I need more and more to make tinctures that start from a strong decoction, and then , the alcohol to preserve is added. It is very important to me as I can buy bulk herbs from abroad and tincture them myself to have them available for the formulas. Could you give us more information on how to do the decoction part for herbs like prince seng, astragalus or the mushrooms? What is the ratio between the herb and the water to start with and what should be left in the end?

He said: I am not sure I can easily explain this, I cook these herbs in the water for 8-12 hours at a low temperature (around 125-35 degrees). I use counter top turkey cooker’s sold by Walmart, Target, etc listed as Hamilton Beach (or other brands) 22 quart Roaster Oven. They say they can go from 150 -400 degrees. You will need a cooking thermometer to check temperature. If you barely turn it on, you can get a temp around 125-135, it is below the setting for 150 but not marked on the dial. How much water to add is a bit tricky, as you need to add enough to cover the herb and so the cooking does not evaporate all the liquid. I would estimate you want twice the amount of water that the menstruum calls for. Weigh it when you have added the amount of water you actually want in your finished product (often 70-72.5 %), write down the weight and then add the remaining water. Cook overnight. If it is dried out or burnt you did not add enough water and it is ruined. It should be rich smelling and still a fair amount of liquid when done. When you weigh it again , it should be the same weight as when you first weighed it. Let cool , and add your alcohol.