Nettle Tincture

[seekerofspirit]

Hey everyone!
I made a 4 oz. nettle tincture about 7 months ago, and I just decanted it today! Please correct me if decanting is not the correct word
My observations were this: One, the top layer of leaf material was no longer covered with the menstrum, and so I'm thinking some of it evaporated. Is this a normal occurance, especially since I have waited so long to strain the tincture? Two, the leaves were much dryer and more crisp than I would expect from a 7 month period of letting the herb infuse in vodka. I feet like this could be because nettle has such a strong "outer shell" and I was simply feeling the final product of the stingy, textured hairs. The tincture didn't smell strong and planty. It's taste was surprisingly subtle. When smelling, tasting and taking 20 drops of the tincture, it just quite meet my expectations. One great lesson I have begun to learn in life is to expect nothing, but I like to see that film of miniscule particles of plant material in my tinctures. It makes me feel like the medicine is alive. This tincture doesn't have that. It just seemed so alcoholic, and for the lack of better words, not planty and full of that vital plant energy. HAHA, I'm laughing now as I write this because maybe it will turn out that I'm just not a fan of nettles tincture. INFUSION of nettles is STUPENDOUS! I have approximatly 4 ounces of the tincture to use, and I'd like to try to judge how it seems to affect my body, and how. So we'll see how it goes.

I'm not sure what to think. I feel like the tincture might be bad. As a beginner, I'd like to know, but I'm just not sure because I don't have any previous tinctures to comare it to. What is everyones personal experience with nettles tincture?

How do you like to use nettles tincture? Do you find it to be nourishing, toning, stimulating ect.?

Any input greatly appreciated! I know nettles is discussed quite frequently here, but I saw that it has been a while since a fresh discussion has popped up, so I figured it would be okay to post!

To discovering Nettles tincture, peace, and love!
Jason

[seekerofspirit]

A quick update on the Nettles tincture: It seems to have "concentrated" in it's bottle. It is much darker, ricer, and "green" than it was when I first strained it off. Interesting. I wonder why this happens?
Jason

[LadyB]

Jason, did you make this from FRESH nettles? or dried.

I find if the plant material isn't totally submerged in the liquid, it oxidizes and turns a much darker color (like close to black) but it doesn't necessarily mean the tincture has 'gone bad'.....it's most likely in 100 proof vodka, so it's not GOIN' anywhere!

I filter my fresh leaf tinctures through an organic cotton ball. How did you do yours?

I haven't made Nettle tincture in AGES as I haven't had access to FRESH nettles.
LadyB

[seekerofspirit]

LadyB,
Thanks for your reply. I used fresh Nettles. I strained the tincture off through a medal strainer. At that point, it was colored pretty lightly. Now, 3 weeks later, it seems to have darkened up quite a bit, and it seems to be more concentrated. It does not seem to be bad at all, but quite good! I think it's the chlorophyl.
Jason

[Judy L]

Hey Jason,

I have noticed the color variation with some of my fresh tinctures like plantain and elder. They seem to get darker over time.

Regarding the evaporation...I usually check and top of my tinctures the first few weeks they are brewing. This is when I notice the largest drop in liquid volume. I was once told the reason for the "evaporation" was due to the fairies sipping the tinctures when I wasn't looking. Always made sense to me:)

Off to make nettle soup.

Blessings,
Judy

[Alchemille]

Maybe you should try making an apple cider vinegar based tincture, it wouldn't taste alcoholic and the nutritive components of the ACV complement the nutritious nettle.

Herbal greetings,
Alchemille