Hey guys, I just saw this lovely cideo on YouTube all about making Herbal Vinegars/ Yellow Dock Vinegar in particular:

* www.youtube.com/watch

However, it raised a number of questions I thought I would raise here. Now, I e-mailed the folks at HerbMentor.Com, but...they seem to view Herbalism as a money-making venture and generally don't seem to want to answer questions unless by literal subscribers 9as in money is required) on their website's Forum:

* Why would I not want to use white distilled vinegar when making an herbal vinegar? That's the only kind I'm really familiar with; I use it as a hair rinse every month or so (yes, guys should always use a hair-rinse, too! *G*), or as an ingredient in a homemade salad dressing when emulsified with an oil. Would there be a reaction with the vinegar and a metal lid?
* Why, when making an herbal vinegar, should one use only a plastic lid instead of a metal lid, such as those that come with standard canning-type jars that are so readily available?

And, perhaps more importantly:

* Would a simple vinegar infusion be able to extract the minerals from a root? I was always under the impression (and i can't remember WHERE I read this) that vegetational minerals are so much like "rocks" that to extract them really requires a decoction process in boiling water. Was I mistaken? if a decoction is not necessary, than how is a vinegar (or even an alcohol, like vodka) able to fully extract the nutrients and minerals contained within roots?