Percolation for Herbal Alcohol Extract

This percolation method shows you how to make an herbal alcohol extract or tincture within only 24 hours. Herbal Alcohol Extracts are tinctures. An herbal tincture is a concentrated liquid form of one or more herbs extracted into alcohol. Herbal alcohol extracts can be used in skin and hair care formulations.

Alcohol, natural food-grade alcohol, herbal alcohol extracts, formulated at the correct usage rate and in skin or hair care products can benefit the skin and hair. The alcohol in the formulation will be non-drying if formulated correctly. Alcohol can assist with preserving the formulation.

Joan’s Percolation Method

Batch Size:

about 150 ml herbal alcohol extract

Ingredients/Equipment:

• 50 ml Percolator (dropping funnel with an open top and stopper)
• 40 grams dried herb
• 200 ml 40% or 50% alcohol by volume (abv) (80 to100 proof)

Instructions:

1. Grind the herb to a fine powder, don’t over grind the herb, you don’t want it too fine. The grind should compact and cake if pressed between two fingers and adhere to the finger but not densely. If it compacts too densely then it is too fine, if it doesn’t compact then it is too coarse.

2. Moisten the ground dried herb with 10 – 25 ml alcohol and mix until the texture of damp sand. Cover and allow to set about one hour.

3. Place a cotton ball inside the percolator and moisten it with some alcohol, lightly tamp the herb down creating a seal at the neck.

4. Spoon the moistened dried herb a small amount at a time into the percolator, lightly tamp it down, add more herb and tamp down until lightly packed in the percolator.

5. Place a cotton round on top of the herb.

6. Open the valve.

7. Slowly pour the alcohol into the percolator on top of herb.

8. Watch as the alcohol travels through and saturates the herb. When it is saturated to the neck of the percolator, close the valve.

9. Allow to infuse for 24 hours.

10. Place a beaker under the percolator and open the valve until a slow drip, about the 1 drop per second. Allow the alcohol to slow drip into the beaker checking on it from time to time and adjusting the valve if needed.

11. When all alcohol has filtered through, bottle herbal extract.

13. Store the herbal alcohol extract (tincture) in a dark bottle in a cool, dark place. Herbal alcohol extracts can last for several years.
14. Cleaning the percolator: using a long spoon, scoop out wet herb and cotton ball, thoroughly wash with detergent and long bottle brush and rinse clean. Sanitize. Store wrapped in protection.

Learn How to Make Your Own Herbal Botanical Extracts for hair and skincare products in the Professional Natural Hair or Skin Care Formulation Course.

Equipment:

The lab equipment Joan uses can be found in the FREE Training Series, sign up here.

Learn More

Learn about maceration for herbal alcohol extracts here.

Resources

Reference Book: Remington Pharmaceutical Sciences