Hawthorn Tincture Recipe
A simple recipe for how to make hawthorn tincture using berries and vodka. Hawthorn is a red berry that gently supports heart health, and that you can forage for in autumn. You can use the volume ingredient measurements in this folk method tincture or use the 1:2 ratio measurements in the notes below. Scale the recipe up or down to suit your needs.
Servings 2 cups
Calories 4kcal
Cost £10
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh hawthorn berries or 3/4 cup dried
- 2 cup vodka 40-50% alcohol
Instructions
- Pick the red berries from hawthorn trees in autumn. Choose plump red berries in an area away from traffic.
- Remove the leaves and brittle stems and rinse the berries to remove dust and other impurities. Allow to drip dry in a strainer or sieve. They can still be a little moist for the next step.
- Place the berries in a ziplock bag and then roll over them with a rolling pin. This opens the berries but doesn't crush the seeds inside. You should avoid crushing the seeds when making hawthorn tincture.
- Empty the crushed hawthorn berries into a glass jar. Pour the vodka over them, seal tightly with a lid, then shake for about a minute.
- Store the jar in a dark and cool (to room temperature) place such as a kitchen cupboard. Leave it to infuse for two to four weeks. Shake the jar every couple of days. As the soluble components of hawthorn extract into the vodka, the berries lose their color.
- After the allocated time has passed, strain the hawthorn tincture through a muslin laid over a fine mesh strainer to remove the berries.
- Get every last drop of tincture that you can from the berries. Gather the muslin up and squeeze as much liquid out, as you can. Afterward, discard the berries.
- Using a funnel, pour the tincture into a dark glass bottle. Label it with the type of tincture and the date it was made. Store it in a cool to room temperature place out of direct sunlight. It has a shelf-life of about two years.
- You can decant the tincture into smaller dropper bottles for daily use. Adults typically use 2 ml (a few drops) daily. The easiest way to have it is to squeeze the drops into a small glass of water and drink. You can also take the tincture directly under your tongue.
Notes
* You can use one of several 40-50% alcohol spirits to make hawthorn tinctures. Vodka is the most common, but brandy and rum are also popular.
This recipe uses the folk method of making a tincture. If you want to make a more precise 1:2 tincture, the measurements you should use are 8 oz (227 g) fresh hawthorn berries to 16 fl oz (473 ml) vodka.
Nutrition
Serving: 2ml | Calories: 4kcal