tincture is a concentrated extract of an herb, spice, or other botanical in alcohol. See botanical. Historically, tinctures were originally used as medicinal products, but over time they found their way into cuisine as well as beverages. Tinctures can be used similarly to cocktail bitters, but unlike bitters a tincture will only offer a single note of flavor. See bitters. They are generally prepared through simple infusion or maceration. See infusion and maceration. The base alcohol can be anywhere from 40 percent to 96 percent (neutral spirit) ABV, but there is loose agreement that a 50 percent ABV vodka (in other words, a 50 percent aqueous solution of ethanol) is adequate to extract the majority of plant constituents.
There is a similarity between a tincture and a flavored vodka that has been infused by natural means. The biggest difference is the concentration of flavor, with the vodka infusion being much more diluted. See vodka. The typical method to create a tincture is to add one part of the botanical to approximately five parts of spirit. Briefly agitate daily, allow the mixture to macerate for two weeks, and then strain into a glass bottle and cap to store. During the maceration phase, the volatile components of the base material will be extracted into the spirit, and the resultant liquid will be fairly concentrated.
Once made, store a smaller amount of tincture in a bottle with a dasher top (or eyedropper), in order to allow the addition to cocktails one dash at a time, or in an atomizer/mister. For storage it is best to either store in a cool, dark place or use a darkly tinted glass bottle to limit oxidation, which is accelerated by light. Oxidation will eventually cause a breakdown in the flavor compounds, weakening the concentrate.
Keep in mind the skin and cellular structure of the botanical when choosing the proof of an alcohol to macerate in. Some woodier botanicals such as cinnamon will benefit from higher proof spirit to fully penetrate the botanical’s exterior.
In the posthumous 1887 edition of Jerry Thomas’s The book also includes recipes for lemon, orange, and clove tinctures as well. Additional useful options might include black pepper, cardamom, allspice, nutmeg, coriander, star anise, lavender, or juniper, as only a few examples. As with bitters, tinctures can also be dashed into a drink (so as to provide a flavor within the drink itself), applied to the top of a drink using a dropper, or sprayed with a mister to provide more of an aromatic garnish. While tinctures of a single botanical maceration don’t provide the complexity that bitters do, employing different combinations of them will enable the user to create hundreds of different and unique flavor profiles. See also garnish and mixology. Phillips, Michael, and Nancy Phillips. The Herbalist’s Way: The Art and Practice of Healing with Plant Medicines. White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green, 2005 Thomas, Jerry. The Bar-Tender’s Guide. New York: Dick & Fitzgerald, 1887. By: Audrey Saunders