Making propolis tincture involves soaking raw propolis in high-proof alcohol for several days, then straining out the solids. The result is a concentrated liquid extract that captures the resinous, bioactive compounds bees collect from tree buds and bark. The process is straightforward, but a few details in preparation, ratio, and timing make the difference between a weak extract and a potent one.
Preparing Raw Propolis
Raw propolis straight from the hive is sticky, clumpy, and nearly impossible to work with at room temperature. It may also contain bits of wood, wax, and other hive debris. Before you can extract anything useful, you need to clean it and break it down into small pieces so the alcohol can penetrate effectively.
Start by picking out any obvious debris like wood chips, dead bees, or large wax chunks. Then place the cleaned propolis chunks in a freezer for at least a few hours. Freezing transforms the sticky resin into a hard, brittle material that shatters instead of smearing. This is the key to grinding it into small pieces or powder.
Place your grinding tools in the freezer alongside the propolis. A mortar and pestle or a hand-powered grinder works best. Electric grinders can generate friction heat quickly, which melts the propolis back into a gummy mess. Once everything is thoroughly cold, remove it and grind immediately, working in short bursts before the material warms up. You want pieces roughly the size of coarse sand or small gravel. The finer you grind, the more surface area is exposed to the alcohol, and the more complete your extraction will be.
Choosing Your Alcohol
The ideal solvent is 70% ethyl alcohol, sometimes labeled as grain alcohol or Everclear (depending on where you live and what proof is available). At 70%, ethanol dissolves both the resinous compounds and the water-soluble components of propolis, giving you the broadest range of bioactive substances in your finished tincture. You can use 95% or 100% ethanol, but pure alcohol is actually less effective at pulling out certain water-soluble compounds.
If you plan to use the tincture internally (drops in water, gargling for a sore throat), you must use food-grade ethyl alcohol. Isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) will also extract propolis resins, but it’s toxic if ingested. Reserve isopropyl-based tinctures strictly for external applications like skin salves.
Ratios: Weak, Medium, and Strong
The “percentage” of a propolis tincture refers to how much propolis you use relative to the total mixture. A 10% tincture is mild, a 20% tincture is a common middle ground, and a 30% tincture is strong and concentrated. The right choice depends on how you plan to use it.
For a 10% tincture using 70% alcohol, combine roughly 100 grams of propolis with 1,073 milliliters of alcohol. For a 20% tincture, use 200 grams of propolis in about 953 milliliters. For a 30% tincture, use 300 grams in approximately 834 milliliters. In US measurements, a 10% tincture calls for about 2.5 ounces of propolis in 25 fluid ounces of 70% alcohol, while a 20% tincture uses about 4.25 ounces in roughly 19.6 fluid ounces.
If you’re making propolis tincture for the first time, a 20% concentration is a practical starting point. It’s strong enough to be useful without being so thick that it becomes difficult to strain and dose.
The Extraction Process
Combine your ground propolis and alcohol in a clean glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Mason jars work well. Give it a vigorous shake, then place the jar in a cool, dark location. Room temperature is fine.
Research on ethanolic propolis extraction shows that a 5-day maceration period using 70% ethanol recovers close to 80% of the bioactive components. Extending the soak to 10 days can pull out slightly more, but the gains diminish significantly after the first five days. For most home preparations, 5 to 7 days strikes a good balance between potency and practicality.
Shake the jar at least once or twice a day throughout the maceration period. This agitation keeps fresh alcohol in contact with the propolis particles and prevents them from clumping together at the bottom. Some people shake more often, and that’s fine. The propolis will gradually dissolve, turning the alcohol a deep amber or reddish-brown color.
Filtering and Bottling
After your maceration period, you need to separate the liquid tincture from the undissolved solids. A coffee filter is the preferred method because it catches the fine particles that cheesecloth lets through. Place the filter in a funnel over a clean glass container and pour the mixture through slowly. If you don’t have coffee filters, a piece of paper towel set inside a mesh strainer works as a substitute.
Filtering propolis tincture is slow. The resinous particles clog the filter, so you may need to swap in a fresh one partway through. Be patient and let gravity do the work rather than squeezing the filter, which pushes fine sediment through and clouds your tincture.
Transfer the finished tincture into dark glass bottles. Amber or cobalt dropper bottles are ideal because light degrades the bioactive compounds in propolis over time. Stored in dark glass at room temperature, an alcohol-based propolis tincture has a shelf life of roughly 10 years. There’s no need to refrigerate it, as the alcohol acts as a preservative.
Using Your Tincture
Propolis tincture has a long history of use for sore throats and minor mouth and throat irritation. Health Canada recognizes its traditional use for relieving sore throat and mouth infections, with a recommended oral dose of 0.2 to 0.6 grams of dried propolis equivalent per day for adults. Since the amount of dissolved propolis in your tincture depends on the concentration you made, translating this to drops requires some math. For a 20% tincture, a few drops to a half-milliliter taken in water or applied directly to the back of the throat is a reasonable starting amount.
Topically, propolis tincture can be applied to minor cuts, cold sores, or irritated skin using a cotton swab. The alcohol base stings briefly on broken skin but evaporates quickly, leaving a thin resinous film. Be aware that propolis stains surfaces, skin, and clothing a stubborn yellow-brown. Work over a protected surface when handling it.
Allergy Considerations
Propolis is a significant contact allergen. People who are sensitive to it can develop skin rashes, mouth irritation, lip swelling, and in some cases difficulty breathing after oral use. The risk is higher if you already have contact allergies to tree resins or balsams, since propolis is derived from the same plant compounds.
Before using propolis tincture on a large area of skin or taking it internally, do a patch test. Apply a small amount of diluted tincture to the inside of your forearm and wait 24 to 48 hours. If redness, itching, or a rash develops, don’t use it. Having a bee sting allergy doesn’t automatically mean you’ll react to propolis (they involve different allergens), but caution is still warranted if you have a history of reactions to bee products.