Best Alcohol For Dit Da Jow
We are often asked which is the best alcohol for Dit Da Jow. When preparing your own Dit Da Jow we always recommend Vodka or Gin with a alcohol content of 40% 80 proof. The main reason being cost, you can generally purchase a 1.75 liter bottle of Vodka on sale for around $10.00. Besides cost, 40% alcohol is strong enough to extract most herbs and the speed of evaporation when applied to the skin is slow enough to allow the Dit Da Jow to penetrate the skin. In addition, being a clear liquid, it allows you to see your liniment and follow its progress as the color changes as it becomes stronger and stronger each day.
With that being said you essentially can use any distilled alcohol that has been fermented from sugar and yeast and that is between 40 and 60 percent. Alcohol content over 60 percent can harm some herbs during extraction and evaporates to quickly when applied on the skin. Alcohol content lower than 40% will take longer to extract all the molecular compounds and alkaloidal constituents needed from the herbs to create a powerful healing liniment.
We mentioned using distilled alcohol which technically speaking is called Ethyl Alcohol, (Ethanol) we have had several people say Vodka is not Vodka it is ethanol, which is true but for most people we know what Vodka is and when we go to the liquor store nothing is labeled ethanol, bottles are clearly labeled as Vodka, Gin, Whiskey, Bourbon, etc. Sometimes when the word ethanol is mentioned a lot of folks think of it as what is used in their automobile and sold at the corner gas station.
In Europe some of the countries use potatoes or grains to make Vodka. Since we are not going to drink it, what it is actually made with is unimportant since it is for external use only. Our concern is that it is distilled spirits with the proper alcohol content.
Using Rubbing Alcohol
Another question asked is why can’t we use rubbing alcohol or isopropyl alcohol. Without boring you with all the scientific details of their structure we will just tell you that due to the the chemical structure of either, they can have side effects with long term or daily use. Isopropyl alcohol, which is also known as 2-propanol, has the same molecular formula as propanol. Rubbing alcohol is a type of denatured alcohol. It has 70-95% ethanol and some other additives. Therefore it is highly poisonous and not suitable for consumption. Since this is a secondary alcohol, it has all the reactions typical to a secondary alcohol. It oxidizes quickly to produce acetone which you do not want in your system since it will destroy your liver.
Denatured alcohol is ethanol with other additives, which makes it unfavorable for drink. This is also known as methylated spirits because earlier, the main additive for this was methanol which is about 10%. Other than methanol, other additives like isopropyl alcohol, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, and denatonium are also added to make denatured alcohol.
Some Side Effects
Dermal Contact: Dry, cracking skin
Acute Effects: Irritation of skin and/or upper respiratory tract as noted above.
Acute CNS depression may be manifested as giddiness, headache, dizziness and/or nausea and liver failure.
Chronic Effects: Chronic exposure can result in skin irritation and contact dermatitis Pre-existing disorders of the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract may be exacerbated by exposure to isopropyl alcohol.
Since we are using Dit Da Jow for health reasons it makes sense to use the proper alcohol to promote healing and not create secondary problems associated with these alcohols.
Everclear
Another question asked is can we use Everclear. Everclear is a grain alcohol made from corn and is produced in several strengths the most popular being 75.5% and 95% alcohol labeled as 151 proof and 190 proof. Some states like California, Iowa, Florida are only allowed to sell 151 proof. Everclear or similar high percentage distilled alcohol can be used but it must be diluted down with water, preferably filtered or distilled to achieve the appropriate percentage of alcohol for the extraction process.
The only drawback to Everclear is the price, a 1.75 liter bottle sells for around $40.00 in my area making it 4 times as expensive as Vodka so it is not practical monetarily wise even after it has been diluted down to 40% or 50%. There are some herbs that extract better with it and we will talk about a few of those below.
You can use this formula: If you want to dilute 2L of 75% alcohol down to 40%, you will need to add 2 x ((75/40)-1) = 1.75L of water. If you are using 95% alcohol just substitute the 75 with 95. If you are diluting a different amount or want a different percentage of alcohol just substitute your numbers in the equation.
Resinous Herbs
Herbs like Mo Yao, Ru Xiang, Er Cha and Xue Jie are resinous herbs and are not harmed by a high percentage of alcohol and can be extracted quickly with a 75% or 95% alcohol but after extraction they must be diluted down to a lower alcohol percentage for proper absorption into the skin. so if you are just working with those herbs and speed of extraction is important go ahead and use Everclear and dilute down when finished.
Agitation
The percentage of alcohol used is important but not as important as agitation, which means shaking your jar with the herbs and alcohol often the first 3-4 weeks. Without frequent shaking it takes longer to produce a strong liniment. If you used 60% alcohol and just shook the jar periodically it would not be as strong compared to if you used 40% alcohol and shook your jar two times per day for a minute or so in 3-4 week period. This is crucial for producing a strong powerful liniment in a short period of time.
Ancient Chinese Herbalists and Shaolin Monks used a low percentage alcohol generally rice wine and prepared the liniment in a clay pot, once sealed they buried the pot and let it sit for years. We do not have that type of patience nowadays so shaking your jar is the best way for a speedy extraction.
Final Thoughts
While there are a variety of alcohols available the safest and the most economical is still Vodka, if you are fortunate enough to have access to grain alcohol at an affordable price then use that but make sure you dilute it down with purified or distilled water. Saving money using rubbing or isopropyl alcohol is not wise and should be avoided at all costs. While whiskey, bourbon, and other similar alcohol can be used it can be very expensive and not prudent for your wallet. In addition most Whiskey and Bourbon are produced using a variety of different grains like corn, barley rye, etc, which you might not want in your liniment. Personally I like to use a clear alcohol so I can view the color of the liniment as it progresses thru the extraction process. As it darkens I can tell that the herbs are extracting properly, if not I can just agitate the jar more to achieve my desired results.
Need information on Dit Da Jow and Iron Palm, read this.