Herb Challenge: Week 1 Holy Basil Tincture

Welcome to Week 1 of our first ever Herb Challenge!! This week will be all about how to make a Holy Basil Tincture.

What is a tincture?

A tincture is an infusion of herbs in alcohol. Many types of alcohol, like vodka, brandy and whiskey can be used to make your tinctures. The alcohol will extract alkaloids and flavonoids from plant material while constituents like glycosides and saponins will be extracted by the water. (16) Tinctures are a great way to preserve the medicine found in your plant material, as it will last for several years. Some people may prefer to make an alcohol free version of a tincture by using glycerin. This could be a good option for those wanting to give this to children or those who abstain from alcohol consumption.

There are two ways to make a tincture, the folk method or the ratio method. The folk method involves filling your glass jar halfway full with dried herb (or all the way with fresh herb) and then fill the rest of the way with alcohol.(16) The ratio method involves specific ratios of herb to alcohol (ex: 1:2).

We will be using 190proof Organic Cane Alcohol, which is 95% alcohol and 5% water. We will be using the ratio method instead of the folk method to make our tincture.

Ingredients:

-4 oz of fresh Holy Basil (Aerial portions)

-6 oz of Organic Cane Alcohol

-2 oz of Water

-1 glass quart jar with plastic lid

*Blender (Optional, but recommended)

Instructions:

• Add Holy Basil, water, and alcohol to the blender and blend for 5-10 seconds. If you choose to forgo the blender, ensure that your herb is cut into small pieces.

• Pour this mixture into your jar and let sit for 4-6 weeks, making sure to shake the jar once daily.

• Strain the tincture through a cheesecloth into a labeled dropper bottle.

*Make sure to Label your jar with the Herb, date, and ratio used.

*Store in a dark area

To Use:

Take 30-60 drops of holy basil 3-4 times per day for overall vitality. In times where you need extra support, you can increase your dose.

Leave a comment below to let us know what you think about this activity! If making a tincture seems too daunting or you're interested in purchasing the completed tincture, check out our Holy Basil tincture offered on Apollo's Botanicals!