Elderberry Tincture

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Thomas Paine

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Got elderberries on the way, going to get jars clear if nothing else and store them in total darkness,(where can I find amber or blue jars?) and use vodka to make. The question I have is is there a method for making a non alcoholic tincture? My dad is diabetic and both parents have hi blood pressure. Also I want something to feed those on guard duty with in case of a true SHTF situation that won't make em sleepy or impaired. I am new to this and need major help.
 
Dinghy

Dinghy

Veteran Member
Thomas, I'm no expert, but I've never heard of a way to make it other than in alcohol. That is a preservative that keeps the berries from spoiling, plus draws out the juice. My son is diabetic too. You use such a small amount of tincture for each dose, that I can't imagine it making a real big difference. But like I said, I'm no expert. Hopefully somebody else can tell you for sure.
 
Herbmountain

Herbmountain

Inactive
Thomas, all tinctures start out with alcohol but what is done for those who cannot have or want alcohol, this is what you do.

Proceed with alcohol. Fill the jar or bottle with 3/4th full of elderberrys. Then top it off with alcohol. The first few days the elderberrys will soak up the alcohol and you will have to top off the bottle with more alcohol. Then let sit in a dark place and shake 2-3 times a day for 4-6 weeks.

Next process. Drain out all the tincture. Say you have 4 ounces of liquid left. Start a double boiler, pan of water in bottom and set another pan in this pan. Now add the 4 ounces of tincture liquid. Now get vegetable glycerin (food grade). Add 4 ounces of glycerin. What ever amount of alcohol tincture you add, also add that amount of glycerin. Cook over low heat until the blend is down to the 4 ounces again. You are cooking off the alcohol this way. What remains is just glycerin and herb tincture. The alcohol evaporates. Easy as that!
 
T

Thomas Paine

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Herbmountain said:
Thomas, all tinctures start out with alcohol but what is done for those who cannot have or want alcohol, this is what you do.

Proceed with alcohol. Fill the jar or bottle with 3/4th full of elderberrys. Then top it off with alcohol. The first few days the elderberrys will soak up the alcohol and you will have to top off the bottle with more alcohol. Then let sit in a dark place and shake 2-3 times a day for 4-6 weeks.

Next process. Drain out all the tincture. Say you have 4 ounces of liquid left. Start a double boiler, pan of water in bottom and set another pan in this pan. Now add the 4 ounces of tincture liquid. Now get vegetable glycerin (food grade). Add 4 ounces of glycerin. What ever amount of alcohol tincture you add, also add that amount of glycerin. Cook over low heat until the blend is down to the 4 ounces again. You are cooking off the alcohol this way. What remains is just glycerin and herb tincture. The alcohol evaporates. Easy as that!
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Thanks. I thought it was 1/3 full of berries? 3/4 full of alcohol? :confused:
 
tropicalfish

tropicalfish

Veteran Member
Where can you find the vegetable glycerin? I have checked many pharmacies and WalMart around me and no one seems to have it. The only glycerin I have found turned out to be a skin protectant.
 
tropicalfish

tropicalfish

Veteran Member
Herbie, thanks for the info on the glycerin.

What are the standards for tinctures? It seems different herbalists use different standards. I was reading one yesterday that said for fresh elderberries use 1 ounce elderberries to 2 ounces of alcohol. Another was 1:2 for the dried elderberries. Use the " rule of threes" and go with the majority?

What is your recommendation for using fresh herbs?

Just out of curiosity, whose teachings do you prefer to follow...Christopher, Moore, Hoffman, Winston, Tierra, to name a few?
 
Herbmountain

Herbmountain

Inactive
Tierra, Cantin and Gladstar. They have the best reputations for successful therapys so I go with their reccomendations. I was always taught to use 3/4th full of plant material (fresh or dried) and 1/4th alcohol. As fresh or dried plant material being used? I do the same method. Since we are not extracting the most potent ingredient (like pharmaceuticals) it is hard to get a potency that could cause problems. Especially elderberry. So it depends on the plant material used.

Now if we are talking plants like lobelia, crampbark, senna, turkey rhubarb, cascara segrada, and some chinese herbs...I would do a 1/2 plant materia to 1/2 alcohol. Again, it depends. The more bowel stimulation herbs are used in a lower ratio to alcohol because of their purging properties.
 
tropicalfish

tropicalfish

Veteran Member
The more bowel stimulation herbs are used in a lower ratio to alcohol because of their purging properties.
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I can see that.

I was always taught to use 3/4th full of plant material (fresh or dried) and 1/4th alcohol. As fresh or dried plant material being used? I do the same method.
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So it doesn't make a difference then that the fresh elderberries have all the extra juices that the dried elderberries don't have. You'll still basically have the same product in the end.

Were you taught by Cantin? I wish there was someone in my area I could mentor with.
 
Herbmountain

Herbmountain

Inactive
Boy. I just do not think about it but having all the extra juices? I would dry them a little. I have never used juicy fresh. We do dry them a little but still call them fresh as they are not completle dried out.

Yes. I studied with Candis Cantin for a couple of years. And I have known her for about 6 years. If ever I'm stumped I give her a call or go visit.
 
Fuzzychick

Fuzzychick

Membership Revoked
Herbie, thanx for sharing your vast valuable knowledge with us...it is greatly appreciated...BTW is my ratio suitable as I posted above I've got 10 more pounds coming in and looking for optimal efficacy...Thanx again. FC ;)
 
Heliobas Disciple

Heliobas Disciple

TB Fanatic
A question was raised on this thread:

http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/showthread.php?t=171711&highlight=elderberry

Here's the significant part:

"I was just reading the book The Healing Power of Echinacea & Goldenseal by Paul Bergner. He states "The beneficial constituents of black elder are not soluble in alcohol, so use the tea or the juice rather than the tincture. A syrup of the juice-the same one used in the Israeli clinical trial- is available in health food stores as Sambucol. "

Just wondering if anyone heard of this.

fwiw, there is no alchohol listed in the ingredients to Sambucol.

Thanks in advance for your expertise,
HD
 
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