The Art of Distilling Roses

The rose has been a part of human history dating back 5000 years. It’s oil has often been called “the oil of love” and history shows it has been a part of the dialogue of romance, spiritual awakening, medicine, perfume and literature.The distillation of the rose is attributed to an Arabian physician, alchemist and philosopher named Ibn-Sina AKA Avicenna ( 980-1037 AD). As the story goes, Avicenna was attending a party at a castle that had roses growing up the sides of the castle walls and a moat below filled with floating roses. He was captivated by the intoxicating aroma of the flora and noticed a thin film of oil on the surface of the water.

With his chemistry background and inventive mind, he knew that he could figure out how to capture the essence of the rose. He developed the cooling coils that we have in modern-day condensers, which were a great improvement to the then crude methods of distillation -they were also better suited for the delicate flowers of the rose.

Harvest roses with the most aromatic scent.

Here at Star Bright Farm we distill 14 aromatic and medicinal herbs for the Hydrosols or 'floral waters'.

When guests are looking at our shelves of Hydrosol, not understanding what they are, we often ask the question “Are you familiar with Hydrosol?” When the reply is a head shake of “No” our response is “ Well, actually you are familiar with Hydrosol, because surely you know about Rose Water!”

This helps clarify because Rose Water is the pure distilled Hydrosol (aka Hydrolat) of the rose. We are excited to say that we have grown enough of the most beautiful and fragrant roses that we were able to do our first ever Rose Water/Hydrosol/Hydrolat distillation!

Harvest roses in the early morning before the sun and heat of the day evaporates the oils from the flower. Best when the dew is still on them

Using our 20 liter copper alembic still for this rose distillation. We did a hydro distillation, which means the harvested roses were submerged into the water filled pot of the still. Once the hydrosol started flowing the total time of the distillation was one hour and 2o minutes to reach a volume of 1 gallon. Since the essential oil extraction is nominal, we do not try to extract it off and leave it in the hydrosol.

Adding the roses to the “Pot” with water

Gently submerge petals

Whenever parts are connected, they are sprayed it 75% organic ethanal to ensure sterilization. the seams connection the “ Hat” to the “ pot” are sealed with rye dough so that there is no steam leak.