How to Extract Essential Oils From Licorice Mint Plants
Licorice mint, known as Anise hyssop (genus: Agastache funicular) has historically been used by Native Americans in medicinal applications. While the Cheyenne used licorice mint in teas to relieve depression, the Cree and Chippewa tribes included it in protective medicine bundles. Essential oils from the leaves and flowers are used in perfumes, as aromatherapy and as flavorings in cooking. Because commercially produced essential oil can be expensive, an increasing number of essential oil distillation manufacturers are targeting consumers.Things You'll Need
- Essential oil steam distillation kit
- Anise hyssop leaves and flowers
- Hot plate
- Storage bottles
- Rubber sink liner
- Running water
- Distilled water
Instructions
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Purchase a closed, all-Pyrex glass open-air system, one geared to home use. Read all manufacturer's and operating instructions on your essential oil distillation kit. The system should have a receiver with a filter trap that can drain excess water. Complete kits including hot plate and heat shield range in price from $75 up to several thousand dollars.
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Wash well and dry licorice mint leaves and flowers. Fill the biomass flask with the leaves and flowers before you assemble the apparatus. Fill the water flask two-thirds full with distilled water. Although tap water works, chlorine vapors from municipal water sources can vaporize into your herb and affect the flavor and fragrance of the essential oil.
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Assemble the distillation kit near a sink lined with rubber matting. Connect the biomass flask to the water flask with a transfer tube, one that contains a stainless steel filter. The filter will prevent crumbled herb from clogging the neck of the water flask. Grease the male ends of the transfer tube and insert it into the openings of the biomass and water flasks. Clip the condenser to the transfer tube using the provided a plastic clamp (should be included in the kit). Add a little water to the receiver before beginning the distillation. When you begin the distillation process and condensed water collects in the receiver, you want to make sure the water level is high enough to drain through the drain tube. Screw the heat shield included in the kit onto the back of the hot plate. The shield protects the apparatus and collected product from heat radiating from the hot plate coils.
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Connect the condenser to the receiver with a clamp. Use another clamp to stabilize it next to the stand/supporting rod. Many manufacturers have online instructions and illustrations you can compare with your apparatus. If you assemble the kit correctly, it should resemble the illustrations. Position a small catch flash under the receiver drain to catch water that gets sandwiched between oil layers. During the distillation, some oil will be denser than water; less dense oil extracted from the licorice mint will rest on the surface of the collected water.
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Connect a cold tap water source to the top of the condenser. You want cold water to circulate through the condenser and out the bottom so that the essential oil maintains a constant 100 degree Celsius.
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Turn the hot plate on high. As the distilled water in the lower flask comes to a boil, the licorice mint will heat up and steam will begin forming in the condenser. After 10 minutes, you should see the drops of essential oil collecting in the receiver. According to the manufacturer, the bulk of the essential oil should be collected within the first 10 to 20 minutes after water boils and the extraction process should be complete after a few hours.
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Turn off the hot plate, allow the Pyrex to cool completely and disassemble. To remove the wet herbs from the biomass flask, loosen with a chopstick and shake out over a garbage can. Wash all Pyrex parts with warm, soapy water. The licorice mint essential oils can be stored in sealed vials for future use.
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