Tincturing and Grinding

Tincturing is the process of making an herbal extract by steeping ground herbs in a liquid menstruum (the liquid portion of the tincture), thereby infusing the liquid with active constituents of the herbs. The amount of herbs used in proportion to the menstruum is in a ratio of at least 5:1.

Maceration and Agitation

For the duration of our 3 week maceration process, the containers are stored in a dark, climate controlled environment, so as to avoid any possible degradation from heat and light. In addition, every morning, from the first day to the day of maceration, each container is agitated by hand to ensure the most effective extraction.

Pressing and Bottling

Due to the concentration of herbs and to the thick consistency of the mash, the pressing and filtering of the herbs is a very time consuming process as they are carefully extracted in a hydraulic 12 ton herbal press. The resulting amount of liquid is much less than modern manufacturers, but what does come out of our press is some of the finest grade herbal extracts available anywhere. The liquid extract, which now contains the dissolved constituents from the herb, is filtered once more to remove any finer, insoluble plant material suspended in the solution. The herbal formulas produced are then bottled in 1 or 2 ounce bottles, labeled, sealed, and placed again in a dark, climate controlled room to await shipment.

What Does This Translate To?

Each step in the manufacturing process is as essential as the next, and functions as a whole to create a formula of superior medicinal value. The resulting purity and quality of our medicinal grade extracts can be seen, felt, and tasted in every bottle that we produce. At Herb Source, we have maintained that we would always produce a product as if it was for our family, and we will continue to uphold the integrity of what we stand for.

Why a Tincture?

A tincture is an herbal extract using a 1:5 ratio extract. As alcohol is the most effective extracting agent, most herbalists use it in their tincture to pull the active constituents out of the plant. We, at Herb Source, are no exception. We use alcohol and distilled water to form the menstruum (extraction medium) in all our tinctures. Some argue that a tincture is the best way to ingest herbs. The reasoning behind this philosophy is that a tincture does not have to be digested. The active part of the plant passes into the bloodstream using the alcohol as its vehicle. So, not only does alcohol create a potent extract, it helps the body assimilate the herb much more rapidly than drinking a tea or swallowing a pill. Because a tincture is concentrated plant constituents, one only has to take 1-2 dropperfuls a couple times a day (depending on the herb and specific administration instructions) as opposed to a quart of tea each day (therapeutic dose for herbal remedies).

503-540-3102 / lola@herbsource.org