Ethyl Alcohol 96º 1L for propolis

01 · THE DILUTION

700 and 300, and you have a litre at 70%

Mix 700 ml of this alcohol with 300 ml of distilled water and you get a litre at about 70%, which is the strength propolis is worked at. It is not a whim: at 70% the solvent gets into the resin better and carries away more fractions than neat alcohol, which evaporates fast and leaves part of the job undone.

02 · HOW TO MACERATE IT

Cold propolis, a dark jar and patience

Break up the propolis straight out of the freezer — cold it shatters, warm it sticks to everything — and set it to macerate in a dark glass jar, tightly closed. The usual proportions run from 10 to 30% of propolis by weight of liquid. Shake it daily, let two or three weeks go by and filter. What stays in the filter is wax and plant debris, not tincture.

03 · SAFETY

96% is real alcohol

It is a highly flammable liquid: away from heat sources and flames, bottle always closed — the vapours burn too — and in a cool, ventilated place. Label the bottle if you decant it and keep it out of reach of children.

04 · BEFORE YOU BUY

Supplied in a 1-litre bottle. The distilled water for the dilution is not included. For use in the mouth, at your own responsibility.