DIY Question?

[Prism]

In the pioneer days they would take wintergreen leaves, vanilla beans and put hem in a bottle and put in drinking alcohol to make flavoring.
I have some Lemon Verbina and Chocolate Mint growing. Would it work if I put it in some Vodka let it sit for a month or so and used it to make the flavoring for a DIY? And if you think it would should I leave it as alcohol or try to heat some of the alcohol out?

 

[zoiDman]

What you are referring to is called a tinture...

Tincture - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Would it work? Sure. But you might need to reduce the volume of the liquid to concintrate the flavor into a small amount.

 

[Adja]

Your question made me think about something that I read on the Tasty Vapor website where they are talking about how their tobacco liquid is manufactured. Geoff says that his liquid is "made from a maceration of Virginia/Burley/Oriental tobacco, perfectly blended and macerated in Propylene Glycol for a month or longer. The resulting clarified liquid tastes and smells much as does a fresh pack of cigarettes."

I wonder if that process would produce the result you are seeking with your herbs?

 

[Sublimation]

I've wondered about doing stuff like this, and also about using real fruit juices instead of flavorings. Wish I was a chemist...

 

[Prism]

I make tinctures by boiling the leaves (no stems they are bitter) in water and then making tea, but I think it would need to steep in alcohol for quite a while to get the concentration of flavor. I am still not sure if it would have enough flavor when mixed with Vg etc. for vaping

 

[leannebug]

That's how I make my vanilla drops. Read here. It's the "natural" way to make vanilla extract. That fleabay site gives a little information, but I've also heard that the beans will continue to make extract indefinately. If you keep adding Vodka to the bottle, it will keep producing, forever. The extract is better (richer, stronger) if you let the beans sit in the alcohol for about 3 months, but I've read that it *can* be ready, anywhere from 2 weeks to a month. I just prefer to steep it longer.. so I have more than one bottle going on my counter. I also wondered about "cooking" it, but the more I think about it, the more I think that might alter the flavor and/or chemistry.

(The info is also in my user notes)

HTH!
LB

 

[leannebug]

One other note: The extract calls for straight Vodka. I do not recommend using water, as the alcohol content also *adds* to the TH. (it's great for cooking too!! you just need to adjust your vanilla.. it will be a richer flavoring than the store bought stuff)

After my vanilla has steeped long enough, I strain it a few times through a coffee filter to remove any particles. Then I have my drops. The first batch I made was flavorful (a little weaker than the 'store' drops, but not too much). The second batch I made, was a little too "green" and therefore it took much more to get the vanilla flavor. Since then, I bought about 100 beans, and I now have a "Vanilla Garden" going on my counter top. I hope to steep enough, so that I won't have to use any that isn't ready yet.
I also found that by cutting the beans, the liquid darkens faster, but the beans may not last either. It's a learning process for certain, but quite fun! I like the flavor much better.

Let me know how the Verbana turns out. I'm very interested!

 

[Prism]

Thanks Leanne. I decided from reading your stuff that I am going to try making 3 bottles, to try at at 1, 2, and 3 months. I will let you know how it goes.

 

[leannebug]

Excellant! I look forward to hearing about it (and possibly tasting too )

The ones I talked about up there ^^ the batches; the first one I made from my extract that had been 'steeping' for a few years, so it was good and ready, certainly. I then had to add more vodka, and made my second batch after only a week or two (it was approx a 1/2 and 1/2 bottle.. half fresh, half nicely fermented!)

 

[Jynn]

I've currently got a bunch of Lipton iced tea bags steeping in some PG, I'm HOPING that in a few more weeks I'll be able to make a sweet tea flavored juice from it

 

[leannebug]

ooo.. LMK how it turns out! I bought some sweet tea juice and it tastes like weeds and dirt