A cold water macerate is a subtle and effective way to harness the power of herbs, without using heat. This method is ideal for herbs that release their valuable components better in cold water. The process is simple, but requires patience and attention.
How do you make a cold macerate?
Carefully select the herbs you want to use. For a cold macerate, herbs such as comfrey root, flax seed, mallow, bearberry, and valerian root are particularly suitable.
Preparation of the herbs:
To promote extraction, you can lightly grind or crush the herbs. This increases the contact surface with the water, which helps to release the active substances more effectively.
Measuring and mixing:
The standard dosage for a macerate is 25 grams of dried herb (or 50 grams of fresh herbs) per half liter of water.
Let it steep:
Place the herbs in a glass jar or bowl and add the cold water. Make sure the herbs are completely submerged. Cover the pot and let the mixture steep for 1-8 hours at room temperature. Overnight is ideal for this. For soft plant parts such as flowers, you can use a guideline of 1-2 hours. For roots (for example Comfrey) 6-8 hours.
Strain and use:
After the steeping time, carefully strain the macerate to remove the herb residue. What remains is a pure extract that is ready for use. Optionally, you can gently warm the mixture for a more pleasant drinking experience.
Storage:
Because a cold macerate is prepared without heat, it is best used within 24 hours. Store it in the refrigerator to optimally preserve the quality.
Tips from 't Lof der kruiden:
Always use fresh and filtered water to guarantee the purest extraction.
Adjust the steeping time if you want a stronger or milder macerate.
Good luck preparing your macerate! 🙂
Herbal greetings,
Robin