I recently learnt how to make propolis tincture. It’s not as complicated as I imagined it would be.
You need to acquire some 90% ABV alcohol, suitable for human consumption. What I did was place the propolis bits in a jar big enough to take a stick blender, cover it with the alcohol, then blend it completely. After that, shake it vigorously twice a day for 2 weeks, after which you strain through a very fine strainer…
I have 1/2 a tsp. every morning with some honey, or fermented ginger to make it easier to take. I can see a definite improvement with less early morning coughing and catarrh during the day and bedtime.
This photo simply shows propolis on frames, including the shoulder, as well a bits I retrieved from under lids etc.
Hi Geoff. I saw a few months ago the beekeeper in Florida making a mixture out of propolis to paint the inside of his hives, or possibly a swarm trap, to make the bees feel ‘more at home’. I can imagine it could work well. But I never thought of consuming it. I used to scrape it off and throw it but now, I might have to combine it with my daily Apple Cider Vinegar
I’ve known about propolis as a wonder remedy since I started selling frames of honeycomb to Super Bee about 30 years ago. They were selling propolis lozenges that were produced in China, from memory. A beekeeper honey customer got me started on making the tincture by giving me a large bottle of alcohol.
They sell raw propolis online for $1,000 a kilo. A bloke in S.A. will pay $300 a kilo for it.
Wow. That’s intriguing. Ever since I saw that video I have been saving the propolis and now I have containers and bottles of it laying all over the place.
Also in the back of my mind I remembered that the University out here wanted it to do experiments with it. Not sure if that’s still current. It’s a fantastic season so far isn’t it? And I’m getting some incredible tasting honey.
With the sale of the farm, will you have any potential issues with your site?
Hi Craig, what’s on the saucer was just for the photo. I put a fair bit in that jar, then covered it with alcohol, plus a bit more. The blending is my idea. Apparently you cover the propolis with alcohol, then shake it vigorously twice a day for 2 weeks. The alcohol draws the active ingredient out, slowly turning the alcohol to a redish brown, which I did the first time. Then I wondered if it would be an improvement by blending it at the start. The brown color came out almost immediately.
You need a high %age of alcohol to work, apparently, according to the bloke who gave me the alcohol. He gave it as a gift of appreciation for some advice I gave him a few years ago. It’s nice when that happens.
@akthommo Apparently the side where my bees are wont be sold, only the north side of Wises Rd.
I also have lots of jars full of propolis bits I collected that over the last 12 months with the view of selling it to the bloke in SA. It takes a lot to get a 100 grams. Then you don’t know how much you’ll get paid for because the bloke grades it. You might only get $150 for a kilo. You have to trust him that he’s doing the right thing.
He must have every beekeeper in Au on his phone, because he knew who we were when he answered it.
I collected that over the last 12 months with the view of selling it to the bloke in SA. It takes a lot to get a 100 grams. Then you don’t know how much you’ll get paid for because the bloke grades it. You might only get $150 for a kilo. You have to trust him that he’s doing the right thing.