Distilling Plants at Home
Lise
For the past many years, I have flirted with the idea of doing my own hydrosols. This year, I finally got started with it, and I have decided to share this home-crafted hydrosol making journey with you in case you decide you want to give this a try too.
What you see above is the beginning of a distillation of homegrown helichrysum.
The container on the left is the base of the still with some stainless steel cooking equipment placed to create a raised base for the steamer with herbs. The bag on the right holds helichrysum stems and leaves that will be placed on top of the blossoms. The reddish ‘birds-nest’ is a handcrafted copper wire ‘net’ that will be placed on top of the herbs before closing the lid.
The Still
The still I am using is quite compact (about the size of a large thermos) and does not require running water. Instead, it cools using air - hence the name it is sold under: Air Still. I bought mine from a local brewery shop that specializes in all kinds of brewing equipment, but have seen them available online. It was a helpful tip from a lovely member of my Facebook group that brought this apparatus to my attention. The Air Still is made for distilling alcohol (which I may try at one point), but for making (most) hydrosols, there were a couple of small adjustments needed.
i filled the spout cover with copper wiring so the hydrosol passes through copper on its way out of the still.
Moderations and Additions
For a home-crafting scenario, this still is absolutely perfect for my needs (so far). It doesn’t take up very much room, is easy to clean, easy to use, and produces beautiful hydrosols (some even with a bit of essential oil — more on that in a future post).
I had to get a little creative with a few moderations (the steamer insert and the rings to raise the herbs above the water level), but these were minor. As this still is stainless steel and many classic stills are all or part copper, I wanted to add a bit of copper ‘somewhere’ for the general benefits it offers. (for distillers of spirits, copper is said to produce a better flavor, and for many distillers of hydrosols/essential oils, it is said to provide a purer product). My first few hydrosols were without copper and there was a tangible difference as soon as I added the little birds nest and outfitted the spout cover with copper wiring.
I’ll be getting into the details of my hydrosol making experiences in future posts.
Meantime, I better warn you right now: if you are a little intrigued at the idea of making your own hydrosols and want to try this too, it’s just as addictive as making your own glycerites, tinctures, and macerations.
The glass container pictured next to the still holds about half a liter. By chance, it fits perfectly below the spout and is my go-to container for collecting the precious waters.
Do Tell
Have you ever considered making your own herbal distillates?
Vinegar tinctures are included as ingredients in these naturally balanced shampoo bars and there’s a section that shows you how to make your own.
