Alquitara: what is it and how to use it?

Natural oils and hydrosols can prolong female youth, improve health and improve mood. It is not surprising that today cosmetics with the addition of these components are replacing their synthetic competitors. Unfortunately, the quality of factory products does not always meet expectations, however, there is a solution to this problem - it lies in the beautiful word "alquitara".

Alquitara is a copper distiller, necessary for obtaining essential oils and for making flower water. It should be noted that distillation is by far the most economical way to obtain oils, and therefore is widely used both in factories and at home. Equipment for the production of a house can be different, because the method originates from ancient times. So, pots and other household appliances were used to prepare oils.

Alcitara, with its Arabic name and appearance, resembles Aladdin's lamp. Today it is used not only as a device for hydrosols, but also as a stylish expensive accessory that can become a piece of art. As a rule, all variations of the alquitara are made by hand from copper. The copper construction makes it possible to evenly heat the contents during the boiling process, which significantly affects the quality of the oil and hydrolat. Unlike alambic, The Arabian device has a vertical design and a special filter, allowing you to carry out steam distillation at home.

A device for obtaining natural aromatic liquids contains certain parts, without which distillation cannot occur.

Alquitara Ingredients:

• a bowl serving as a distillation cube;
• a copper sieve necessary for laying plants;
• a helmet consisting of an upper part, into which cold water is poured, and a lower part, in which drops of steam condense;
• a copper tube through which the contents flow into a specially prepared container.

A simple and ingenious device allows you to get oils and waters of plants even for a beginner, because the principle of use is as clear as possible. Exposure to hot steam allows you to destroy the cells of the plant and reveal their content, which enters the helmet. Flowing down a copper tube into a container, at the end, the liquid acquires a thin oil film on top. By separating it from the liquid, you can get two valuable substances - oil and flower water.

The benefits of Alquitara are manifold. First of all, the resulting liquids have a beneficial effect on health, namely, they tone and rejuvenate the skin and hair, and calm the nervous system.Some distillates can be used internally, such as nettle hydrosol. The advantages of alquitara over alambik also exist, its owners have already appreciated them. So, having an alquitara in your arsenal, you can:

• save space, thanks to the vertical design;
• prepare not only butter, but also strong drinks that will be stronger than drinks prepared in alambic;
• create waste-free production, in which not only the oil obtained is valued, but also water;
• prepare healthy liquids not only by hydrodistillation, but also by steam distillation.

Despite the absolute opinion of the majority about the usefulness of this thing, it is worth noting several subjective shortcomings. So, the same Arabic alambik cannot be used to make oil and strong drinks. The fact is that copper perfectly absorbs odors, so even the most thorough cleaning will not help recreate alcohol after aroma oils. Besides, the preparation of hydrosols and oils in any way is always a laborious process, requiring a lot of time and money. For example, to get a liter of rose oil, you have to distill about 5,000 rose petals.

Creating a natural product with your own hands requires certain knowledge about the specifics of plants and the return of odors. Stems are suitable for distilling some plants, flowers are suitable for others, some species need to be planted fresh, others dried, for some a strong boil is important, while for others a slow fire is indicated. Such a variety of subtleties scares off some beginners, however, obtaining such skills and knowledge becomes invaluable in home production.

To start making a product using the device, it is necessary to carry out preparatory work - select a plant and collect it when its aroma stands out especially brightly. In addition, it is important to clarify whether it should be used fresh or dried. When the raw materials and packaging are ready, you can start creating. To do this, purified water is poured into the container, for example, spring water. Hydrodistillation involves putting the plants directly into the bowl, while the steam procedure requires laying in a special sieve.

Alcitara closes tightly and does not open again during the entire process. The container is installed on the stove. A sterile jar is placed under the copper tube. Note that for a constant supply of cold water, you can use a silicone hose of the desired diameter, which is attached to a short tube on the alquitar. At the same time, the other end of the tube is attached to a water tap, which will be turned on until the end of the procedure.

Some models of oriental alambiks allow you to simply pour cold water into the top of the “helmet”, without requiring the purchase of additional hoses. After boiling water in the bowl, it is necessary to reduce the fire on the stove and wait for the valuable liquid to drain through the copper tube.

For information on what alquitara is and how to use it, see the following video.