Place each of your ingredients in its own sterilized mason jar, add vodka until there is only 1/4 inch of headspace left at the top of the jar. Seal it tightly with its lid and immediately label the top of the jar with the ingredient that is inside of it and the date that the extraction will be complete (7-10 days for dried bark, dried roots, dried spices, and dried herbs; 21-28 days for dried fruits and vegetables.)

Once the extraction process is complete, you will need to filter out the items whose flavor you have just extracted. If you are filtering out ground herbs and spices, use a rubber band to fasten 2 sheets of a very clean piece of cheesecloth over an empty sterilized mason jar. If you are filtering out whole objects like dried fruits, vegetables, bark, and seed pods, you can just use a clean metal sieve. If you are using cheesecloth, pull some extra fabric out from under the rubber band so you can create a little bowl in the jar. Empty your extract into the jar, remove your straining equipment, discard the items that have been filtered out, and pour the liquid back into its original 4 ounce mason jar container. Seal tightly and set aside until all your extractions are complete. If you are using only one jar to strain out all the extracts, make sure you rinse out the jar and then place the jar in a hot water bath for 5 minutes between straining sessions to keep it clean, sterile, and free of the flavors of the other extracts.

Once all your extracts are ready, continue to Part II.