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Home » Herbalism » Herbal Remedies » Tinctures » How to Make Lemon Balm Tincture

How to Make Lemon Balm Tincture

May contain affiliate links or sponsored content. Please see my privacy policy and affiliate disclosure.

Originally published on June 1, 2019. Last updated on February 28, 2022

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Lemon balm is a plant that grows rather freely and for some is considered a nuisance. What some don’t realize is that lemon balm has many benefits from being good for sleep and relaxation to helping digestion and even easing headaches and other pains. Making a lemon balm tincture is a great way to utilize its amazing benefits while also using up the herbal bounty in your backyard!

a bottle of lemon balm tincture

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Benefits of Lemon Balm

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is a highly medicinal plant with many benefits for our health and garden.

It is a mint family herb with a distinct and highly aromatic lemony scent that can easily be grown or foraged in many areas.

lemon balm plant

Due to its volatile oils and antispasmodic properties, lemon balm is calming for the nervous and digestive systems. It is also an effective herb for depression, anxiety, stress, and insomnia.

Lemon balm is also a powerful antiviral that is commonly used to relieve cold sores! I have a recipe in my book Healing Herbal Infusions for a Lemon Balm Lip Balm that is excellent for use on cold sores.

Lemon balm is safe and highly regarded for children, and is often used to calm a sleepless or hyperactive child.

Lemon Balm Tincture Recipe

Making an herbal tincture is an easy process. I prefer to use the folk method for making tinctures which makes it even easier!

The folk method means that there is no precise measuring involved. Basically you put your herb of choice in a jar, lemon balm in this case, cover it with a neutral spirit like vodka, and let it sit for several weeks to infuse.

While I often use dried herbs when making a tincture, lemon balm is great to use fresh. It has a lot of volatile oils and aromatics, so a fresh lemon balm preparation will be more potent. This is true when making teas and other infusions with lemon balm as well.

top view of a jar of lemon balm tincture

Roughly chop up a few handfuls of fresh lemon balm then put the chopped herb into a pint jar, filling it almost all the way and mashing it down a bit with your hand or a wooden spoon.

Then pour in 80 proof vodka to cover the lemon balm. You might have to push down the leaves a bit and some still may float, but that’s ok.

If you want to make an alcohol free tincture (great for children) use vegetable glycerine instead of vodka to make a glycerite.

a mason jar of lemon balm tincture

Cover the jar with a lid and put it in a cool and dark place (a pantry works well). For the first few days check on it and give it a gentle shake.

Since we are using fresh herbs you don’t need to worry about the herbal material soaking up all the vodka, which can sometimes happen when using dried herbs.

Let the tincture infuse for at least 4 to 6 weeks, but it can go even longer than that, several months or more.

When you’re ready to use the tincture, use a fine mesh sieve lined with a few layers of cheesecloth to strain out the lemon balm. Use the cheesecloth to squeeze as much of the tincture out as possible.

Store the tincture in dropper bottles for easy use. It will keep for many years!

If you prefer to buy tinctures rather than make your own, I highly recommend Herb Pharm! They carry Lemon Balm Extract (which is alcohol based like this recipe), Alcohol Free Lemon Balm Glycerite, and Kids Lemon Balm Calm. Use this code for 15% off your order: COLLEEN15

Herb Pharm products can also be found on Amazon here.

a tincture bottle with lemon balm

How to Use Lemon Balm Tincture

Lemon balm tincture is perfect to use when you want to enjoy the benefits of lemon balm without having to make a cup of tea.

This tincture is great to have on hand for when you need it to promote sleep or to help you relax and unwind at the end of the day. It is also beneficial for reducing stress and anxiety and can calm an upset stomach. It has even been known to reduce the pain from headaches.

Start with taking one dropper full at a time to see how that works for you, then take a bit more if you feel you need it. Lemon balm is a very safe herb so you don’t need to worry about taking too much.

an open tincture bottle with lemon balm

Lemon balm is such an amazing herb, I love teaching people about all she has to offer us!

If you have loads of lemon balm growing in your herb garden I definitely recommend making this tincture. I also have over 30 more lemon balm recipes here!

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4.95 from 17 votes

Lemon Balm Tincture

Lemon balm has many health benefits and one of the best ways to use it is in a tincture. Learn how to make this simple lemon balm tincture using fresh lemon balm from your garden!
Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
Active Time 10 minutes minutes
Infusing Time 42 days days
Total Time 42 days days 20 minutes minutes
Yield 150 doses
Cost $2.25
Author Colleen @ Grow Forage Cook Ferment

Equipment

  • Pint Mason Jar
  • Fine Mesh Sieve
  • Cheesecloth
  • Dropper Bottles

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric
  • 2 cups fresh lemon balm roughly chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups 80 proof vodka approximately

Instructions

  • Roughly chop up a few handfuls of fresh lemon balm then put the chopped herb into a pint jar, filling it almost all the way and mashing it down a bit with your hand or a wooden spoon.
  • Pour in the 80 proof vodka to cover the lemon balm. You might have to push down the leaves a bit and some still may float, but that’s ok.
  • Cover the jar with a lid and put it in a cool and dark place (a pantry works well). For the first few days check on it and give it a gentle shake.
  • Let the tincture infuse for at least 4 to 6 weeks, but it can go even longer than that, several months or more.
  • When you’re ready to use the tincture, use a fine mesh sieve lined with a few layers of cheesecloth to strain out the lemon balm. Use the cheesecloth to squeeze as much of the tincture out as possible.
  • Store the tincture in dropper bottles for easy use. It will keep for many years!

Notes

If you want to make an alcohol free tincture (great for children) use vegetable glycerine instead of vodka to make a glycerite.
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Bethany says

    June 5, 2024 at 9:57 am

    Would it be best to use a glass canning weight to make sure the lemon balm is constantly fully submerged?

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      June 13, 2024 at 12:27 pm

      I haven’t tried, but you could try it!

      Reply
  2. Montana says

    March 13, 2024 at 7:15 pm

    Hi! Can’t wait to try this with purple dead nettle ! First timer here! Is ever clear too strong? 190 proof? I saw the recipe called for only 80 proof. Do I need to adjust the amounts of creating tincture / dosage later?

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      March 19, 2024 at 8:52 am

      You can use any proof above 80 for tinctures, but it’ll be more potent. I suggest starting with half a dose and see how you feel.

      Reply
    • Alison Wedd says

      August 15, 2024 at 7:02 am

      I only use organic vodkas. That’s because that’s how I’ve chosen to eat all my adult and parenting time.

      Reply
  3. Kelly says

    November 21, 2023 at 12:20 am

    Hi there , I have just started to infuse my lemonbalm with the vodka, the top layer part of the lemonbalm leaves have turned dark brown/black, while the lower leaves are still green. Its been 3 days and im wondering if I’ve buggered it up somehow or if it’s still good to continue steeping. Thanks

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      November 27, 2023 at 3:31 pm

      Hi Kelly. The leaves need to be completely submerged under the vodka otherwise they’ll become oxidized and will spoil your tincture.

      Reply
  4. Krista says

    September 22, 2023 at 12:15 pm

    Not sure if the question was asked or not. But wondering how late in the season can you harvest? I’m in zone 5. Its now September, And my balm has started to kind of purple on the leaves. Will they still work or do they need ti ve nice and green?

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      September 25, 2023 at 1:32 pm

      Hi Krista. The leaves are most potent when they fresh and young.

      Reply
  5. judy says

    September 2, 2023 at 5:04 pm

    Are the roots also good to use?

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      September 5, 2023 at 9:41 am

      Hi Judy. Good question. I just looked into it and couldn’t find any medicinal uses for the roots.

      Reply
  6. Vanessa Lemley says

    August 14, 2023 at 3:25 pm

    Just an FYI:
    Thyroid disease: Don’t use lemon balm. There is a concern that lemon balm may change thyroid function, reduce thyroid hormone levels, and interfere with thyroid hormone-replacement therapy.

    Reply
    • Anita Joplin says

      August 25, 2023 at 6:49 pm

      I appreciate your comment. I am hypothyroid and I wouldn’t have known without your comment. Thank you.

      Reply
  7. Misty Christian says

    August 8, 2023 at 10:24 am

    What if you were to use water instead of alcohol or veg glycerin? Would this infusion be good as well, I’m sure not as powerful, but to use for the same benefits…not to mention cheaper?

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      August 15, 2023 at 11:51 am

      You can use vegetable glycerin, but water wouldn’t do extract any of the potent medicine from the plant.

      Reply
  8. Linda says

    June 27, 2023 at 6:17 pm

    Could you pulverize the lemon balm in a blender with everclear, let it sit. Then strain through a coffee filter? Would pulverize step speed up the process?

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      June 28, 2023 at 7:47 am

      Hi Linda. No, that wouldn’t speed things up. You could try immersing the jar in a hot water bath for a few days, but even then, I don’t think it would be as potent as letting it sit for up to a month.

      Reply
  9. Kathleen says

    June 12, 2023 at 6:02 am

    5 stars
    My lemon balm was infused with 80 proof vodka, and steeped for 4 weeks.I strained it and keep it in the cupboard. It’s been 3 weeks now and it’s black. Do I need to make a new one? What did Indo wrong?

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      June 12, 2023 at 12:04 pm

      Hi Kathleen. It sounds like your tincture oxidized, but usually that occurs when your plant material isn’t fully submerged below the alcohol during the infusion process. Is there any way the tincture was exposed to oxygen during storage?

      Reply
      • Tricia Nadeau says

        July 16, 2023 at 6:30 pm

        Can you still use it? Will it be effective? This happened to mine as well.

      • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

        July 17, 2023 at 9:11 am

        It will likely be less potent. Be sure to store it out of direct sunlight and in a cool place.

    • Alison Wedd says

      August 15, 2024 at 7:07 am

      Dehydrate lemon balm @100 or so degrees, first
      air dry spread on a cookie cooling tray say, read it heard it on YouTube etc…

      Reply
  10. Jean says

    June 11, 2023 at 12:53 pm

    I live in the desert and there is no cool place in the house or garage in the summer. Is it ok to store the tincture in the refrigerator?

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      June 12, 2023 at 12:05 pm

      Yes, that’s fine!

      Reply
  11. Cheryl says

    March 18, 2023 at 11:47 am

    I read that ACV can be used in the place of the alcohol when making a child’s version of a tincture. Do you know this to be the case?

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      March 20, 2023 at 8:24 am

      Hi Cheryl. Yes, you can use ACV if you prefer, but it won’t be very strong. Typically alcohol-free tinctures for kids are made with vegetable glycerin.

      Reply
      • Kristen says

        July 10, 2023 at 4:15 am

        Is it okay to use a alcohol based tincture with children since they will likely only have a few drops?

      • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

        July 10, 2023 at 5:57 pm

        Yes, as long as you’re comfortable with it. The alternative is making an alcohol-free tincture with vegetable glycerin.

  12. Dina says

    September 4, 2022 at 5:49 pm

    CAn you use mandarin lemon balm the same way you use regular lemon balm for this? I’m growing both and am looking for ways to use the mandarin lemon balm as well.

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      September 5, 2022 at 8:34 am

      Yes, that’s fine!

      Reply
  13. Barbara says

    August 13, 2022 at 6:02 pm

    Are the leaves better to use than leaves and stems? Or do the stems carry more of the good stuff? I have plenty, so I’m wondering whether I should just take the leaves off of the stems before putting it into a mason jar. Would it be a good idea to weigh it down somehow so that the lemon balm is completely submerged? I don’t want it to turn into the black slime that can happen if not submerged. Any suggestions of what to use to do that? Thanks for taking the time to put all of this information out there for people like me to access. It is most appreciated!

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      August 15, 2022 at 9:09 am

      Hi Barbara. You can use both the leaves and stems. Yes, you can weigh them down to keep them submerged under the alcohol.

      Reply
      • Candy says

        September 24, 2024 at 9:14 am

        What do you use to weigh it down that won’t hurt the tincture?

      • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

        September 26, 2024 at 9:00 am

        You can use a glass weight made for fermentation or a zip-top bag filled with more alcohol.

  14. Barbara says

    July 14, 2022 at 5:20 am

    Do you use just the leaves or leaves and stems? Thanks.

    Reply
  15. Kathy Wheeler says

    June 30, 2022 at 8:57 am

    Is there any danger of botulism using fresh lemon balm and glyercine if it is being steeped for weeks at room temp. Am finding mixed opinions about this. Am making some for a granddaughter and wondering about safety storage and shelf life.

    Reply
  16. Connie says

    June 26, 2022 at 7:53 am

    Maybe I misunderstood but would like to know if the tincture was still safe to use or if it is to be discarded and a new batch created. Thank you. Oh, I have signed us for your herb classes as I need to learn how to make other tinctures as well.

    Reply
  17. C says

    May 31, 2022 at 11:00 am

    What size of dropper bottle do you recommend?

    Reply
  18. Colleen Franklin says

    May 31, 2022 at 10:25 am

    Is it possible to use dried lemon balm ?

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      May 31, 2022 at 10:45 am

      Hi there. Yes, dried lemon balm can be used.

      Reply
  19. Debi says

    May 7, 2022 at 1:20 pm

    How much do you take and how often.

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      May 9, 2022 at 9:46 am

      Hi Debi. You can take one dropper full at a time whenever you feel like you need it.

      Reply
      • Maud says

        May 31, 2022 at 9:56 am

        What do you mean with take? Like a shot or make a tea of it?

      • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

        May 31, 2022 at 10:26 am

        I meant you could take a dropper full directly into your mouth. You could also add a dropper full of tincture to drinks or tea if you prefer.

  20. Debbie says

    April 13, 2022 at 3:29 pm

    Is it possible to use a different alcohol? Perhaps whiskey, which I already have on hand?

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      April 18, 2022 at 10:11 am

      For sure, so long as your whiskey is 80 proof or higher.

      Reply
  21. Angie Sanderfer says

    March 6, 2022 at 7:04 pm

    I let mine soak for 3 months and it turned a pretty dark almost black. Not the light green as seen in your pic. Is that still ok?

    Reply
  22. Sharon says

    October 18, 2021 at 9:54 pm

    I’ve had the herb tincturing for a few weeks now and am noticing quite a few dark flecks floating in the jars. Have you seen this before? I used 100-proof vodka and fresh, clean lemon balm leaves torn into smaller pieces.

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      October 25, 2021 at 9:36 am

      Hi Sharon. If any of the plant matter isn’t completely covered by the vodka, it’s likely to oxidize and turn brown/black. Is this what you’re seeing?

      Reply
      • Sarah T says

        October 22, 2022 at 4:27 pm

        I just made some and ran out of the 100 proof vodka and couldn’t get more until the next day then covered completely and half of the leaves are black…is it still safe to let go 4+ weeks and then use?

      • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

        October 24, 2022 at 10:10 am

        Hi Sarah. It sounds like your lemon balm has oxidized. Being oxidized means it will lose its healing powers more quickly, but it’s not harmful in any way and is still safe to infuse for the next few weeks.

  23. Sherry says

    October 2, 2021 at 8:44 pm

    Is there a benefit to using the alcohol? If I make a kid version with vegetable glycerin, could that be used for adult also? Or is it better to make 2 versions?

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      October 4, 2021 at 9:04 am

      Alcohol will extract more nutrients from the lemon balm, but adults can use the alcohol-free version as well.

      Reply
    • Lorrainne says

      April 13, 2022 at 10:31 pm

      Sounds like mould spores 🌻🌵🌷

      Reply
  24. Jennifer says

    September 10, 2021 at 9:32 pm

    Can you cook it to make the tincture or does it need to naturally steep

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      September 13, 2021 at 8:24 am

      Hi, Jennifer. It’s best to let the lemon balm naturally infuse the alcohol.

      Reply
      • Tammy says

        July 15, 2022 at 12:27 pm

        Can you use the flowers from lemon balm plant in tincture?

      • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

        July 21, 2022 at 10:55 am

        Yes, you can every part of lemon balm in a tincture.

  25. Emily Cave says

    August 29, 2021 at 11:48 am

    i just made this and let it infuse. it doesnt smell the greatest but not terrible. was wondering how it should normally smell

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      August 30, 2021 at 8:42 am

      Did you use 80 proof or higher vodka? It should just smell like alcohol.

      Reply
  26. Fiona says

    August 9, 2021 at 9:58 pm

    If someone is taking an antidepressant, would this still be ok to use?

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      August 11, 2021 at 8:45 am

      Probably, but I would consult a doctor beforehand.

      Reply
    • Meghan Beason says

      August 25, 2021 at 4:24 pm

      It depends on the antidepressant. If you are on one that says not to drink alcohol while taking it, or your doctor has said not to drink alcohol, just make the vegetable glycerin version. It is safe to take on SSRIs

      Reply
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