As I cannot get high proof alcohol like grain alcohol legally in my state, my experience is with tincturing dry not fresh roots in order to get the alcohol-water ratio right with cheap available alcohols like vodka. I would suggest you get Cech's Making Plant Medicine or Green's The Herbal Medicine Maker's Handbook. They will be incredibly valuable to your medicine making.

I think your alcohol-water ratio is way off - there is real science to it and it is covered at length in the books mentioned. Dandelion roots shrink to about a 1/2 to a 1/3 of their fresh size when completely dry meaning they are at least 50% water. Your 80 proof vodka is 60% water. Together that makes too much water, not enough alcohol in the mix.

FataMorgana

The other thing is: WHY TINCTURE? Dandelion is NOT going anywhere. Harvest what you need each year, chop and grind it, dry it and use it for the year. Next year do the same thing. Save the "expensive" hooch for things that are less reliable.

www.homegrownherbalist.net