How to Make Juniper Berry Tincture
Juniper berries are used medicinally primarily for urinary tract infections and as a diuretic. If juniper grows in your vicinity, you may want to try tincturing your own medicine. Purchasing tincture can get expensive and won't be as satisfying as crafting your own medicine. Preparing a tincture relies more on the passage of time than the actual physical labor of putting the medicine together.
Things You'll Need
- Basket or bowl
- 100 proof vodka or brandy
- Quart or half-gallon canning jar with lid
- Blender
- Cheesecloth
- Colander
- Pot or saucepan
- Canning funnel
- Pint or quart jar
Instructions
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1
Harvest only the blue berries of the juniper tree. These berries can take two to three years to mature, so green berries will be on the tree as well, but it's best to avoid these for your medicine. When harvesting, remember not to take every berry. A good rule of thumb is to collect 30 percent of the available berries, leaving the rest.
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2
Shake the berries free of dust and any insects that are hanging on. You can give your plants a gentle rinsing in clean water if you like.
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3
Place the berries in a glass canning jar and fill with a solution of 50 percent of the alcohol and 50 percent water until the berries are completely submerged. You can special-order pure, medicinal alcohol online, but it is easier to pick up a bottle of vodka or brandy at the liquor store.
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4
Cap the jar and allow the plants to settle for at least half an hour. The alcohol should completely cover the plant material. If any part of the plant is exposed to air, it will begin to rot and eventually ruin your tincture.
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5
Store the jar in a cool, dark space for three to five days, checking on it every day to make sure the plants are submerged. Give the bottle a shake occasionally to mix the materials up and reduce settling.
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6
Place your alcohol and plant mixture into the blender and blend on low speed until the plant material is broken up well. This step is not necessary, but it will allow more of the plant material to become absorbed by the alcohol. Return the mixture to the glass jar and replace the cap.
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Leave your mixture in a dark, cool room for three to four weeks. The longer you let it rest, the stronger the medicine will be. Check on the tincture to make sure the plant material remains submerged, and give it an occasional shake to keep things from settling. Add a little extra alcohol and water if you want to.
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8
Place a colander over a pot and line with a piece of cheesecloth. Pour the alcohol and juniper berries into the cheesecloth, allowing the tincture to drain into the pot. Take up the corners of the cheesecloth and squeeze as much of the liquid as you can out of the material.
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Use a funnel and pour your tincture from the pot into a fresh glass jar. Cap, label and store for future use.
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Tips & Warnings
Use a solution of 50 percent white vinegar and water if alcohol does not appeal to you.
