Drake's method sets the return by what you collected, not by matching vessels. He pours off all the liquid, returns one third to the jar, and refills with new alcohol. (Office Hours Ep. 13, 32:39) Cho's recipe says the same: the tincturing vessel is refilled 1/3 from the big vessel. (Cho's Solutions, p. 10)
So a small first pour-off means a small returned third. Drake would still return it. Extracting without putting the pooled pour-offs back gets less and less and less potent. (Office Hours Mar 2025, 43:00) Topping up with fresh vodka alone skips that reseeding. (Office Hours Mar 2025, 43:00)
- Pool every pour-off for each herb in its own large vessel. (Cho's Solutions, p. 10)
- Return one third of that pool to the jar. (Cho, Theory, p. 65)
- Store each herb's contents individually. (Cho's Solutions, p. 10)
The library does not say final vessels must hold equal amounts. It also does not say what to do when the first pour-off runs short.
