The #1 Mistake I Made When Starting Herbal Tinctures: Choosing the Wrong Alcohol
When I started to make herbal tinctures several years ago, I made a few mistakes! They aren’t really that big of a deal, tbh. But the #1 mistake I made when starting herbal tinctures was choosing the wrong alcohol. They are hard to take (They BITE! Ouch!). This post will demystify what alcohols are best for making different types of herbal tinctures.
I only make herbal remedies for my own family. I am not a clinical herbalist and am not professionally trained. These are just a few things I have learned along the way in my own opinion. I do not professionally make herbal tinctures. Instead, I use the folk method, with much eye-balling and trial and error.
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The #1 Mistake: Using 190 proof Everclear for Everything
What’s Wrong with Everclear?
Okay. There’s nothing WRONG with Everclear. But have you ever drank it? If you are here, you survived to tell the tale. But it is ROUGH. Below are my thoughts on why using Everclear for all my tinctures as a baby herbalist was not the way to go.
- Too Harsh for Sensitive Herbs: A high-proof alcohol like Everclear can decimate sensitive herbs. It can burn or dehydrate little flowers and leaves.
- Everclear’s Taste Issue: Wow! It truly can hurt your mouth to take a tincture made with Everclear. Although you take a small amount (a dropper-full is only about half of your dropper size, or whatever comes out naturally when you squeeze the top), that little bit packs a punch. If you are already feeling unwell, it can be hard to be motivated to take the appropriate tinctures when they taste bad.
How to Dilute Everclear
Maybe you already bought Everclear and you don’t want to waste it. Maybe you only want to have one kind of alcohol on hand because you aren’t a regular drinker. Whatever the reason, you CAN dilute your Everclear to make it more suitable for your tincture.
In Making Plant Medicine, Cech (2000) calculates the dilution as follows:
% Spirits needed = (Desired Alcohol % ÷ Alcohol Content of Spirits) ⋇ 100
So if you need a 40% alcohol for your tincture but you have a 95% Everclear, you would perform the following equation:
(40 ÷ 95) X 100 = 42.1% alcohol, and 57.9% water
Best Alcohol to Use for Different Types of Herbal Tinctures
Once you determine the percentage of alcohol needed for a given tincture, the choice is up to you! That is part of the beauty of folk medicine. I prefer whiskeys over vodka, so that is my go-to. For the mildest of tinctures, an apple brandy is so simple to take and can even be a delight! If you prefer vodka, you should use that! See the chart below to determine which alcohol percentage is appropriate for you.
Herbal Tincture Alcohol Chart
| Plant Material | Recommended Alcohol ABV | Alcohol Examples |
| Roots, Resins | 85-95% (190 Proof) | Everclear |
| Leaves/Flowers (dried) | 40-50% (80-90 proof) | Most vodkas and whiskeys, brandy |
| Leaves/Flowers (fresh) | 70% (mix 190 proof with an 80-90 proof) | Everclear + Liquor of choice |
| Berries | 70% (mix 190 proof with an 80-90 proof) | Everclear + Liquor of choice |
Can you remove the alcohol from an herbal tincture? It’s kind of possible. Check out my blog post for ways to remove the alcohol as well as alcohol-free alternatives.
Organic Alcohol Alternatives
You might have started making your own tinctures as a push toward natural health. Understandably, you might want an organic alcohol free of pesticides, weird additives, or flavorings. I totally get it! The only reasons I do not are accessibility and price. If you do choose to go the organic route, check out Organic Alcohol Co. for premium organic spirits ordered online.
Tincture-Making Essentials
Below are my all-time favorite herbalism essentials.
You can find these and all of my herbal favorites on my Amazon Storefront.
Dropper Bottles
Dropper bottles are the easiest way to get the appropriate dosage of your tincture. I use these for all of mine and love them!
Funnel + Strainer
If are like me and cannot pour to save your life, little funnels are a must-have for your home apothecary. I also love my little cocktail strainer that fits right in the funnel to make things super simple.
Herbalism Books
Herbalism information is HARD to find online. Books from trusted herbalists (not the weird AI written books) are a MUST have for you to reference. You can check out my favorite herbalism books in this blog post.
Final Thoughts
My herbalism journey is still in its young stages, but I hope to share some mistakes I have learned along the way to help! The internet is not super friendly to beginner herbalists, and the information can be confusing.
Since learning what kinds of alcohol are more appropriate for tinctures, they are so much more enjoyable to take! I urge you to try a few types and find what works best for you and your family! Follow my journey here on the blog and over on Instagram for more herbal and homesteading inspiration.
About the Author:
I’m Brittany, totally modern and mainstream turned crunchy mama!
Read more here about how I went from a totally incompetent cook and hyper-consumer to striving to live a more meaningful life from scratch.
I can’t wait to share my modern homesteading journey with you and I hope I inspire you to join along!
Everclear is also made from GMO CORN …for those who are interested.