trouble shooting + tincture making help please

15 years ago

I recently tried making a cinnamon tincture for the first time. Rather than use cinnamon powder I used cinnamon bark chips and 80 proof plain vodka. I filled a small mason jar about 2/3 full of cinnamon chips and then poured in vodka to the top. I let it sit in a dark cabinet for 2 weeks shaking it several times a day. When I went to strain out the tincture I found to my surprise a rather viscous liquid. This is quite different from the cinnamon tinctures I have bought in the past (don't recall it being viscous at all)and am not sure now of what to do. Is this normal? do I just dilute it with more vodka? Is it safe to use?

Featured Answer

WyldViolet

14 years ago

That's perfectly normal for Cinnamon tincture, and there is no need to dilute that gooey cinnamon-y goodness :)

If the cinnamon tinctures you have purchased in the past were not gooey, then there was something wrong with THEM, and they were processed incorrectly.

You see this a lot with Echinacea tinctures - store bought are perfectly transparent and liquid, home-made have a layer of thick white stuff at the bottom (inulin - good stuff!). When people make Echinacea tincture for the first time, they typically freak out and wonder what they did wrong and why that white stuff is there. Businesses typically strain out the inulin so as to not gross out customers, so 'store bought' never should equate with 'the standard we should strive for'

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Comments (6)

fatamorgana2121
15 years ago
Viscous? You mean like something went bad and got ooey gooey or too much of the liquid got absorbed, or what?

I suspect that too much of the liquid got absorbed but obviously, I can't say that for sure.

BTW, another term used for tincture is "extract," especially with culinary items. Check out the link below.

FataMorgana

Here is a link that might be useful: Google Results - making cinnamon extract
lwowk
Original Author
15 years ago
When I say viscous I mean that it was the consistency of egg whites. :(

I'll check out the link thanks
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kaliaman
14 years ago
Cinnamon is a demulcent herb so the gooey slime is normal, agree with WyldViolet on that. Some varieties of cinnamon are more demulcent than others.
theherbalist2012
14 years ago
kaliaman:

I could be wrong, but cinnamon is more drying and warming. Great yang tonic. Not so much a demulcent according to my experiences in using it.

theherbalist
charlie
kaliaman
14 years ago
Cinnamon is actually one of the very few demulcent yang tonics being hot, spicy and moistening. Most moistening herbs are cool so cinnamon is especially useful.

As others in this thread have pointed out from their personal experience cinnamon is viscous and gooey which is where the demulcent property derives. : )