Tincture Making Failure


Tinctures with vinegars and alcohols, oil macerations and glycerites have been filling my stockroom and taking lots of lab time for well over a year now. It's because I have been doing a pile of research for of some upcoming publications (more on that soon).

Today, we're going to look at a tincture making blooper.

Above: a lovely herbal tincture in vinegar from earlier this year. At the time I started this brew, there were so many jars and bottles in use, I mindlessly grabbed what was on the shelf - a glass pickling jar with a metal lid.

You've probably already figured out what's coming, but it took me a while before I realized my mistake.



Ever wonder why vinegar is often packaged in plastic? Because vinegar will interact with metal.

And when it does, undesirable gunkiness*  happens.

(*highly scientific term)

The undesirable gunkiness has the amazing ability to find its way into every little nook and crannie of the lid and gunks up** your lovely tincture.

(**another highly scientific term)



Before discarding this tincture, I thought I'd share it with you.


Tip: use metal-free containers and lids when making vinegar-based infusions. Do you only have a glass jar with a metal lid? No worries! Place a piece of waxed paper over the jar opening before pacing the lid on. Voilá - no metal contact!

You're welcome.

(isn't it great when you can learn from other peoples mistakes?)


More about Vinegar and Metal

Steel wool and vinegar experiment for kids
What chemicals rust metal?

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