# Propolis/Ederberry Tincture - and other Cures for Cancer



## Troy (Feb 9, 2006)

I also wanted to do this kind of thing, but can't find a good source for the alcohol. Florida law says 151 proof is the max you can sell here and the only brand on the shelf at that strength is terrible in taste and expensive too.

Do you know of a better source. I don't need much of it, so I am willing to pay a fairly high price - but I want a quality product too. This stuff they sell here is awful.

I will be driving through quite a few states on my fall roadtrip. I could stop in GA, TN, KT, IL, WI and maybe IN, or WV too. If a good super high proof alcohol is for sale anywhere along the way.


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## Deezil (Jul 1, 2013)

Troy,

Everclear 191 should be available in some of those states; not that it tastes all that great, but, high alcohol and great taste aren't two things that really go together anyway lol


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## Hazel-Rah (May 12, 2013)

I am often buying bottles of Everclear for my tincture friends in California, since you cannot get it there. It's true that higher proof alcohol doesn't taste very good... If you want something a little more recreational I make small batches with a nice bourbon. Not high proof but nice on a cold evening.

Also glycerine is a good substitute for alcohol, for taste.


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## Troy (Feb 9, 2006)

I know it's true the everclear stuff tastes bad, but why is it that it has to taste bad? Good booze should not be so hard to find.

I know it is possible to make a very pure ethanol product at say 92% (184 proof) that when cut down to 50% (100 proof) tastes good. They call it vodka and sell it in every liquor store. Some of the better brands taste just fine on the rocks at 50%. 

I just want to buy some before it is cut down and bottled. 

I guess I need to get a job at the distillery.


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## Deezil (Jul 1, 2013)

You might consider something like Eau du vie - which is a french-styled high-proof spirit made from wine grapes or fruit, generally used as an addition to wine, to make traditional Port-style wines.

It's expensive though... Guessing Everclear tastes like it does, to achieve their price-point lol

Grappa, although containing less ABV than Everclear or Eau du vie, generally tastes pretty good too


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## WVMJ (Apr 2, 2012)

You could just make a pure elderberry juice mead (pure juice + honey) and add propolis. I am making a whole hive mead now, cut and crushed comb and all from some foundationless frames, trimmings and scrapings and any unfortunate drone larva that couldnt get out of the way and all the pollen and anything else all together as a straight mead. I see no reason the exact same thing couldnt be done with elderberry juice, especially since we really like growing them and making mead with them. I just wanted to see what a whole hive mead would taste like before committing berries to the next batch.

WVMJ


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## Hazel-Rah (May 12, 2013)

I am wondering if the amount of propolis required to reach a medicinal threshold would inhibit the fermentation process. There is certainly a little bit of propolis on all the comb, but probably not enough to agitate the fermentation in a whole hive mead... Which sounds awesome, by the way. I was considering an elderberry mead this summer!

I would say if the point of ingesting the propolis is medicinal, stick to the high proof alcohol. It makes the solid product more available to your blood stream in small quantities.


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## jean-marc (Jan 13, 2005)

Hazel-Rah

I have a couple of questions for you. I am wondering why you bother making elderberry infusion? Is it because of some claimed medicinal properties or are you trying to flavour the eventual tincture that you will make? You also said that you bring the infusion to the yard while working the bees, is that so can add propolis to it as you work, just to have it handy?

Jean-Marc


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## jmgi (Jan 15, 2009)

Hazel-Rah, just buy the plastic traps from the bee supply, don't bother building them yourself. They work great in collecting nice clean propolis. However, I find that simply putting them in the freezer and then twisting them to remove the propolis is not that effective, you still need to do a bit of scraping and banging of the trap to get the majority of the propolis out, but it works good. The plastic seems to hold up to quite a bit of abuse when frozen and doesn't break, must be a good quality plastic.


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## Hazel-Rah (May 12, 2013)

jean-marc said:


> I am wondering why you bother making elderberry infusion? Is it because of some claimed medicinal properties or are you trying to flavour the eventual tincture that you will make? You also said that you bring the infusion to the yard while working the bees, is that so can add propolis to it as you work, just to have it handy?


I do both, with an elderberry infusion and without. Elderberries are a good source of Vitamins A, C, B6 and calcium. They are also high in antioxidants(highest of the small fruits) and anthocyanin. The fruit is used as a respiratory aid in immune-system attacking colds/flus(high tannin levels).

Also I would clarify that I am not taking an infusion out the yard... which I realize is not clear from original post. I take an empty jar, or one I am already using to collect propolis, with me to nab any large deposits while they are still warm and easy to remove without scraping off wood splinters.



jmgi said:


> Hazel-Rah, just buy the plastic traps from the bee supply, don't bother building them yourself. They work great in collecting nice clean propolis. However, I find that simply putting them in the freezer and then twisting them to remove the propolis is not that effective, you still need to do a bit of scraping and banging of the trap to get the majority of the propolis out, but it works good. The plastic seems to hold up to quite a bit of abuse when frozen and doesn't break, must be a good quality plastic.


After a thread post about traps I actually did go ahead and make my own, out of window screens, per suggestion of Michael Bush. They have been working pretty well and it's true, not so easy to remove, but better then all the wood chips! As I continue to ramp up my propolis collection, I may go ahead and buy some just to compare.


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## WVMJ (Apr 2, 2012)

Elderberries both taste good in mixes like mead and are supposed to be very healthy especially for fighting viruses, health food places sell concentrates people can take veryday. I prefer mine in mead. WVMJ


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