Infused Oil with Calendula - Straining and Bottling
A few weeks ago, I showed you how to begin a brew of infused oil. This lovely mixture has been brewing for 2 full months now, so it's time to strain it and start using it.
Here's a step by step of how I strained this calendula-infused sweet almond oil.
Equipment List
oil that has been infusing for 3 -8 weeks (depending on the herb)tract
clean muslin cloth
latex gloves (you'll see why in a minute)
container for your finished oil
Place the funnel in your chosen container, line it with the muslin and pour your mixture into the funnel. I always use a double layer of muslin to be sure no sediment from the plant material can get through.
For this batch, I am using the original container the oil came in. I bought this oil specifically to make an infused oil and kept the container so I would have the correct production batch information right on the bottle.
When the oil has slowed to a drop at a time, gather up the edges of the muslin and twist it shut to keep the plant material from escaping. Now, gently squeeze the bundle to extract the rest of the oil.
Wearing gloves for this bit of the process is a real good idea for keeping your oil as pure as possible.
Add your own (additional) label to your container with the contents, brewing and straining dates.
In the picture at the top, you can see there is a bit of oil in the bottom of the bottle. I kept a bit back so I could show you the difference in color. On the left is the infused oil. It has taken on some of the golden hue of the calendula flowers.
Do Tell
Do you make your own infused oils? What are your favorite oils to use? Herbs? How do you use your oils?Make your own!
Here's how to start an infused oil with dried herbs.How to infuse oil with fresh juniper berries - part 1
How to infuse oil with fresh juniper berries - part 2
How to start an herbal tincture
Straining and bottling herbal tinctures
Find even more how-to's at the How to page
Comments
I have tried several ways of straining infused oils and found that it is so much easier to do with nylon sock (ofcourse, a new one). It takes a minute to straint and the oil remains absolutely clean and transparent.