Homemade Lemongrass Tincture and Extract Recipe using Food Grade Ethanol
Lemongrass is a fragrant tropical grass known for its bright lemon-like aroma, fresh herbal flavor, and common use in culinary, botanical, and aromatic preparations. A homemade lemongrass tincture or extract turns dried lemongrass stalk and leaf into a concentrated liquid preparation that is easy to measure, blend, and store.
This guide explains how to make a lemongrass tincture using dried Cymbopogon citratus stalk and leaf with a 140 proof ethanol-water menstruum prepared from 200 Proof Food Grade Ethanol. Lemongrass is aromatic and oil-forward, but it is not best handled with straight 200 proof ethanol. A 140 proof menstruum gives the recipe a strong ethanol presence for lemony aromatic compounds while still including water to support a broader botanical extraction.
What is Lemongrass?
Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) is a tropical perennial grass in the Poaceae family. It is known for long blade-like leaves, fibrous stalks, and a strong lemony aroma. Lemongrass is widely used in teas, soups, curries, broths, marinades, sauces, botanical blends, and aromatic DIY projects.
For tincture making, the relevant plant parts are the stalk and leaf. The stalk is often used in cooking because it carries a clean citrus-herbal flavor. The leaves can also be aromatic and useful for dried herb preparations, but they should be chopped before extraction because the plant material is fibrous.
Lemongrass contains aromatic essential oil constituents, especially citral, which is made up mainly of geranial and neral. It may also contain myrcene, geraniol, linalool, citronellal, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, and other plant constituents. Because these compound groups do not all behave the same way in alcohol, this recipe uses an ethanol-water menstruum rather than straight 200 proof ethanol.
Why Make Lemongrass Tincture or Extract?
A lemongrass tincture gives you a liquid way to work with the plant’s bright citrus-herbal profile. Fresh lemongrass can be fibrous and seasonal, while dried lemongrass is easier to weigh and store. A tincture allows the flavor and aroma to be prepared ahead of time and added in small, controlled amounts.
Lemongrass has a long history in food, tea, aromatic preparations, and traditional botanical preparations. This historical context is included for background only and should not be read as a medical claim.
For herbalists, apothecaries, chefs, perfumers, and DIY enthusiasts, lemongrass is a useful example of why aromatic plant material needs proof selection. Its essential-oil-forward character benefits from a strong ethanol presence, while the water portion supports the rest of the plant’s extractable profile.
Where Does Lemongrass Grow?
Cymbopogon citratus is native to South India and Sri Lanka and grows primarily in warm, wet tropical regions. It is now cultivated widely in tropical and subtropical areas for culinary, tea, essential oil, ornamental, and botanical uses.
In the United States, lemongrass is often grown in warm-season gardens, containers, greenhouses, and warmer climates. It prefers full sun, warmth, steady moisture, and well-drained soil. For tincture making, the growing region matters less than correct identification, clean handling, strong aroma, and proper drying.
Sourcing and Selecting Quality Lemongrass
Choose lemongrass from a reputable herb supplier, farmers market, culinary herb grower, grocery produce section, apothecary, or clean home garden. The material should be identified as lemongrass or Cymbopogon citratus.
For dried lemongrass, look for cut stalk and leaf material that still carries a clean lemony aroma. The color may range from pale green to straw-colored, but the material should not smell musty, dusty, stale, damp, or flat. For fresh lemongrass, choose firm stalks with a strong citrus scent and avoid stalks that are slimy, moldy, brown throughout, dried out, or weak-smelling.
Dried lemongrass is used as the main recipe here because it is easy to weigh, easy to store, and practical for repeatable home tincture batches. Fresh lemongrass can also be used in other preparations, but it contains more natural water and may require recipe adjustment.
Preparing Lemongrass for Extraction
For this main recipe, use dried lemongrass stalk and leaf. Chop or lightly crush the dried lemongrass before extraction so the menstruum can contact more surface area. Lemongrass can be fibrous, so smaller pieces help the ethanol-water blend reach more of the plant material.
Avoid grinding lemongrass into a fine powder unless you are prepared for slower straining and more sediment. Cut or chopped lemongrass is usually easier to filter and produces a cleaner finished tincture.
If using fresh lemongrass for a separate project, rinse only if needed, dry the stalks and leaves thoroughly, trim away damaged portions, and slice the material thinly before maceration. Bruising or lightly crushing fresh stalks can help release aroma before the menstruum is added.
Choosing the Right Menstruum
The menstruum is the liquid used to extract compounds from the plant material. For lemongrass stalk and leaf, the recommended inferred menstruum is 140 proof, or 70% ABV.
This strength gives the recipe a strong ethanol presence for aromatic essential oil constituents such as citral, geranial, neral, myrcene, geraniol, linalool, and related compounds. The water portion helps support extraction of phenolic compounds, flavonoids, sugars, minerals, and other water-friendly plant constituents.
Starting with 200 Proof Food Grade Ethanol gives you a clean high-proof starting point that can be diluted accurately to the target strength. For more help with dilution, see this guide to dilute your 200 proof ethanol for tincture recipes.
Why 140 Proof Works for Lemongrass
140 proof, or 70% ABV, works well for lemongrass because it is strong enough to capture the plant’s lemony, aromatic, oil-forward character while still including water to broaden the extraction. This makes it more alcohol-forward than a gentle leafy herb tincture but less absolute than a resin, spice, cacao, or citrus peel extraction.
Using 200 proof ethanol undiluted would make the extraction more alcohol-heavy than needed for this aromatic grass. Using a much lower proof could weaken extraction of the lemony volatile compounds that give lemongrass its recognizable scent and flavor. A 140 proof menstruum is a practical inferred target for dried lemongrass stalk and leaf.
Recommended Ingredient-to-Menstruum Ratio
The recommended lemongrass tincture ratio is 1:5. That means 1 part dried lemongrass stalk and leaf by weight to 5 parts finished menstruum by volume. For an 8 fl oz batch, use 1.6 oz dried lemongrass by weight.
| Ingredient State | Plant Part | Ratio | Amount for 8 fl oz Menstruum | Target ABV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dried | Stalk and leaf | 1:5 | 1.6 oz dried lemongrass by weight | 70% ABV, 140 proof |
The ratio applies to finished menstruum volume, not ethanol volume alone. For this recipe, the finished 8 fl oz menstruum is made from 5.6 fl oz of 200 proof ethanol plus 2.4 fl oz of water.
How to Prepare 8 fl oz of 140 Proof Menstruum
To make 8 fl oz of 140 proof menstruum from 200 proof food grade ethanol, combine 5.6 fl oz of 200 proof ethanol with 2.4 fl oz of water. This produces 8 fl oz of 70% ABV menstruum before the lemongrass is added.
| Final Menstruum Volume | Target Strength | 200 Proof Food Grade Ethanol | Water |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 fl oz | 140 proof, 70% ABV | 5.6 fl oz | 2.4 fl oz |
Measure carefully and mix the ethanol and water before adding the menstruum to the lemongrass. Use clean water suitable for food preparation. When ethanol and water are mixed, the liquid may warm slightly and the final volume can contract a little. For small home tincture batches, careful measuring remains a practical approach.
Recipe Execution
Ingredients
- 1.6 oz dried lemongrass stalk and leaf by weight, chopped or lightly crushed
- 5.6 fl oz 200 Proof Food Grade Ethanol
- 2.4 fl oz water
Equipment
- Clean glass jar with a tight-fitting lid
- Kitchen scale
- Liquid measuring tools
- Knife, scissors, mortar and pestle, or other tool for chopping or crushing lemongrass
- Stirring utensil
- Fine mesh strainer, reusable filter bag, or coffee filter
- Amber glass bottle for finished storage
Steps
- Weigh 1.6 oz of dried lemongrass stalk and leaf.
- Chop or lightly crush the lemongrass to increase surface area, but do not grind it into fine powder.
- Measure 5.6 fl oz of 200 proof food grade ethanol.
- Measure 2.4 fl oz of water.
- Combine the ethanol and water to make 8 fl oz of 140 proof menstruum.
- Place the prepared lemongrass into a clean glass jar.
- Pour the 140 proof menstruum over the lemongrass until the plant material is fully covered.
- Seal the jar tightly and shake gently.
- Store the jar in a cool, dark place during maceration.
- Shake the jar periodically to keep the lemongrass in contact with the menstruum.
- Begin checking aroma after 1 to 2 weeks. Lemongrass can become strong or grassy if pushed too far, so aroma checks are useful.
- After maceration, strain through a fine mesh strainer, reusable filter bag, or coffee filter.
- Transfer the finished tincture to amber glass and label it with the ingredient, ratio, proof, and date.
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Storage Best Practices
Store finished lemongrass tincture in amber or other UV-protective glass, away from heat and direct sunlight. A cool cabinet or pantry is a good choice. Keep the bottle tightly sealed to reduce evaporation and limit air exposure.
Clear glass can be used during maceration if the jar is kept away from sunlight. For finished storage, amber glass is preferred. Some sediment may settle in the bottle over time, especially if the lemongrass was cut finely. Let the bottle sit upright and decant carefully if you want a clearer pour.
For more information about safe handling and storage, see these Storage tips for food grade ethanol.
Culinary and DIY Uses for Lemongrass Extract
Homemade lemongrass extract can be used in small amounts where a concentrated lemony herbal note is useful. It can complement teas, syrups, marinades, dressings, sauces, soups, broths, mocktails, cocktails, desserts, and small-batch culinary extract projects.
Lemongrass extract can also be used in aroma-focused DIY projects where a bright citrus-herbal note is wanted. It blends well with ginger, mint, basil, coconut, vanilla, lime, orange, coriander, and resinous aroma profiles. If using lemongrass extract in topical or personal care formulas, dilute properly and consult a qualified formulator or professional before use.
Final Thoughts
Lemongrass is a useful example of why aromatic plant material should not automatically be made with straight 200 proof ethanol. The plant is rich in lemony volatile compounds that benefit from a strong ethanol presence, but the water portion of a 140 proof menstruum helps support a broader botanical extraction.
For the most repeatable home recipe, use dried lemongrass stalk and leaf at a 1:5 ratio with 8 fl oz of finished 140 proof menstruum. With clean plant material, careful dilution, and proper storage, homemade lemongrass tincture can become a useful addition to culinary, botanical, aromatic, and DIY extract projects.
Shop Food Grade Ethanol for Lemongrass Tincture
Ready to make homemade lemongrass tincture? Start with 200 Proof Food Grade Ethanol from Culinary Solvent and dilute it to 140 proof for this lemongrass extraction recipe.
