I ordered Elderberries

[Kathy in WV]

And they arrived yesterday. I ordered from HerbalCom (got the link from another post here) Just wanted to say I got 3lbs of them and they were clean and dry and in good shape. I would definitely order from them again. They have a lot of items I'd like to try. We planted Elderberries this summer but not soon enough to get berries from them. So now I'm making tincture to ward off the Flu and other nasties. I used Vodka for tincturing and its way too strong for my mouth to handle. Can I dilute it? My tincture is already so dark you cant see light through the jar, will it really need 6 weeks before its ready??
I'd like to make a tea out of the berries when the little ones are sick, does anybody know how much to use per cup? Thanks!! Kat

[Deemy]

Kat, I missed that link, can you tell me link for Herbalcom? I found a bush in the fall for elderberries but only got enough for eight batchs of brandy wine for the flu. Hubby takes it every day for colds and flu.

[Dinghy]

Hi Kathy, I made some extract too and was unsure just what to do with it. I didn't cook the berries, I just mashed them and let them sit in vodka for a few weeks. I strained it then and bottled it. Mine is dark too and smells really strong. I read that you take 1 or 2 spoonfuls in a cup of juice, but I don't know if that's teaspoons or tablespoons, and I don't know how many times a day. It would be less for a child, but I don't know how much less. I didn't write the info down when I read it, thinking I'd remember it. I should have known better!! I'll try to do a search in a little while and see if I can come up with something.

[Dinghy]

What I found so far is, 1 teaspoon three times a day. A lot would depend on how concentrated the tincture is. I think I might have used more vodka than I should have, so I'd have to take a litttle more. Depending on the kid's age, say maybe cut that amount in half? It might not hurt them to take an adult dose though, except for the fact that they're getting more alcohol. If they're really sick that might make them sleep! Maybe you could compare doses on a bottle of Nyquil to see how a kid's dose compares to an adult.

[goatlady2]

I'm currently soaking my third batch right now. You don't necessarily want to dilute the tincture BUT pour it in a sainless steel pan, bring it to a simmer and add sugar to taste, then simmer for about 10-15 minutes. With about 4 cups of tincture I use 1/2 cup sugar you may like more. Much more palatable that way. I take a teaspoon each day as a preventative along with a teaspoon of echinacea twice a day to build up the immune system. By the way I use 4 cups of elderberries in a jar and just cover them, and a little above, with the vodka or you can use brandy. I like the brandy better for the elderberry. I usually soak all my tincture for about 7-10 days in a dark place. You don't need to soak for weeks, folks. The alcohol does an excellent job of extracting the medicinal properties from most herbs very quickly. forgot to clarify that I am using fresh berries not dried which is why I use 4 cups - using dried berries takes a lesser amount,

[Deemy]

I've been soaking mine for six weeks!

[Dennis Olson]

http://www.herbal.com/

[Albuburbia]

Dennis, that link goes to a page that tries to sell that domain name. I don't see any products. Am I missing a link within that page?

edited to add: Is this it? www.herbalcom.com

[goatlady2]

Yes www.herbalcom.com is the correct site

[Kathy in WV]

Last year about this time I bought some tincture from another member here at TB2K. I tried to PM her but evidently she has not been visiting the forum since I got no answer. Tomorrow morning after the munchkin goes to school I'll go back oover all my PM's. One of them had details on how much per dose and other stuff good to know. Goatlady, does it affect the tincture to heat it? I wondered if heat could harm the active ingredients? Kat

PS--You will never need Metamucil as long as you got elderberry!!!

[Deemy]

I've bookmarked this page!!! I actually managed to get three little shoots started this fall,hope to keep them alive to plant next spring.

[AnniePutin]

I respect your herbal knowledge so much Goatlady and appreciate you taking time to try to explain some things to me. Hope I didn't blow it on that choice of echinacea. Not only the type, but it's also a powder. Would all these powders I got best be used by putting into capsules do you think? I'll definitely make a tincture from the berries. Thanks, Goatlady!

[Herbmountain]

Here's a tip girls. Never, never buy herbs in a powder form. The powder lasts only 6 months where as the whole herb will last a year for good potency. You can always invest in a grinder to make the whole herb into a powder yourself.

You have the elderberries. Just soak them in water overnight
then heat them (simmer very low heat) for a couple of hours *uncovered*.
Pour them into the blender and add juice of lemons and raw honey to
taste--then add some vegetable glycerine.

This you can use immediatly. When heating herbs with vodka, you slow the infusion process. You now have removed the vodka from your tincture. It is the vodka that extracts the active ingredients from your herb.

Using heat to make your formula is usually only used when making an herbal oil. This is ok and used when you do not want to wait the 4 to 6 weeks. It's ok for external application but will not be potent enough for internal unless it is elderberry. Elderberry is very potent and does not break down as much in heating situations.

When purchasing elderberry's:
Look for dark purple color.
Berrys should be about the size of small peas and no smaller.
The berrys should be very fragrant. If not they are at least one year old.

[AnniePutin]

Anjou, I'm new at this so will defer to one of our very knowledgable posters here re-working with herbs. I'm guessing they are dried. Can't imagine they would be fresh, but this is the first time I've ordered them. Perhaps they can also comment on using elderberries in recipes (while maintaining medicinal properties) and the possible uses of wild blueberries. I'm trying to learn here myself. ;-)

[spinner]

Perhaps you would like the recipe for licorice spice tea that I posted here:

http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/showthread.php?t=125849

Very tasty and versatile.

spinner

[Herbmountain]

Summerthyme. I just went out and chewed on the root and it helped wonderfully. About the licorace candy? Was it true licorace or anise flavored candy? It is very hard to find true licorace candy now a days. The use anise as it is cheaper and very tasty.

The only time I have heard of anyone having a problem with licorace was a women who was drinking 8 cups a day to replace her coffee jones. She also retained water like a cow.

Im so happy your calves recovered. How interesting. Thanks for the info.

Also thanks to spinner for the recipe. I have a special tea I make. It is for cooling heat. I get real heat from my Pita Nature. Fire nature, temper, very type A personality. Just have to be in charge. You know the type. I do not allocate very well as no one can do it better (in my pea brain mind). I cook up some hibuscus tea. It is the most beautiful garnet color and really quenches my thirst. Beautiful red blossoms.

[summerthyme]

Herbie- yeah, it contained "licorice extract". I never even thought about it, because I'd always heard that it was all anise flavoring these days. I don't even remember the brand, but it was some I bought when I was in Canada. I never looked at the ingredients until I started trying to figure out what was causing all the water retention.

I really messed up my stomach one time with heavy doses (prescribed by a doctor) of NSAID's. I mean, I was doubled over in pain from my gut nearlly 24/7, and antacids only worked for an hour or so at a time. I took licorice root capsules after several scripts from the doc (for acid control, etc) did absolutely nothing. And was completely painfree within 1 week. That was when I decided to try it on the calves...

We rarely get a sick calf at all, but when we do, I don't even need antibiotics any more. Colloidal silver, cinnamon, licorice and electrolytes cures them every time. (and colloidal silver is one thing I NEVER thought was worth anything. Until I started experimenting with it on animals. Amazing stuff)

Summerthyme

[country]

I was given a recipe for elderberry tincture with the finals steps beginning to fill pint jars then put in a water bath for 25 minutes. Why would you need to put this in a hot water bath?

Country

[goatlady2]

You might need to do that IF you did not use alcohol and wanted to keep the stuff a long time, but never heard of water bathing any herbal anything. The alcohol is the preservative. Sounds like just a juice not a tincture you have instructions for.

[Night Owl]

We are herbists, I would use BRANDY, cheap brandy is okay, but it is a nurturing alcohol, Vodka is not. ...also make sure you are with good thoughts, no stresses when you make the tincture. it is best to make it before a full moon and let it sit outside in the light of the full moon overnight for best results of a tincture. Much better than a room full of crystals. The Moon is Yin and a female strength. You can mix other herbs together in the same clean glass canning jar when you are making a cold tincture.....you should always and only use herbs that are from your area, Nature knows by what grows in an area what is needed for healing in each area, if it is going to be a bad winter, there will be many herbal plants that grow in the area. Do you harvest your own herbs? Please remember if you do harvest don't take the MOTHER Plant, it is the biggest plant, it is the strongest and is needed to rproduce for the future. Thanks you.

[Loon]

Does brandy have a lower alcohol level than vodka?

[Kathy in WV]

Does brandy have a lower alcohol level than vodka?

I believe that it does. I was taught to make tinctures only with a clear alcohol as it is able to absorb more of the herb. Also your alcohol should be at least 90 proof for most tincs, and sometimes even higher than that for a few herbs. Lots of info online via google search...

[Kathy in FL]

I believe that it does. I was taught to make tinctures only with a clear alcohol as it is able to absorb more of the herb. Also your alcohol should be at least 90 proof for most tincs, and sometimes even higher than that for a few herbs. Lots of info online via google search...

Brandy only runs 30 to 50% alcohol content depending on how its made and what it is made with (roughly 80 proof).
Everclear on the other end of the spectrum has roughly 90 to 95% alcohol content (190 proof) -- kinda the "knock 'em out John" of the liquor world.
Schnapps is 20 to 40% alcohol content (80 proof is the average but they make higher).
Tequila and vokda run about 50% alcohol content (tequila averages 80 proof but I've seen it as high as 110 proof; vodka runs 80 proof and above ... there is some high test vodka on the market that goes as high as everclear).

Different brands of alcohol will give you different strengths ... for instance Bacardi rum is measured out at 151 proof as part of its signature. I use Barcardi clear for most of my baking that calls for rum.

I use high test vodka and everclear for most of the medicinals I make because nothing unsavory is likely to grow in that medium.

YMMV

Summerthyme can probably offer a better explanation.

[Loon]

Thanks for the explanation of the different alcohols. I made mine with vodka. It was the cheapest bottle I could find at the store. I'd like to learn how to make elderberry wine. We have such huge bushes and they produce so many berries. I didn't know they grew that big. Mine are about 12 feet tall.