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Jonathan Levine
So I’m trying to physically make the tincture for Yarrow (achillea millefolium). I’m using a 1:5 ratio.
- I measured out 16 grams of yarrow herb
- Put in the bottom of a widemouth pint canning jar
- Measured out 80 ml of Vodka, 40%abv. I also weighed that amount and it was close enough for jazz)
- Added the vodka to the jar
- I laughed. Wasn’t even close enough to hydrate the yarrow. Let alone get a layer of menstrual above or below the jar.
- I added enough to get a 1/2″ under the floating herb. It ended up being 71ml, I rounded up to 80ml added to the jar.
This turned a planned 1:5 tincture into a 1:10 tincture. I could try to do the math and see if a different shape jar would make it any better, but I don’t think it will.
Anyone else have this problem? Any solutions? Have I made a G.C.E. (gross conceptual error as one of my professors used to say) in understanding how to actually make a tincture using the ratio method? I guess I could try to pack or tamp the herb down, but I’m sure it will swell back up.
I’d appreciate any thoughts on this.
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Greg Boggs
Oh yeah all the time, in fact, I’ve only gotten a 1:5 ratio on a couple of my tinctures, most of them go over. What I do is put the jar on the scale and tare it, then add the herbs and write that down and then tare the scale again, take the number and multiply by 5 and just start pouring in until I hit that number. At that point, if the herbs are covered, then cool I’m good to go. If they aren’t then I add more slowly until they are covered and record that weight and figure out what the ratio is and write it down. Some herbs you are never going to get a 1:5 ratio on, they are just too thirsty.
Also, remember that the folk method is a viable method of tincturing, but the ratio is nice because you can get a consistent product. You want to make sure the herbs are all covered by the vodka, the 1:5 is not a hard and fast rule, more of just something to shoot for.
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Thank you gboggs!
I’ve done some with the folk method to, as a physicist and engineer I tend to gravitate towards the more fiddly bits methods. Keeping notes, evaluating moisture content in fresh, dried, and freeze dried.
Glad to hear my herbs aren’t ‘over dried’.
cheers.1 user thanked author for this post.
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Donna Burchett
Thank you for this post. I just started and am nervous with making tinctures. This will help.
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