How to Make an Alcohol-Free Tincture (Glycerite) at Home

Our alcohol-free tinctures are glycerites, herb extracted into vegetable glycerin instead of alcohol. Glycerin pulls out less than alcohol does, it is sweet, and it is gentle, which is why people who do not want alcohol in a dropper reach for it. Making one is a jar, a bag, some patience and a bottle. Here is how we do it.

What you need

• Dried herb, cut and sifted. Kanna leaf, blue lotus, damiana, lemon balm, whatever you are working with from the loose leaf shelf.
• Vegetable glycerin, USP food grade.
• Distilled water.
• A clean glass jar with a tight lid.
• A fine mesh bag or a large tea filter bag for straining.
• 1 oz amber dropper bottles for the finished tincture.

Everything above is in the Accessories and DIY Supplies section.

The ratio

Glycerin needs some water in it to pull anything out of dried plant material. The working ratio is 3 parts glycerin to 1 part distilled water. Fresh herb carries its own water, so it can take glycerin nearly straight. Dried herb needs the full 3:1.

For herb to liquid, the folk method is to fill the jar one third to one half with dried herb and cover it completely with the glycerin mix, then add a little more so the herb is under the surface by a finger width. A more exact starting point is 1 part herb to 5 parts liquid by weight.

The method

1. Mix the glycerin and water in a measuring cup until it is one even liquid. Glycerin is thick, so this takes a minute of stirring.
2. Put the herb in the jar. Pour the liquid over it. Push the herb down with a spoon and top up until it is fully covered.
3. Cap the jar, label it with the herb and the date, and put it in a cupboard out of the light.
4. Shake it once a day. Every day. This is the part people skip and it is what does the work.
5. Leave it 4 to 6 weeks. Glycerin is slower than alcohol.
6. Strain it. Pour the whole jar into a fine mesh bag over a bowl and squeeze until the herb is dry. Glycerin is thick and holds onto the plant, so wring hard. A second pass through a paper coffee filter takes out the fine sediment if you want it clear.
7. Funnel it into amber dropper bottles. Label with the herb, the ratio and the date.

The warm method, if you are in a hurry

Set the sealed jar in a slow cooker of water on the lowest setting for 2 to 3 days, keeping the water around 100 to 120F, and shake it a few times a day. It gets you most of the way to a six week maceration. Do not let it get hot. Glycerin scorches and the herb cooks.

How long it keeps

A glycerite at a true 3:1 ratio keeps a year or more in a capped amber bottle out of light. Below about 55 percent glycerin the water content is high enough to spoil, so do not thin it further. If a bottle ever smells sour or grows anything, throw it out.

Dosing

A glycerite is milder than an alcohol tincture of the same herb, so the doses run larger, usually a full dropper rather than a few drops. Start with a half dropper and see where it sits.

Disclaimer. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Traditional use of a botanical does not establish that it will produce any particular result. Consult your healthcare provider before use if you take any medication or have a medical condition. For adults 21 and over. Keep out of reach of children.