Herbal Tincture How To - Straining and Bottling

Straining and bottling a tincture is pretty straightforward stuff, but there are a couple of tips you might find useful, so I photographed my latest project and put together this step by step to show you how the mallow tincture that started out a few weeks back came out.

The Final Process 

Gather the following items:

• Tincture mixture that has been infusing for 3-6 weeks (see how to do that part in this post)
• Clean muslin cloth (or unbleached coffee filters)
• Beaker or glass container
• Funnel
• Bottle for your finished product
• Label for the bottle

Ensure all of your equipment is clean. Even though this tincture is alcohol-based, it is always a good idea to start and finish with clean equipment in a clean environment.

Prepare to Strain

Line the funnel with a double layer of muslin. The double layer will help keep any sediment from the herbs from slipping through. If you prefer to use coffee filters, use unbleached filters and double up so you are straining through 2 layers.

TIP: Strain into a container that is easy to pour from. You will be pouring directly from this container into your final bottle. I like the precision of the spout on my beakers, but any glass pitcher with a spout will do.

Here's Why: Straining into a glass container allows for a visual check before bottling. Should any sediment slip through, it's a snap to re-filter the liquid.

Speaking of Sediment

Here's my best tip for a sediment-free tincture (with many plant materials): Let the liquid drip through the plant material on its own.

Unless the plant material is really really dense..

I recently did a chamomile tincture where the remaining plant material was so dense it kept holding on to a good portion of liquid. In cases such as these, you'll want to don latex gloves and gently squeeze the remaining liquid, then filter the mixture again.

The Spent Material

Here is the spent mallow after straining next to a few of the (original) dried flowers. The deep purple color it started out with has left the plant material and become part of the tincture.

Bottling

For optimal conditions, pour your tincture into a dark glass bottle with a tight-fitting cap.

TIP: As a general rule, avoid storing alcohol-based tinctures in plastic containers.

Finishing Up

Finally, add a label to the bottle with the name of your tincture. Be sure to add the date as well. You may think you're going to remember when you made it, but you won't. Honest. You really won't.

My date-label isn't visible above because I always place mine separately on the bottom of my bottles.

Coming Soon

Some uses for tinctures - both internal and external

Do Tell

Do you make tinctures? What do you use them for?