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Welcome to the third and final edition of our three-part Oil Infusions Series. Today, we are discussing the Alcohol Intermediary Method. Though this is the most advanced oil infusion method, it is still relatively easy to master.
This infusion method will help you take your herbal preparation skills to the next level! It will also save you time, increase the shelf life of your infused oils, and create a more potent and effective oil.
Achieving More Potent Infusions In Less Time
When making an herbal preparation, the primary goal is for the end product to be effective. To achieve this, your infusion method must yield a high-quality extraction. The first step to achieving a potent extract is to understand whether you should use a heat process, alcohol intermediary, or cold process infusion to get the best level of extraction. For example, if you are trying to extract constituents of pine resin, you will want to use the heat process, but if your goal is to extract the mucilage of plantain leaf, you’ll get a better extraction with a cold process.
Lastly, you’ll want to consider the amount of time you have available to wait for your oils to infuse. But what if you don’t have the luxury of waiting weeks for your oil to macerate, or what if you don’t want to watch it cook on the stove for several hours? This is where the Alcohol Intermediary Method comes in! Alcohol intermediary herb-infused oils can be made from start to finish in just over a day.
The Benefits of the Alcohol Intermediary Oil Infusion Method
Many different solvents can be used to create herbal infusions. So far, we have discussed oils, but infusions can also be made with water, vinegar, honey, and glycerin. However, depending on the type of herb being used, alcohol can have superior extraction abilities.
More Potent Infusions
Many herbs have constituents and properties such as alkaloids and alkaloidal salts, camphors, balsams, flavonoids, glycosides, resins, organic acids, volatile oils, and vitamins that are only alcohol-soluble. Meaning oil will do little to extract them. By using alcohol for pre-extraction, you can achieve a broader spectrum infusion that contains both oil and alcohol-soluble constituents, effectively increasing your infused oil’s potency.
Longer Shelf Life
Alcohol-intermediary infused oils have a longer shelf life because the alcohol reduces the likelihood of microbial or mold growth in the oil. When stored properly in amber bottles and kept in a cool, dark place, oils created using this method should last for two years or longer.
More Vibrant Color
Alcohol does a better job of extracting certain plant pigments like chlorophyll. This ability results in your finished oils having deeper, more vibrant colors than oils infused using other methods.
Which Oil Should I Use For My Infusion?
Factors like absorption rate, smell, texture, and color can all affect your carrier oil decision. However, if you’re new to herbal work, we recommend olive oil or fractionated coconut oil. Both oils have a long shelf life and a relatively low price point, are easy to find, and work well in nearly all formulas. For more information, check out our Guide to Carrier Oils below.
Fresh vs. Dried Herbs: Which are Better?
For this method of oil infusion, it is best to work only with dried herbs, never fresh ones. Making herb-infused oils with fresh herbs adds extra water to the oil and will decrease shelf-life.
How to Measure Herbs for Oil Infusions
When measuring herbs for your infusion, you can use either the “folk method” or the more precise ratio method. If you need a quick refresher, the first post of this series outlines both methods!
Oil Infusions - The Alcohol Intermediary Method
This method takes 24 hours to complete and produces a broad-spectrum, high-quality oil infusion.
The Supplies:
A Stand-up Blender
Dry Glass Jar (with a tight-fitting lid) Sterilized
Measuring Spoons
Cheesecloth or Fine Mesh Strainer (preferably both)
Labels and a Permanent Marker
Mortar and Pestle or Coffee Grinder (optional)
The Ingredients:
Carrier oil(s) of Choice
Dried herb(s) of Choice (enough to fill your jar ½ to ⅓ full)
High-quality vodka or Everclear (the higher proof, the better)
The Process:
For this method, your herbs should have a coarse powder-like texture. If you have roots, bark, or larger pieces, you should start by grinding them in a mortar and pestle or coffee grinder.
Place your ground plant matter into a sterile glass jar, filling it approximately ½ to ⅓ full.
Add about a tablespoon of high-quality Vodka to the jar and stir to combine. You want to achieve the consistency of wet sand with little to no extra liquid left in the jar.
Place the lid on the jar and leave the mixture to sit overnight or for up to 24 hours.
The next day, top off your jar of herbs/alcohol with the carrier oil(s) of your choice to about 1” from the rim. Place the lid on your jar and shake to combine.
Pour the contents of the jar into the pitcher of your blender and blend on medium/high until the pitcher begins to feel warm (approximately 5 minutes).
Once the herbs and oil have been fully blended, strain all of the plant matter out of the oil using a cheesecloth-lined fine mesh strainer. You may need to repeat the straining process more than once to ensure that all of the plant matter has been strained out.
Once strained, your infused oil is ready to be used or labeled and stored in a cool, dark place for up to one year (as long as you have used a shelf-stable oil).
The art of oil infusion is one of the key techniques you must master on your road to becoming an herbalist. If you’ve been following along, you now have all the information you need to start infusing oils at home using three different methods. If you’ve missed any of the posts in this series, you can find them all here.
In the Byers Ranch Apothecary line, we use all three methods, sometimes individually and sometimes combined. For instance, depending on the formulation and desired finished product, we will start with the alcohol intermediary method and then follow with the hot process method before straining our finished oil. There is no one “right way” to practice herbalism, so get creative with your preparations, methods, and formulas! We’d love to hear all about your process in the comments below, and as always, until next time,
Disclaimer:
Content from thisunboundlife.com is informational and not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice. Just because something is “natural” does not mean it’s safe for every person. Many plants should be avoided when pregnant or nursing and some can cause extreme interactions with prescription and over-the-counter medicine.
While we strive to be 100% accurate, utilizing information from scientific studies, trusted sources, and verified publications, we are not health professionals, medical doctors, or nutritionists. It is solely up to the reader to verify nutritional information and health benefits with qualified professionals for all edible plants listed on this website and to ensure proper plant identification.
The information provided by this site is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Before using herbal preparations, always research them, speak to a professional about any significant concerns, and seek medical advice when needed.