Propolis Tincture: Harvesting propolis and creating medicinal tinctures.

If you’ve ever spent an afternoon peering into a beehive, you know that bees are the ultimate architects. They don’t just build with wax; they reinforce, sanitize, and weatherproof their entire world with a mysterious, sticky substance known as propolis. For the beekeeper, propolis can be a bit of a headache—it’s the "bee glue" that cements frames together and makes opening a hive feel like trying to pry apart two pieces of wood coated in superglue. However, for the natural health enthusiast, that sticky resin is pure gold.

Video on How to Make Propolis Tincture: From Bee Glue to Natural Medicine

How to Make Propolis Tincture: From Bee Glue to Natural Medicine

In this deep dive, we are going to explore everything there is to know about propolis. We will cover how to harvest it without harming your colony, the science behind its medicinal properties, and exactly how to transform raw hive scrapings into a potent, shelf-stable tincture. By the time we’re done, you’ll have a 3000-word roadmap to creating one of nature’s most effective immune boosters right in your own kitchen.

What is Propolis? The Hive’s Immune System

Before we get our hands sticky, let’s talk about what propolis actually is. Propolis isn't something bees "make" in the same way they make honey. Instead, it is a botanical cocktail. Bees forage for resins from the buds of specific trees—primarily poplars, birches, beeches, and conifers. They carry these resins back to the hive on their pollen baskets and mix them with small amounts of beeswax and their own salivary enzymes.
The result is a complex, resinous material that the bees use for "precision masonry." They use it to seal thin cracks, smooth out the internal walls of the hive, and—most importantly—to create a "sanitary entry" at the front of the hive. Every bee that enters the colony must walk across a propolis mat, effectively disinfecting their feet before they step inside.
Because the resins come from trees that have developed their own chemical defenses against fungi and bacteria, propolis is packed with bioactive compounds. It contains over 300 natural compounds, including polyphenols, flavonoids, and essential oils. When we make a tincture, we are capturing that tree-defense chemistry and making it bioavailable for human use.

The Best Ways to Harvest Propolis

If you want to make a high-quality tincture, you need high-quality raw material. There are two primary ways to get propolis out of the hive and into your jars: the "Scraping Method" and the "Trap Method."

1. The Scraping Method

This is the most common way for hobbyist beekeepers to collect propolis. As you perform your regular hive inspections, you’ll naturally find propolis buildup on the top bars of the frames, the inner cover, and the "rabbets" where the frames sit.
To harvest by scraping, simply use your hive tool to shave the resin away. However, there is a catch. Propolis collected this way often contains "trash"—bits of wood from the frames, dead bee parts, and quite a bit of beeswax. While this is fine for personal use, it requires more cleaning later.
Pro Tip: Only harvest propolis from the upper parts of the hive. Avoid scraping the bottom board, as that area is more likely to contain debris, varroa mites, and waste.

2. Using Propolis Traps

If you are serious about making tinctures, a propolis trap is a game-changer. A trap is a plastic sheet with narrow, tapered slots that mimics a "drafty" gap in the hive. Bees hate drafts, so they rush to fill these tiny holes with the purest propolis they can forage.
You place the trap directly under the outer cover. To encourage the bees to fill it even faster, some beekeepers prop the outer cover up just a tiny bit with a pebble or a twig. This creates a bit of light and airflow, signaling the "repair crew" to get to work.
Once the trap is full, you remove it. But how do you get the sticky resin out of those tiny plastic slots? You use the power of temperature. Propolis is incredibly temperature-sensitive. At 30°C, it’s like chewing gum; at 0°C, it’s like glass. Place your filled trap in a large bag and stick it in the freezer for 24 hours. Once frozen, you can flex and twist the plastic trap, and the brittle propolis will shatter and fall right out.

Cleaning and Refining Your Harvest

Raw propolis is rarely "pure." Even if you use a trap, you’ll likely find small amounts of beeswax mixed in. If you scraped your propolis, you’ll definitely have wood chips and perhaps a stray wing or two. Before you soak this in alcohol, you need to clean it.
The easiest way to clean propolis is through a "water bath" separation. Since propolis is heavier than water and beeswax/wood is lighter, they will naturally separate.
* Freeze and Crush: Take your raw propolis and freeze it. Once frozen, pulse it quickly in a dedicated coffee grinder or wrap it in a heavy towel and smash it with a hammer. You want small granules, about the size of coarse sea salt.
* The Cold Water Soak: Place your granules in a bowl of very cold water and stir vigorously.
* Skim the Surface: The wax, wood chips, and "bee parts" will float to the top. Skim these off and discard them.
* Save the Bottom: The heavy, pure propolis will stay at the bottom.
* Dry Thoroughly: This is the most important step. Drain the water and spread the propolis out on a paper towel or a drying rack. Let it dry completely for 48 hours. If you put wet propolis into alcohol, the water content can spoil the tincture or make it cloudy and less effective.
Understanding the Solvent: Why Alcohol?
To make a medicinal tincture, you need a solvent to "pull" the active ingredients out of the raw material. While you can make propolis oil or even a propolis water extract, neither is as powerful as an alcohol-based tincture.
Propolis resins are almost entirely alcohol-soluble. However, they are not very water-soluble. If you use a solvent with too much water (like 40% vodka), you will leave behind many of the most important resinous compounds.

The Ideal Proof

For a professional-grade tincture, you want 70% to 95% grain alcohol.
* 95% Alcohol (190 Proof): This is excellent for extracting the pure resins. It creates a very strong, dark, and "sticky" tincture.
* 70% Alcohol (140 Proof): Many herbalists actually prefer 70% alcohol. Why? Because the 30% water content helps extract certain water-soluble phenolic acids that pure alcohol might miss.
Warning: Never use isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol or denatured alcohol. These are toxic and should never be ingested or applied to open wounds. Always use food-grade ethanol.

The Extraction Process: Step-by-Step

Now we get to the heart of the project. This is a "slow medicine" process. It doesn't happen overnight, but the result is well worth the wait.
1. Weigh Your Ingredients
In the world of tinctures, we use "parts" or "ratios." A standard medicinal ratio for propolis is 1:5. This means 1 part propolis to 5 parts alcohol by weight.
If you have 100 grams of cleaned propolis, you will need 500 milliliters (which is roughly 500 grams) of alcohol. If you want a "super-strength" tincture, you can go as high as a 1:3 ratio, but the liquid will become incredibly thick and resinous.

2. Combine in Glass

Place your ground, dried propolis into a clean glass jar (like a Mason jar). Pour the alcohol over the top. You’ll notice almost immediately that the alcohol begins to take on a golden or reddish hue. This is the resin beginning to dissolve.

3. The Maceration Period

Seal the jar tightly. Label it with the date, the ratio, and the type of alcohol used. Store the jar in a cool, dark place. Light is the enemy of medicinal compounds, as UV rays can break down the delicate flavonoids.
For the next 2 to 4 weeks, you have one job: Shake the jar. Shaking it once or twice a day ensures that the alcohol is constantly circulating around the propolis particles, preventing them from clumping together at the bottom and ensuring maximum extraction.

4. Filtration

After a month, your liquid should be a deep, dark, opaque brown—almost like motor oil. It’s time to filter out the solids.
Filtering propolis can be frustrating because it is... well, sticky.
* Place a coffee filter or several layers of cheesecloth inside a funnel.
* Slowly pour the tincture through.
* Be patient. It may take an hour or more for the liquid to drip through. If the filter gets clogged with wax and resin, replace it with a fresh one.

5. Bottling

Once filtered, transfer your tincture into amber glass dropper bottles. The dark glass helps preserve the potency. Store these bottles in a cool cabinet, and they will easily last for 3 to 5 years.
The Medicinal Benefits of Propolis
Why go through all this trouble? Because propolis is a powerhouse of natural healing. Modern science is finally catching up to what beekeepers have known for centuries.

1. Antibacterial and Antiviral

Propolis has been shown to inhibit the growth of various bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus. It doesn't just kill bacteria; it also interferes with their ability to communicate (a process called quorum sensing), making it harder for infections to take hold. It is also highly effective against certain viruses, particularly the herpes simplex virus (HSV-1), which causes cold sores.

2. Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant

The high concentration of flavonoids in propolis makes it a potent anti-inflammatory. It can help reduce swelling and redness, whether used internally for a sore throat or externally on a skin irritation. Its antioxidant properties help neutralize free radicals, protecting your cells from oxidative stress.

3. Wound Healing

When applied to a minor cut or burn, a propolis tincture acts as a "liquid bandage." As the alcohol evaporates, it leaves behind a thin, sterile film of resin that protects the wound from outside bacteria while the active compounds stimulate tissue regeneration and collagen production.
How to Use Your Homemade Tincture
Now that you have your "medicine of the hive," here is how to use it safely and effectively.

Internal Use

* Immune Support: At the first sign of a cold or flu, take 5–10 drops in a small glass of water or mixed into a spoonful of raw honey.
* Sore Throat: You can drop the tincture directly onto the back of your throat (be warned: it stings!) or gargle with propolis-infused water.
* Oral Health: Propolis is fantastic for gum health. Add two drops to your toothpaste or use it as a mouthwash to help fight gingivitis and canker sores.

External Use

* Minor Cuts and Scrapes: Use a dropper to apply the tincture directly to the wound. It will sting for a second because of the alcohol, but the resin provides an immediate protective seal.
* Acne and Skin Spots: Use a cotton swab to dab a tiny amount on a blemish. Its antibacterial properties help clear the infection quickly.
* Fungal Infections: Propolis has strong anti-fungal properties and can be used on athlete's foot or nail fungus.
Important Safety Notes and "The Sticky Reality"
Before you start using propolis, there are a few things you need to be aware of.

1. Allergies

Propolis is a bee product. If you are allergic to honey, bee stings, or—importantly—poplar or conifer trees, you should avoid propolis. Always perform a "patch test" by putting one drop on the inside of your wrist and waiting 24 hours to see if any redness or itching occurs.

2. The Staining Factor

This cannot be overstated: Propolis stains everything. It will turn your white countertops yellow, leave brown spots on your clothes, and stick to your sink. When working with it, wear an apron and cover your workspace with newspaper or parchment paper. If you get it on your hands, use high-proof alcohol or oil to dissolve the resin—soap and water won't touch it.

3. It Sticks to Teeth

If you take propolis tincture directly in water, the resin will often "precipitate" out of the alcohol and stick to your teeth or the side of the glass. To avoid "sticky teeth," many people prefer to drop the tincture onto a small piece of bread or mix it thoroughly into a teaspoon of honey.

Final Thoughts: The Wisdom of the Bees

There is something deeply satisfying about harvesting your own medicine. When you use a propolis tincture, you aren't just using a chemical compound; you are using the collective effort of thousands of bees and the protective resins of the forest.
By following this guide, you’ve learned how to turn a "nuisance" hive glue into a sophisticated medicinal extract. Whether you’re using it to soothe a winter sore throat or to heal a scraped knee in the summer, your homemade propolis tincture is a testament to the incredible synergy between honeybees and the plant world.
The next time you open your hive and hear that familiar "crack" of the propolis seal, don’t be annoyed. Instead, smile—you’re looking at the raw materials for your next batch of liquid gold.