Indonesia Study Tour

Join The Guerilla Distiller, and Dorene Petersen, President of the American College of Healthcare Sciences for a fantastic Journey through West and Central Java.

We'll be visiting various distilleries and farms where essential oil plants are grown; Nutmeg, Patchouli, Vetivert, Cinnamon Leaf and Nutmeg.

We will also explore ""Jamu", the ancient medicine of Java 

Details here

This is what the tail end of Noble Fir needle (Abies procera) oil looks like.  The blue color indicates the presence of azulene.  This finished product is lighter in color, because the earlier oils are lighter in color.

Buy Noble Fir needle oil

Hands on Distillation Workshop.

Come joins us for a fun day distilling essential oils and hydrosols!

Hands on...

Noble Fir Distillation

Just received a load of Noble Fir (Abies procera) boughs.  These boughs were sustainably harvested in the pristine mountains of the Cascade Range in Oregon.

Just prior to distillation, the branches will be run through our chipper to maximize the amount of  plant material in our retort.

We will be distilling for both essential oils and hydrosols.  Past distillations resulted in an essential oil with a slight blue tinge.  This indicates the presence of azulene, which is a powerful anti-inflammatory.

Distilling Lemongrass for Oil and Hydrosol

Just finished distilling a batch of fresh Lemongrass from Jamaica.  The resulting oil is wonderful however the yield was low at 0.2%.  For curiosity's sake, I'll have the oil tested for Citral content.  It is apparently not worth importing the raw material for distillation here in Oregon.  It will make for a very expensive oil.

Photos can be found on The Essential Oil Company's Facebook Page

Bitter Orange Essential Oil Extraction

Bitter Orange Oil is extracted from the peel of Citrus aurantium amara.  It's a "cold" process.  A thin layer is scraped from the peel in the extractor.  The extractor is like a rotating cheese grater.  The oil is separated from the peel,waxes and water in a centrifuge.
View the photos

Harvesting and Distilling Pettigrain Essential Oil

Harvesting and Distilling Oil of Petitgrain in a Wooden Still

Harvesting and Distilling Guaiac Wood Essential Oil

Harvesting and distilling Guaiac Wood in Paraguay

Cananga flower distillation

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150258820699512.343327.80978024511

Cananga flowers are hydrodistilled for 60 hours.  Clove Wood is used to heat the direct fire still.  The aroma is similar to that of Ylang, but is always distilled as a whole oil unlike Ylang which is fractioned during distillation.

Hands on Distillation Workshop July 30

Hands on Distillation Workshop

When: July 30 - 9am to 5pm
Where: The Sellwood Boutique Essential Oil Distillery - Portland Oregon

Participants will learn the history of distillation, and the usage of various types of equipment used to distill essential oils and hydrosols

During the course of the day, we will learn and experience the use of:

100 gallon stainless steel steam distiller
  35 gallon stainless steel water/steam distiller
  40 liter rotating column copper Alembic distiller
 15 gallon copper water/steam distiller
  5 liter hydrodistiller
We will have a continental breakfast with coffee/tea/juice, donuts and bagels during and after the morning lecture.  We will then commence distillation.  
We will also have a "working pizza lunch".

We always have fun, with participants from all over the USA and some international guests as well!

The cost is $150

Spend the day with The Guerilla Distiller - Robert Seidel, Master Distiller since 1977.   

Robert is experienced in distilling a variety of plant material including Lavender, Lavindin, several varieties of Sage - including Sacred White Sage,  Oregano, Thyme, Helichrysum, and a wide variety of coniferous needles and woods and much more.

If you wish to join us, please call 800.729.5912 or email Samantha for information and registration.



Distillation Season is Here
to see the variety of distillation equipment we offer please click here

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