Distilling Dried Lavender in a Copper Alembic Still

[@danielanthony1054]

For best practice you want the cold water to enter from the bottom and exit from the top, then you'll be sure that you're getting an even distribution of cold water mixing with the warm and removing it at the top. Also the column being removable is amazing. it makes it so versatile, awesome!

[@HeidiVillegas]

Thank you! Will make more of these as I improve. :-) I'm teaching myself....it's really difficult to find info on distilling aromatics. :-)

[@Grasscentral4705]

​@@HeidiVillegasit really is

[@karffiol]

nice video, but I have to clarify... this condenser is meant to be used as a reverse flow condenser... so the bottom hole is inlet for cold water and top is the outlet for warm water... this way is the most effective for this type of condenser.

[@karffiol]

21:03 you can clearly see the steam! this is not supposed to happen, your cooling is inefficient, you either should use the condenser properly or you lower the power (gas) so the steam has a chance to condense... you are loosing your product.

[@HeidiVillegas]

Thank you! I've got a lot to learn about this still, and information is hard to find. My hydrosol turned out REALLY powerful, but no essential oil yield....it probably has something to do with what you're saying.

[@karffiol]

@@HeidiVillegas well if your house smells very nice, you know your essence is leaking :D, wish you good luck in next distilling

[@yolandafernandez1942]

Yes please, more videos of distillation it would be fantastic. Thanks🙏🙏🙏

[@HeidiVillegas]

I sure will! I have a huge rosemary growing in my home, and I'm so tempted to do a small distillation of the stems. I am so itching for spring! I'll video that if I can get around to it soon.

[@yolandafernandez1942]

Thank you very much Heidi😊🌱

[@cindyjones520]

Those stills are Beautiful. This was very interesting! Thank you!

[@HeidiVillegas]

You're so welcome!

[@MichaelMarko]

Whatever you do with it, that stuff is beautiful !!

[@HeidiVillegas]

Thank you, Michael! It really is. And it smells amazing!

[@panda18770]

This was very informative n interesting. Never knew how this was done. Yes please make more if these videos. The more at ease someone is to try something like this, the more they will do it. Awesome video. Thank you!!!

[@HeidiVillegas]

Thanks for the encouragement, Wanda! Yes, I will do so! I'm especially excited to try yarrow because it yields a blue oil---very valued for inflammation.

[@panda18770]

@@HeidiVillegas That is interesting. If I wasn't 62 n have my health issues I would get into a lot of this stuff more. I am canning n making some salves but I happened to be looking on KZbin n saw your video. I will be watching more.

[@kimberlyd9049]

This was an absolute blast to watch. I use another machine to make oils, butters and tinctures-but your equipment definitely has more character! (Can’t wait to watch the linked videos!)

[@HeidiVillegas]

It sounds like you're using a Magic Butter Machine? I haven't tried that, and perhaps one day I will....I just love the old traditional ways, and the slow tincturing methods of old....And this alembic style is estimated to be at least 500 years old!

[@ceciliafuentes3299]

That looks a little more than I can do for now, but I love learning how thing come to be. Thank you for sharing.

[@HeidiVillegas]

Hi, Cecilia! You can actually make hydrosols with just a pot, a brick, a container, the lid to the pot, and some ice! :-) Here's a link to that video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fJ61nn2Jba6Fn9E

[@ceciliafuentes3299]

@@HeidiVillegas amazing. Thank you for the link.I will try it.

[@NettiGaming]

Lovely looking hydrosol. But if you want a clearer mix dont put lavender in the bowl. Just water. Botanicals in the column xxx Also. I use stems as well as flowers in the distilling as i have e glish lavender and they are always sticky with oils ❤

[@HeidiVillegas]

Thanks for the tips! On the cloudiness....I've heard from a hydrosol expert that the cloudiness is a good sign? I just made some with evergreens only in the column (not any in the bowl), and it was super cloudy and bluish....very beautiful.

[@mainscorp9982]

Thanks!! I have the same 10L still on the way, will be here next week omgeee I cant wait!!

[@HeidiVillegas]

You're going to LOVE it!!!! Are you in our Natural Living Community? It's free for everyone to join, and I'd LOVE if you'd share pictures!!! Let me know if you need the link, OK?

[@metamorphosis9944]

Where’d you get it from please?

[@lavendermills8815]

Thank you for this video! I have a new small still (not an alembic...my goal some day) that I received as a Christmas gift and I'm planning to distill lavender this year. I was wondering if it would be too strong in the house and so glad to know I don't have to wait for nice weather and outside burners. I live in Sequim, WA, where there are acres of lavender fields/farms. I will definitely pay closer attention this July when the lavender farms start processing their lavender. They use the the buds and stems straight out of the fields, so I'm also glad to learn that I can use my dried lavender as well. I don't remember the column, but I definitely remember the lavender looks just like yours does in the bottom bowl after a finished batch. Heidi, very informative and I love experiments! Thank you for giving me some courage to process my lavender this year.

[@HeidiVillegas]

I'm so glad it was helpful! It's hard to share things when you're just figuring it all out.... But you know what? That's how all of us learn, right? :-) I hope you'll share some pictures of your lavender experiments in our Natural Living Community. It's OFF social media and totally private. Let me know if you need the link to join (it's free).

[@briahneholland3106]

Thanks for showing us experimentation! Apparently the way to yield higher amounts of EO is to use a higher temperature when distilling. Maybe another experiment is in order :D

[@HeidiVillegas]

Hi, Briahne! I'll definitely by doing a lot more experimentation. I have a temperature gauge on the onion, and it was showing a high temp nearing the "danger" zone, so I hesitate to make it hotter. One other thing I read in a distiller book is that dried herbs work better than fresh.....so that's something else to experiment with, too. It's REALLY hard to find helpful information on the process, tbh. So...I'll work through this! :-)

[@isabelladavis1363]

VERY interesting Heidi I bough a still from Portugal ten year back and life got in the way retirement is just around the corner and invested in a second edition book HARVEST TO HYDROSOL BY ANN HARMAN…couldn’t find it during the pandemic other than a ridiculous price but back in print now and updated she also uses an alembic still hope this helps can’t wait to get started myself… best wishes

[@HeidiVillegas]

You're going to have so much fun!

[@sarahale7214]

That was really interesting!

[@HeidiVillegas]

It really is an interesting process!

[@yolandafernandez1942]

Thank you very much for this interesting video. I would like to know how to clean the separator after distillation please. 😊🙏

[@HeidiVillegas]

That's tricky. I used 1 drop of green (clean) dish soap, swished well, and rinsed REALLY well.

[@mtnbkrwmn]

wow, that's distillation! i worry about losing the ability to purchase eos in the future. it must be amazing to distill!

[@HeidiVillegas]

It really is! I love it.

[@Unusual_Farmer]

Thank you so so much for making this video! I've been reading about distillation for a couple months, but I had some more in depth questions about the process that i couldn't find answers to. Your overview gave me everything I've been looking for! I do have a question though, does column size affect anything other than the volume of plant material that can be steamed at a time? Some columns are taller, some are fatter, etc. Plus I've seen column extenders.

[@HeidiVillegas]

Hmmm....that's a great question! I'll look into it! I'm just beginning the distillation journey myself.

[@suemagyari2992]

This was fascinating! It seemed as if you could have repeated the process with just water in the bowl and your dry lavender in the other part to extract the rest of the oils from the dry lavender! I really enjoyed seeing how this was done. Would love to know if the alembic still came with the separator. Seems as if it didn't. How did you know what to add to complete the process? Where did all the equipment come from? What was the name/author of the book you had? Thanks for experimenting so that we could all see it!

[@HeidiVillegas]

Thanks, Sue! I forgot to mention that the herbs in the column which were steamed actually smelled "raisiny", so that indicates they were actually spent.😊 The alembic still doesn't come with the separator. I had to purchase that separately, and it was a bit pricey. However, I REALLY want to start extracting our own essential oils from plants we grow or forage. I bought both of my stills from Copper Brothers. They've been great! There are other places you can get hand-forged copper stills, too. I don't have the book here next to me, and there were two of them, actually. Both were written by German chemists and one a brewer. I'll try to remember to get those titles, or I'll share them again!

[@suemagyari2992]

@@HeidiVillegas Thanks!

[@CRHall-ud9mq]

Thanks, great video 🙂 ...I've heard of people using a fish tank pump! Erm, I wouldn't think that oil evaporates, from drying herbs, though fresh dried herbs should be better than spent dried herbs (especially those over 12 months old properly stored), and then maybe dried oils are more easily extracted by steam pressure from fresh dried ? I imagine there would be more effective steam pressure for longer, through the dried herbs in the cylinder, by filling the bowl with water, no herbs. Heidi, do you think your lavender hydrosol much stronger by your method? Good luck with the big daddy Alembic still.

[@HeidiVillegas]

Hi, C.R.! I know---I've given all of this thought, and am just experimenting. That's the best way to learn, right? I've only made the lavender hydrosol one time, so I can't speak to the different (yet). The thing about essential oils is that they're not lipids (oily, fatty) oils. They're volatile oils, and that's how the steam is able to carry the molecules into the condenser. I've tried the fish tank pump....I can't seem to get one that's the right size, so am always adjusting. It's a hassle. I figure since I have to water the yard anyway, the hose isn't a waste! In winter time, I've found that using snow is GREAT.

[@101jody]

Thank you so much for showing this. I am an intimidated absolute beginner looking to do this. Can you distill water in it as well (emergency purification)?

[@HeidiVillegas]

Yep! Just plain water distills beautifully in this still!

[@raulbonilla3656]

I would love to buy one of those destillers, do you know where to get one.? Thank you

[@HeidiVillegas]

I purchase from a Ukrainian company (I can't remember the name right now) and I get my alembic stills from Copper Brothers in Portugal.

[@raulbonilla3656]

@@HeidiVillegas thank you very much. I will give it a try

[@pattiargoff3824]

Where did you get the small stovetop still?

[@HeidiVillegas]

I bought two of my stills from Copper Brothers in Portugal, and the other one is a Ukrainian company....I forget the name, and I'll try to find it for you!

[@harryo383]

Great video Heidi! 2 questions What was the size of the large copper still ? Is that a 20 liter or is that bigger? Also it looked like you sealed the seams on the small one while you were heating ,looked like electricians tape ? Thanks again !

[@HeidiVillegas]

Hi, Harry! It's best to use a combination of rye flower and water paste to seal the seams....but I've distilled without any sealer at all. On this day, I just wanted to get going, so used the plumber's tape. It may have been electrical, though. I don't seal it super tightly, though as I'm still a bit paranoid about the pressure. I watch the gauge and heat carefully and adjust accordingy. My still is a 10 liter. :-)

[@harryo383]

@@HeidiVillegas thanks for replying the large still loks much bigger tha 10 liter . How big is your small one ? Thanks

[@HeidiVillegas]

@@harryo383 My small one is 3 liters, and it actually does a pretty good job for hydrosols. I haven't had luck with essential oils with it, but hope to figure that out.

[@kevinabercrombie8287]

Where did you get your copper still..?

[@HeidiVillegas]

I got this one from Copper Brothers in Portugal.

[@andyharris3376]

Are you still happy with it and where did you get it and is there a thermostat on it or a temperature gauge

[@HeidiVillegas]

Yes, I just love it! I did just get a smaller one that's meant specifically for essential oils, and I'll have a video out on that one soon. I did buy the thermometer for it when I purchased it.

[@metamorphosis9944]

Please where did you get your alembic still from?

[@HeidiVillegas]

I got the alembics from @Copper Brothers in Portugal.

[@metamorphosis9944]

thank you Heidi do you think i really need the column for hydrosol. Do you think the lavender aroma would've been as strong without the steam column?@@HeidiVillegas

[@guillaume5095]

Hi, If you had to buy two stills again, what volumes would you take? 3 and 10L, 5 and 10L or other? Thank for your answer

[@HeidiVillegas]

Honestly, I would go with 5L, 10L, and maybe a 20L if I ever become serious about distilling EO's. I did just purchase a small 5L Ukrainian model that is specifically for EO's, and am excited about trying out some rosemary that's growing in my house right now!

[@nnekababy]

Where do I get the big still?

[@HeidiVillegas]

I got mine from Copper Brothers

[@hassanaitmkhlouf987]

whats the book please

[@HeidiVillegas]

Ann Harmon has a great book on Hydrosols!

[@mottledowl]

The book she's talking about in the video is "The Essential Oil Maker's Handbook" by Malle and Schmickl

[@charlottechumlea-oq7vo]

Hi Heidi, of all your stills, which do you now recommend after a year of use? I am looking for one with a large bowl to prevent burning the herbs in the bowl or running out of water. Thinking of the 20 L model. How long did it take to ship and arrive? Was US Customs an issue? Shipping charges? I have many of the books you have recommended and took the courses from the New Zealand Alembics School.

[@HeidiVillegas]

Hi, Charlotte! I'll have to look into the Alembics school! Are the classes online? As far as the stills go, I actually love all of them. :-) The large traditional alembic is my favorite for larger amounts of plants to yield hydrosol. The small Ukrainian one I like best for obtaining small amounts of essential oils. As far as shipping....My alembic came from Copper Brothers in Portugal and arrived in about 2 weeks. The Ukrainian model came from their shop here in the U.S., and it took about a week and a half. The overseas one did get stuck in customs for a few days, but it wasn't a big deal. Shipping was high, but I expected that. :-)

[@YAHnaht]

Where do you buy your stills ?

[@HeidiVillegas]

Hi, Kyra! I bought both of these through Copper Brothers. They hand-forge everything---all the parts, and are using an old-fashioned process. I really like them.