Bottling the Herbs

Where do I purchase the tincture bottles?

• The most affordable place to order the tincture bottles is from Industrial Container Supply Company. Order over the phone to get the discounts when ordering lots of tincture jars. They do have a site where you can place your order but the site doesn't give the discount. 

Do I HAVE to store my tincture, once it's all pressed, in tincture bottles?

• No, you do not. You can store the tincture in regular quart jars. Just make sure it's being stored in a dark place to help keep the remedy as effective as possible. Light has the tendency to reduce the efficacy of herbal medicines. 

Do the tincture bottles need to be a certain color?

• No, they do not. They can be amber, blue, purple, whatever color. By keeping the tincture in a dark bottle, it helps to keep the remedy out of light which has the tendency to reduce the efficacy of herbal remedies over time. 

How long will this remedy be good for?

• At least 20 years or more. People say that herbal medicines that have been made using alcohol can last indefinitely.

What if, after tincturing the herbs, the herbs get really thick inside the jar and doesn't even shake around?

• Agrimony and milk thistle are the two herbs that tend to soak up a lot of the alcohol. If your bottles of agrimony / milk thistle get too thick take some of the herb out of the jar and add in more alcohol until the herb has room to slosh around inside the jar a bit better than before. 

Why do I need to blend up the herbs before placing them in the jar?

• This was another instruction given to me. I'm not certain why it's necessary. Maybe to "liven" up the herbs before tincturing them. 

What if I miss shaking the jars for a day or more?

• All is not lost. Just make sure to shake the jars as often as possible. If you missed a day or more, consider shaking the jars two or three times on some days. 

What if I can't press and bottle the remedy until AFTER the new moon?

• I think that would be just fine. What's important is that the remedy has that one day where it sits outside, and it has steeped in the solution, within the jars, for at least that 4 week time period between one new moon to the next. 

If you have any other tips / suggestions that will help others regarding the bottling of the herbs, please do leave a comment in the comments section below.