February 2023 DIY Recipe: Orange Honey Tincture

Citrus is sometimes referred to as edible sunshine due to its brightness in flavor, color, and vitamin C content. Peak citrus season comes in the cold months of winter when we can all use a little extra brightness. 

Our Organic Alcohol is used as the base for many herbal tinctures carefully crafted by herbalists all over the country. While we suggest knowing a thing or two about herbal medicine before working with more potent herbs or giving these medicine-makers your custom, there are a few simple tinctures you can do at home that can be useful.

Of course, we have access to the best organic alcohol around and we used it as our 'menstruum' in this recipe. Menstruum is a fluid or solvent that can extract plant components. Some herbalists use vinegar, honey, or water depending on what the herb or plant matter requires. Alcohol has been used for a long time as a reliable way to extract plant essences in herbalism. Read more about alcohol use in this interesting article from WishGarden Herbs.

This recipe is a simple orange peel tincture complimented with delicious local honey. Vitamin C can be damaged with heat, so we simply peel the orange and let sit on our 190-proof organic spirits letting all those orange oils and essences be extracted. Top it with a little honey and you have a delicious tincture you can use in teas or take with water (even add to a cocktail)!

Navel and Valencia oranges are considered sweet oranges, with Navel oranges being in season from December to March making them easy to come by. Sweet Orange peel is great for easing digestion, throat irritation, coughs, colds, and can be a mood boost. Local honey has antimicrobial properties as well!  

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

• • • 6-8 medium organic oranges 

• • • 8-12 oz Organic Alcohol, enough to cover peels completely (we used Organic Cane)
     
    • 16 oz Mason Jar
     
    • Glass Dropper Bottles
     
    • Cheese Cloth 
  •  
    • 2 oz Local Raw Honey
      
      
      

WHAT YOU'LL DO

1. 1. 1. Wash oranges thoroughly and remove any impurities
         
         
      2. Peel oranges making sure to take off all the white pith
         
         
      3. Place in a jar and cover all peels with Organic Alcohol
         
         
      4. Let sit for at least 2 weeks in a cool, dark place (shake every few days)
         
         
      5. Strain peels and squeeze out well with cheesecloth
         
         
      6. Pour honey into jar and mix (or lid the jar and shake shake shake until combined)
         
         
      7. Pour into a dropper bottle and label

Add one dropper to tea or water in the morning or before meals!

*Dilute your alcohol with 3/4 parts 95% spirits to 1/4 water, this will give you approx. a 71% alcohol mixture. Full strength 95% can be used in this recipe. 

DON'T FEEL LIKE MAKING YOUR OWN?

Check out these tinctures from trusted herbalists

• • • Sage Apothecary & Consulting: Orange Peel Tincture
    • Desert Tortoise Botanicals: Orange Peel Tincture