Tincture

[paul4848]

Hi, i would like to try using some of my propolis to make tincture but unsure where to get the required alcohol (>70%) here in UK. I see that isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol is only for external use so where can i source grain / everclear equivalent here in UK? Most of the recipes i can find are found in the US. I would like to use it as a throat spray.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

just use navy strength gin

 

[fian]

I would say that you first use a little 96° pharmacy alcohol and food grade alcohol (1ml/1gr ratio) to soften the propolis. Let cool until you get 3 layers. The good layer is the central one, the lower one is insoluble fraction and the upper one is light slag. Try to filter without clouding the mixture.
Let the alcohol evaporate to obtain a soft extract of propolis. Add gin in the proportion as desired for the final result. Example: 930 ml of gin (70%) for 70 mg of soft extract to obtain a liter of product with 7% final alcohol.

 

[philipm]

I always use Ukrainian vodka (always get it as gifts from the family in Ukraine) Put the propolis in a jar with the spirit close the top and give it a good shake every day for about two weeks. When ready strain off the liquid. For coughs I use two teaspoons of propolis some orange juice, desert spoon full of honey and hot water much better than lemsip.If the propolis is old it takes a bit longer to dissolve.

 

[BeeMania]

Hi, i would like to try using some of my propolis to make tincture but unsure where to get the required alcohol (>70%) here in UK. I see that isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol is only for external use so where can i source grain / everclear equivalent here in UK? Most of the recipes i can find are found in the US. I would like to use it as a throat spray.

https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/p...6Zs07rzJWv_aSwp91timfwJKbTZ-i3pUaArVFEALw_wcBBasically most of Polish food shops will have it. Its very popular in Poland.
It's called "spirytus rektyfikowany"
OR you can buy yourself a still and make your own
Once you do that you will never buy alcohol from the shop ever again

 

[Swarm]

I spent an afternoon drinking that stuff with a Polish friend. Two different blends and they were strong enough but neat was something else!!

 

[plain_hunt]

I bought a bottle of cheap (then) vodka from Aldi/Lidl and used that. Put the vodka and propolis in a jar, put the lid on and left it on the back of the aga. It took longer than I was prepared to wait, so loosened the lid and put it in the warming oven and shook it when I remembered - it took it about 2 days IIRC to dissolve. I then poured it into small dropper Bottle and it’s lasted years!
IIRC I think the vodka was more than 40%

 

[sean-a]

I bought some of this......
https://www.masterofmalt.com/spirit/grain-neutral-spirit/grain-neutral-spirit/?size=n_25_n
70% alcohol, collected a jar of propolis over the last year and topped it up with some of this grain spirit.
Heated it up and shook for a few days then tried to filter it. was quite a lot of wax settled out but I have about an 8th of a jar of very concentrated propolis tincture........

Not sure what to do with it now!