Overview:

The tart taste of pickles and wine gone sour is a familiar one to many people, especially folks who still preserve their food the old-fashioned way and brew their own wine. Sparkling purple berry vinegars and amber shades of apple cider vinegar adorn the shelves of many gourmet kitchens and backwoods pantries. Vinegar-based preparations can be used internally or externally, and infused vinegars make some of the best remedies for poison oak/ivy and/or sunburn that I have ever worked with. They are also an excellent food-like medicine that can be added to broths, salad dressings, sauces and much more for added flavor and nutrients. 

Definition: 

Here, infused vinegars refer to a folkloric method of macerating herbs in vinegar, whereas acetic tincture refers to a more precise and measured method of extracting herbs into the vinegar. The folkloric method tends to result in less consistent and sometimes weaker preparations, but both infused vinegars and acetic tinctures are essentially created in the same manner. 

Description:

Vinegar, given its sour taste by acetic acid and powers of solvency, is an excellent menstruum for extracting minerals, most bioflavonoids and many alkaloids from plants. It is a simple and safe solvent for a variety of medicines and can be easily integrated into many foods. Tinctures of certain plants can be made with vinegar for a mild and nutritive remedy. 

Infused vinegars and acetic tinctures can be made with fresh or dried plants, but note that vinegar spoils much more easily than alcohol, and adding the water content of fresh plants may increase the chance of fermentation and spoilage. In general, I prefer to use freshly dried plants for most vinegar-based preparations with a few exceptions that will be addressed below in the Appropriate Herbs section. At the very least, I suggest wilting the herbs for a few hours before using. 

Fresh Plant Infused Vinegars are made by filling a jar with coarsely chopped fresh or wilted plant matter and then filling the jar again with vinegar. Stir, cover with airtight lid and allow to macerate for appr. 2-4 weeks before straining. 

Dried Plant Infused Vinegars are made by filling a jar a third of the way (more if using flowers, less if using bark or roots) with coarsely ground dried plant matter, then fill jar with vinegar, stir, cover with airtight lid and allow to macerate for app. 2-4 weeks before straining. Store in a cool, dark place such as a refrigerator for the longest life span. 

Fresh Plant Acetic Tinctures are made by placing 1 part (by weight) coarsely chopped fresh plant matter in a jar and then covering with 2 parts (by volume) vinegar. Stir, cover with airtight lid and allow to macerate for appr. 2-4 weeks before straining. 

Dried Plant Acetic Tinctures are made by place 1 part (by weight) coarsely ground dried plant matter in jar and then covering with 5 parts (by volume) vinegar. Stir, cover with airtight lid and allow to macerate for appr. 2-4 weeks before straining. 

Notes on Vinegar Types and Quality: 

While the commonly available white distilled vinegar will work as a solvent, I far prefer to use either apple cider vinegar or a similar fruit vinegar, either purchase organic or homemade. These vinegars add innate medicinal benefits (varying depending on the plant used to make), and are simple, nourishing, non-processed foods in their own right. Vinegars are easy to make at home (so easy you may do it on accident while attempting to make wine) from almost any fruit juice. 

Directions:

Infused Vinegar

Ingredients

• Coarsely chopped fresh plant matter or coarsely grown dried plant matter

• Vinegar

• Appropriate sized jar with airtight lid
Directions

1. Place plant matter in jar, filling it all of the way if using fresh plant or filling it a third of the way (more for flowers and fluffy leaves, less for woody roots and bark) for dried plant. 

2. Fill jar with vinegar.

3. Stir.

4. Cap with airtight lid.

5. Allow to macerate in cool, dark place for 2-4 weeks.

6. Strain, reserving vinegar. 

7. Store in cool, dark place until needed.

Acetic Tincture

Ingredients

• Coarsely chopped fresh plant matter or coarsely grown dried plant matter

• Vinegar

• Appropriate sized jar with airtight lid

• Measuring cup and scale
Directions

1. Place 1 part (by weight) fresh or dried plant matter in jar, 

2. Cover with vinegar, using 2 parts (by volume) if using fresh plant, or 5 parts (by volume) if using dried plant. 

3. Stir.

4. Cap with airtight lid.

5. Allow to macerate in cool, dark place for 2-4 weeks.

6. Strain, reserving vinegar. 

7. Store in cool, dark place until needed.

For example: we could take 1 ounce (weighed on a scale) of coarsely ground dried Sambucus flowers, place in jar, then cover with 5 ounces (in a measuring cup) apple cider (or elderberry) vinegar. Cover with airtight lid, and allow to macerate for 2-4 weeks in a cool, dark place. Then strain, reserving vinegar, and store in an airtight container in a cool dark place. 

Appropriate Herbs:

Fresh Plant Vinegars: As mentioned above, fresh plants have a greater tendency to go off in vinegar preparations than alcohol based tinctures. For this reason, I generally recommend using freshly dried plants where practical and possible. Exceptions are made for plants with ephemeral aromatics (e.g., Melissa officinalis, Ocimum basilicum and Rosmarinus officinalis) that tend to change or be lost in the drying process. Even then, wilting for about 4 hours often reduces the chance of the vinegar spoiling at a later time. 

Vinegar Soluble Constituents: In general, the most common soluble constituents extractable in vinegar are minerals, alkaloids, bioflavonoids and many volatile oils. 

Mineral Rich Herbs

• Arctium spp. (Burdock)

• Avena fatua or sativa (Oatstraw or milky tops)

• Equisetum arvense (Horsetail)

• Mentha spp. (Mints)

• Rumex crispus (Yellow Dock)

• Taraxacum spp. (Dandelion)

Alkaloid Rich Herbs

• Capsicum annua (Cayenne)

• Hydrastis canadensis (Goldenseal)

• Lobelia inflata (Lobelia)

• Mahonia spp. (Oregon Grape Root)

• Valeriana spp. (Valerian)

Bioflavonoid Rich Herbs

• Crataegus spp. (Hawthorn)

• Rosa spp. (Rose)

• Sambucus spp. (Elder)

• Vaccinium spp. (Blueberry, Cranberry etc.,)

• Vitis spp. (Grape)

Volatile Oil Rich Herbs

• Allium sativum (Garlic)

• Armoracia rusticana (Horseradish root)

• Artemisia spp. (Mugwort etc.,)

• Lavendula spp. (Lavender)

• Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm)

• Mentha spp. (Mints)

• Rosmarinus spp. (Rosemary)

• Ruta spp. (Rue)

• Salvia spp. (aromatic species) (Sage)

• Thymus spp. (Thyme)