Gather Your Tincture-Making Supplies
Gather Your Tincture-Making Supplies
You'll need a few things to make elderberry tincture. They are
Pick the Elderberries
Elderberry, specifically the subspecies Sambucus nigra and Sambucus canadensis, is very useful for fighting colds, flu, and viral infections.
You can make elderberry syrup, jelly and other yummy goodness with the elderberry, but this tutorial focuses on making elderberry tincture - an alcohol-based extract of elderberry that has medicinal properties.
First you need to find the right kind of elderberry shrub!
If you have one that you've planted, great. Otherwise, make sure to identify the elderberry bush before picking anything. Remember that raw elderberry can cause nausea, so resist the urge to sample the berries. And, don't confuse elderberry with the toxic water hemlock, Cicuta mexicana. You can tell the difference because water hemlock's stems are hollow with purple stripes. All parts of water hemlock are toxic, so don't touch the plant.
The berries are ripe when they are a deep purple-black color and slightly soft to the touch. I like to use scissors to snip off the purple berry clusters with stems intact. This makes it easier to strip the berries from the "umbrells," the umbrella-like, delicate stems that they grow on. I use the large central stem as a handle while cleaning off the berries. More details in the next step!
Remove Elderberry Berries From Stems
I use a fork to gently pull the berries off the umbrells, or umbrella-shaped stems of the elderberries. A photo is worth 1,000 words in this case - that is my technique! I start at the bottom of the cluster and work my way up toward the main stem.
Wash Elderberry Berries
Now take the berries, remove any bits of stem that got into the bowl (within reason), and place them in a large colander. Rinse well with plenty of cold running water and drain. Place them into a container that you can tip into your tincture jar easily.
Optional: Take a potato masher or put the berries in your blender and mash them a bit. Only for fresh berries, not if you're using dried.
Pack Jar With Elderberries
Now, take the washed elderberries and put them into a clean, dry Mason jar. Fill the jar loosely with the berries to about one inch from the neck of the jar.
Pour Vodka Over Berries
Take your 100-proof vodka or spirit of choice or ready availability and pour it over the berries, covering them and adding about an inch of vodka over the top of the berries. Fill the jar almost to the brim with vodka.
Close the jar with a tight-fitting lid. I use a fresh canning lid and ring. Use a permanent marker to label the jar with:
Allow the tincture to steep for 2-6 weeks. Each day, shake the jar, and for the first week or so, unscrew the lid and check to be sure the berries are covered with vodka. Top off with additional vodka as needed.
After 6 weeks, strain the tincture through a colander, pressing as much tincture out of the berries as you can. Rebottle it in a clean jar, label it, and store it in a dark place.
Herbal tinctures will stay good for 1-2 years.
They will slowly lose potency after this time. If you ever see mold or smell an "off" smell, don't use the tincture.
You'll need a few things to make elderberry tincture. They are
- Clean mason jars. Wide-mouth jars work best because they make it easier to get the berries into the jars, but use whatever you have. They don't even have to be proper mason/canning jars - anything with a tight-fitting lid will work. And it should be glass, not metal.
- A source of elderberries. Fresh, local berries are best, but you can also order dried berries in bulk. If your berries are frozen, let them thaw and then continue with the instructions as written.
- A fork. For removing the elderberries from the stems.
- A bowl and a colander. To store and wash the elderberries.
- 100-proof vodka. 100-proof vodka is typically used in tincture-making because it is 50% water and 50% alcohol, leading to a standard solution. You can use regular vodka or even brandy in a pinch though.
Pick the Elderberries
Elderberry, specifically the subspecies Sambucus nigra and Sambucus canadensis, is very useful for fighting colds, flu, and viral infections.
You can make elderberry syrup, jelly and other yummy goodness with the elderberry, but this tutorial focuses on making elderberry tincture - an alcohol-based extract of elderberry that has medicinal properties.
First you need to find the right kind of elderberry shrub!
If you have one that you've planted, great. Otherwise, make sure to identify the elderberry bush before picking anything. Remember that raw elderberry can cause nausea, so resist the urge to sample the berries. And, don't confuse elderberry with the toxic water hemlock, Cicuta mexicana. You can tell the difference because water hemlock's stems are hollow with purple stripes. All parts of water hemlock are toxic, so don't touch the plant.
The berries are ripe when they are a deep purple-black color and slightly soft to the touch. I like to use scissors to snip off the purple berry clusters with stems intact. This makes it easier to strip the berries from the "umbrells," the umbrella-like, delicate stems that they grow on. I use the large central stem as a handle while cleaning off the berries. More details in the next step!
Remove Elderberry Berries From Stems
I use a fork to gently pull the berries off the umbrells, or umbrella-shaped stems of the elderberries. A photo is worth 1,000 words in this case - that is my technique! I start at the bottom of the cluster and work my way up toward the main stem.
Wash Elderberry Berries
Now take the berries, remove any bits of stem that got into the bowl (within reason), and place them in a large colander. Rinse well with plenty of cold running water and drain. Place them into a container that you can tip into your tincture jar easily.
Optional: Take a potato masher or put the berries in your blender and mash them a bit. Only for fresh berries, not if you're using dried.
Pack Jar With Elderberries
Now, take the washed elderberries and put them into a clean, dry Mason jar. Fill the jar loosely with the berries to about one inch from the neck of the jar.
Pour Vodka Over Berries
Take your 100-proof vodka or spirit of choice or ready availability and pour it over the berries, covering them and adding about an inch of vodka over the top of the berries. Fill the jar almost to the brim with vodka.
Close the jar with a tight-fitting lid. I use a fresh canning lid and ring. Use a permanent marker to label the jar with:
- The date you made the tincture.
- The herb used in the tincture.
- The type of alcohol used in the tincture.
Allow the tincture to steep for 2-6 weeks. Each day, shake the jar, and for the first week or so, unscrew the lid and check to be sure the berries are covered with vodka. Top off with additional vodka as needed.
After 6 weeks, strain the tincture through a colander, pressing as much tincture out of the berries as you can. Rebottle it in a clean jar, label it, and store it in a dark place.
Herbal tinctures will stay good for 1-2 years.
They will slowly lose potency after this time. If you ever see mold or smell an "off" smell, don't use the tincture.
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