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Medical · Formula · Book recipe 20.1

Make an herbal tincture with alcohol

Alcohol dissolves plant compounds that water alone can't extract, then preserves them indefinitely as the same alcohol prevents microbial growth.

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How it works

Chop plant
Cover in ethanol
Steep weeks
Strain & store

Inside this article

What you'll need
Steps
Warnings
Storage and shelf life

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What is in this article

  • The method at a glance: chop plant, then cover in ethanol, then steep weeks, then strain & store
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  • The full materials list (6 items, with grades and substitutes)
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  • Storage and shelf life for the raw compound and the finished mix
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Prefer paper? This is Recipe 20.1, page 113, in Prepper's Chemical Survival Guide.

Questions this answers

Tap a question for the short answer.

How do I make a tincture with alcohol?

Chopped plant material steeps in food-grade drinking alcohol, which pulls out resins, alkaloids and oils that water leaves behind and then preserves them. After steeping, the liquid is strained and kept in amber glass.

Members get the exact amounts and every step.

What strength alcohol do I use for dried herbs?

Dried herbs call for a lower-proof alcohol than fresh plants, because fresh material brings its own water and a diluted mix reaches an herb's water-soluble parts better. Never choose denatured alcohol.

Members get the exact amounts and every step.

What is the herb to alcohol ratio for a tincture?

The ratio compares herb by weight to alcohol by volume, and dried herb gets a larger pour than fresh because it is concentrated and swells as it soaks up liquid.

Members get the exact amounts and every step.

How long does an alcohol tincture last?

Alcohol acts as the preservative, so a tincture kept in sealed amber glass somewhere cool and dark stays potent for years, with strength fading gradually depending on the herb.

Members get the exact amounts and every step.

How do I dilute everclear for tinctures?

High-proof grain alcohol is cut with distilled water to bring it down to the mid-strength range that suits dried herbs. Fresh plants skip the dilution because they already contain water.

Members get the exact amounts and every step.

How long should a tincture steep?

A tincture needs a long, patient steep in a sealed jar kept cool and dark, with regular shaking. The herb has to stay under the alcohol, since exposed plant material can mold.

Members get the exact amounts and every step.

Keep going

Read nextMullein for lung support: harvest, dry and storeWhat mullein does for coughs and congestion, how to use it as tea, tincture, oil or steam, and how to harvest, air dry and store it.Medical · Guide

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Medical · FormulaSource: Prepper's Chemical Survival Guide, Recipe 20.1, p. 113 · Last reviewed 2026-09-18

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