Tincture Press?
I was checking out an email ad from Strictly Medicinal Seeds, and noticed their tincture press--well that looks like a really cool gadget, I thought. And since learning and regularly using at least nine medicinal herbs is top of my 2021 goals list, I checked the tincture press out.......$1850.00.....Si-i-i-gh...... a bit out of my range 🤔
So I'm wondering...what do herbalists living on more normal budgets use? Is there a DIY version, or is it just a matter of pressing the herbs through a colander or strainer lined with cheesecloth?
Comments
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That is an interesting set up but the price...wow. I wonder if something along the lines of a cheese press or even a can from veggies or one of those huge tuna cans with holes cut or punched then sanded or ground off with some type of weight system on top would help. Right now I just use a flour sack style towel and squeeze and ring it out as best I can to extract as much as possible. Will have to think more on this. would sure be easier on my wrists to have a press. Maybe something like this cheese press picture.
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I am contemplating using a French press coffeepot for my next tincture. I only make small quantities anyway.
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@vickeym You're right--it has to be possible to build an efficient press, and something along the lines of that cheese press ought to be doable, even for those of us not very skilled at building things. With that vision of the expensive tincture press dangling before me now, I probably won't be satisfied till I've come up with something like that.
@shlinzi I hadn't even though of a French press coffee pot, but that seems like a great idea for small batches. It's certainly something a beginner like me could start out with, while figuring out how to build my dream press. Thanks for that idea!
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I just strain my tinctures through whatever cloth is of appropriate size and clean, then wring it as dry as I can.
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I line a sieve with cheesecloth or unbleached muslin and then squeeze it out. The sieve holds the cloth over the bowl or measuring cup while the bulk of it drips through and then it is easy to gather up the sides of the cloth and squeeze.
I tried building a press from a internet search but it didn't work any better that straining and squeezing.
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@torey yeah, that is too often the case with the DIY stuff in my experience--not efficient enough to be worth the trouble to build it.
My problem is arthritic hands, which make the squeezing or wringing difficult, I recently made a nice batch of elderberry syrup, and trying to squeeze that out after straining it was hard--and that was a fairly large bundle which wouldn't require as fine a grip, compared to what you'd normally be working with from a tincture batch. So I'll probably be trying that French press idea from @shllnzl for a start, to see how that works. Seems promising....
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@MaryRowe I have severely arthritic hands. I tried the French Press for some elderberry syrup; it worked great with easy clean-up. I didn't get every drop of juice out of the mix, but I would have lost some to the straining cloth anyway.
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I usually strain and let the material hang over the bowl in the strainer but it depends on what it is, i.e. particle size and density. With some roots it can be really difficult to do much more than that.
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Why can't you use a apple cider press? When I looked it up on line, I saw one for $69.
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I too have arthritis in my wrists. As well as a ganglion cyst which makes it very hard for me to wring out more than a tiny amount at a time.
I am thinking of something like this https://cheesemaking.com/collections/cheese-molds-and-presses/products/ricotta-cheese-mold-three-quarter-pound
And this website has19 DIY cheese press plans. Some looks pretty easy.
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I'm new to all of this. And I'm trying to understand the benefits of a tincture press, versus using a strainer and cheese cloth/muslin, that I've read about. The only press I've heard of is a French press coffee pot.
What is the benefits of a tincture press? Is that for making large quantities?
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I just use a potato ricer for pressing out my tinctures, but I only make them for me and my family, not a business.
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I had never thought of using a French press or potato ricer. Those are great ideas. @JennyT Getting every last drop of the tincture's goodness can be hard on the hands, especially if doing large batches.
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There are lots of other designs and makers found on-line with a simple quick search. They look pretty versatile to press out different items and are pretty reasonably priced. I myself use the force of the husband. His hands have way more compression strength than mine.
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@vickeym that would probably work if it comes with something to press the plant material down with or if you have a glass or something you can use as a presser. It would allow small particles out but you could still use a cloth in it if you want to have no particles left. Personally I would rather let the fine particles through than lose any tincture just being absorbed by the cloth. I guess you could wet the cloth first and that would help.
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I have been using cheesecloth and manually pressing my oils and tinctures through a strainer. That works, but this is more fun and extracts a lot more product from your herbs. I bought it from a seller on Etsy and think it is a good value. Here is a link: new-stainless-steel-herbal-tincture-oil
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This is St. John's wort glycerite (an alcohol-free tincture made with vegetable glycerin). I've wrapped the herbs in muslin and placed them in the bottom of the stainless steel container of the tincture press.
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Add the follower, which is a white acrylic disk, on top of the herbs.
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Place the stainless steel container in the press frame and turn the handle to extract the tincture or oil from your herbs. The handle is easy to turn.
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Here is my finished product: St. John's Wort Glycerite.
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And here is the "cake" of herbs, after pressing. It's fairly dry and compact. I know I am getting a lot more from my herbal preparations by using this simple tincture press. (Link to the press accompanies the photo of the press.)
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Less than $60. That is a really reasonable price. Especially for stainless steel.
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There she (@pinksummer12) goes again with the fabulous pictures. You even make pressing herbs sexy.
I'm more of a@judsoncarroll4 type in that I just squeeze the cloth. I made a fabulous batch of Echinacea many, many moons ago. It lasted about 5 years and couldn't have been more efficacious if I had used a press. I'm sure I could find a use for one if I owned one, but there are so many other kitchen toys, we are running out of room.
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That is one nifty press.... I may have to build one for small batches of wine!
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@judsoncarroll4 It doesn't look difficult, if you have the tools!
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@pinksummer12 thanks for the visuals. This looks very do-able if I get to that point! The thing about homesteading it that it ain't no sport for minimalists (I just found a vintage cherry pitter, so yes, that is now taking shelf space).
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pinksummer12 Does it have a drain or something to allow the liquid to drain or does it have to be set in a container to catch it?
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I bought a hydrolic jack at harbor frieght then use a stainless steel sleive like pinksummer12 did and a screen on the inside from arborfab. the outside sleive has a hose attatchment on the bottom that drains into a jar.
@JennyT the benifits of a tincture press is that if you have purchased exspenive or hard to get ahold of herbs then pressing them after tincturing them youd get the most out of them
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@pinksummer12 and @judsoncarroll4 My husband made me a tincture press that looks just like this. I don't know where he got the acrylic circle or the stainless steel container. The rest he made from scrap wood and hardware store purchases. It works very well, is relatively compact for storage and super cost effective.
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There are quite a few models which cost under $100 US. Upgrading to a more expensive electric model would allow a commercial scale production of oil.
I would like to get a press which could be used for tincture oil, food oil and perhaps pressing juices.
https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/845753/quality-food-oils/p1?new=1
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