>

> Hope this helps -

>

> Elise

>

>

Thank you, that was my thought process about adding alcohol, I haven't been

squeazing out the flowers though because I was afraid I might be squeasing some

of the faecal smell that often accompanies blossoms in the background... don't

know why, just a gut feeling. I will try squeasing them now.

another question: if I can dry a plant and still maintain it's scent, why not

dry them completely -to lower the water content, instead of just letting 'em

wilt?

or will this cause them to drink up even more of the alcohol while sitting in

the alcohol?

Thanks again

Hemla