Witch Tip Wednesday 2.13.19
Vinegar Infusions To Hex or To Heal
I’ve covered tinctures and I’ve covered hydrosols, but another infusion method is vinegar. While the other two are more neutral and thus, more versatile in some people’s opinions, that doesn’t discount the preservation and power that can be held in a vinegar based infusion!
Vinegar is a mixture of acid and water and pretty inexpensive to boot. The edible and topical varieties are usually about 5% acetic, but white vinegar meant for cleaning*, can be 25% acetic and will not be safe to use in the ways I describe below, so check the bottle! You can use Apple Cider Vinegar, Balsamic, White Balsamic, White Wine Vinegar, or Redwine Vinegar, use your instincts for what corresponds best with your intent.
Infusing things into vinegar are great because you can use both fresh and dry ingredients in them, and as long as the ingredients are safe to ingest, it will be shelf stable and free from bacteria due to the acid content. Connected to solar energy or the element of fire, it sits in balance with water so if you use elemental associations in your workings, have at it!
How to infuse:
In a clean and sterilized container, add in herbs, roots, plant matter etc that have been cleaned and dried of excess water. If they’re dried ingredients, or particularly large leaves or herbs, roughly chopping or crushing them to release more scents/flavor/essence is suggested.
Heat on the stove top your desired amount of vinegar to fit your sterilized container on low until it is just steaming but NOT boiling.
Pour into the sterile jar over the herbs and seal.
Shake daily for 1-3 weeks depending on how strong you want the flavors (keeping in mind that stronger herbs may overpower more subtle flavors, you should adjust the ratios of plants, rather than opening and adding more of a substance).
OPTIONAL, BUT SUGGESTED. Strain mixture and pour infused vinegar into a pan or pot and heat on low. Get it steaming, but not boiling. At the same time, you can sterilize your jar by baking for 10 minutes at 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour strained and heated vinegar into your container and seal.
If you don’t want to do that, strain into a clean glass or bottle.
If you did step 5, it pasteurizes the infusion and will keep indefinitely, though flavor may start to decrease in intensity after about 5 months. Can be stored at room temperature.
If you did step 6 instead, it will lose flavor after 3 months, but can be extended by keeping it refrigerated. It will expire after a year.
The expiration date does and doesn’t matter depending on your intent. If you want to cook with or ingest it, that may determine how involved you get, but if it’s strictly for spellwork or topical applications, then the expiration date doesn’t matter so much!
Infused vinegars already have an immense amount of potential in spellwork because of the energy they carry. Immediately one thinks of protection, cleansing, banishment, but also for overcoming, dissolving and binding as well as hex breaking and hex casting. This is intensified and blended with whatever you add and infuse into it, creating something new.
🦋Cheers, Barberwitch
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