How to Make Herbal Tinctures Without Alcohol (Glycerite Recipe)

If alcohol is off the table, whether from sobriety, pregnancy, or a household with kids, an herbal glycerite gives you a real, effective alternative to a traditional tincture. This is video three in our tincture series. In the first two, we covered the folk method and the percolation method, both made with alcohol. This one stands on its own. In this video, clinical herbalist Selima Harleston Lust demonstrates two ways to make an alcohol-free herbal tincture (called a glycerite) at home: the simple folk method with a hot water bath, and the more precise weight-to-volume method. You'll also learn the one ratio rule that decides whether your glycerite stays good on the shelf or spoils on you, plus a trick for pulling even more medicine from your herbs using a decoction instead of plain water. This is video three of our tincture series. Catch up on the folk method here: https://youtu.be/CDO3S-XWBRM and the percolation method here: https://youtu.be/6RS78a-EKQE 📖 Selima's new book, The Confident Family Herbalist, is available for pre-order. Get 20% off plus free U.S. shipping with code CFH20 → https://health.aeonbooks.com/product/confident-family-herbalist/95438 🎯 If making remedies like this for your family is the direction you want to go, that's the heart of what we teach inside Family Farmacy → https://family.iwillaremedy.com —————————————————————————— ⏱ Timestamps 0:00 Why you need an alcohol-free option 1:45 Why alcohol isn't your only option 2:25 What a glycerite actually is 3:20 What glycerin can't extract, and why that's okay 4:04 When to reach for glycerin instead of alcohol 4:49 The 60% rule that keeps your glycerite from spoiling 5:50 Method 1: The folk method with a hot water bath 7:55 Method 2: The weight-to-volume method 10:23 The herbalist trick 11:08 When herbs need more solvent (a real example) 12:12 Why Selima prefers this method herself 12:58 Working with fresh plants instead of dried 14:30 Storage, labeling, and shelf life 14:54 Your 3-tincture experiment, plus what's coming next —————————————————————————— ❓ Quick answers Q: What is a glycerite? A: A glycerite is a tincture made with food-grade glycerin instead of alcohol. Glycerin is a thick, sweet liquid that's warming and soothing, and it helps preserve the preparation by reducing the water available for microbes to grow. It's a popular choice for children, pregnancy, sobriety, or anyone who doesn't want the taste or effect of alcohol. Q: What percentage of glycerin do I need for a glycerite that won't spoil? A: Keep glycerin at a minimum of 60% of your final liquid, with 70 to 75% as the preferred target. Below 60%, especially with fresh plant material, your preparation is more likely to spoil. At 75% glycerin to 25% water, you're in the sweet spot for both stability and effectiveness. 100% glycerin is stable too, just thicker to work with. Q: Is a glycerite as strong as an alcohol tincture? A: Not identical, but not weak either. Glycerin mostly extracts water-soluble plant constituents, so it doesn't pull the same broad range as alcohol, which can also capture aromatic oils and resins (found in herbs like lavender, peppermint, frankincense, and myrrh). The right solvent depends on the herb and what you're trying to extract, not which one is "stronger." —————————————————————————— ✨ Explore more from Iwilla Remedy • Our Website → https://learn.iwillaremedy.com/glycerite-iwilla-remedy • Herbal Medicine for the Soul® → https://thrive.iwillaremedy.com • Family Farmacy → https://family.iwillaremedy.com • Everyday Herbalism → https://www.iwillaremedy.com/everydayherbalism • Free Herbal Masterclass → https://www.iwillaremedy.com/watch-now • Herbal Tools & Recommended Books → https://www.iwillaremedy.com/product-curated-list 📢 Connect with our herbal community Instagram → http://instagram.com/iwillaremedy Facebook → http://facebook.com/iwillaremedy —————————————————————————— About Selima Iwilla Harleston Lust Selima Iwilla Harleston Lust is a clinical herbalist, educator, medical astrologer, speaker, and lead teacher. She is the Professor of African American Herbalism at Spelman College, where she created and teaches the first and only course of its kind, and serves as a Lead Herbalist Educator at Herbal Academy. Her work centers health sovereignty, cultural lineage, and evidence-informed plant medicine. —————————————————————————— Affiliate disclaimer This description may contain affiliate links that support the channel at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting our work. Educational disclaimer All content is for educational purposes only and is not