How To: Blueberry Glycerite
There have been glycerites galore around here lately, and before the summer season disappears completely, let's make one more, luscious, lovely extract with glycerine.
Because we can.
We're getting a bit advanced with this one, because blueberries can be a bit tricky to work with, but you can totally do this, so get out your equipment and let's get busy with blueberries!
Formula
50 % Glycerine49.5 % Fresh Blueberries (I used organic)
0,5 % Preservative (I used benzyl alcohol)
Figure out how big a portion you want to make, then measure everything by weight. I made a small portion here (because I'm swimming in glycerites these days), so i chose a jar that holds 500 ml.
Blueberries can be sneaky. Sometimes a berry getting ready to go wonky will hide in the bunch. Since we don't want to add any wonky or even semi-wonky berries to our lovely glycerite, every single berry should be carefully examined.
Cutting every berry in half will both help max goodness be extracted and allow you to sort through every berry. Use only firm, plump berries that are bursting with blueberry deliciousness.
Method
- Sterilize the jar and your equipment
- Slice the berries
- Weigh the berries
- Weigh and add glycerine
- Add preservative
- Place lid on jar
- Keep jar in a dark and not too warm area
- Agitate the jar daily for 5-7 days
Here's a peek at the jar shortly after I put on the lid. One cannot help but fall in love with the deliciousness of the color, can one?
Fast forward 6 days.
Straining
Straining any glycerite is an exercise in patience, so here are a few tips to help ease the process.
You'll need
- Container
- Funnel (or 2)
- Filters
- Latex gloves (you'll see why in a minute)
- Bottle for your glycerite
Be sure your funnel, container and all equipment is clean before you start. Don your latex gloves, place the funnel over your container and line it with a filter. Prepare a second filter (so it can be slotted into place with one hand)
Pour the glycerite into the funnel and scoop out any floating berries (there will still be berries in the filter).
Now, GENTLY gather the edges of the filter and lift it up while placing a new filter (or second funnel with filter) into place. You now have a handful of filter number 1 - containing mostly berries and some glycerite
Ever so gently, squeeze the filter you are holding to extract as much liquid as possible.
Discard the fruit-laden filter.
You now have a setup that looks like this: a filter full of glycerite that is slowly running through.
Key word: slowly.
They say patience is a virtue.
Prepare to be virtuous.
Here's how:
Place your filter/container setup in a completely undisturbed place.
Cover it loosely with a 'foil tent' or other material that will keep dust, bugs and everything else undesired at bay.
Wait.
Wait some more.
Wait even longer.
If your glycerite stops dripping altogether, don a fresh pair of latex gloves - CAREFULLY gather the edges of your filter together and lift it out while placing a new filter.
Then, EQUALLY CAREFULLY, pour the glycerite from the first filter into the second.
Wait.
Wait some more.
Wait even longer.
If necessary, repeat the above filter-replacement exercise.
When the glycerite has finished filtering, transfer it to your bottle.
Date and label the bottle.
Rejoice at your virtuous-ness.
Time Factor
This glycerite took a total of 5 and a half hours to filter through. I did the filter-replacement exercise twice.It was worth the wait.
Have fun.
:)
Blueberry fun facts
- Blueberries have an average water content of around 84%
- 100 grams of blueberries is about 57 calories
- Blueberries have a natural content of methylparaben
Glycerite How to's on This Blog
Cucumber: 1Cucumber: 2
Lemon
Strawberry
Comments
HI Kath - I may just have to post a few glycerite using ideas in an upcoming post-- several folks have asked :)
May I ask why you are looking for paraben free?
Paraban free is what my customers are looking for. I have loads of people ask me exclusively that they want paraban free. And if there is an option I would prefer that as well. I mainly use optiphen plus for my skincare range.
I actually love herbs infusions but always hesitant towards fresh fruits and using herb infusions too due to their hard to preserve nature, made an amazing rose water face cream which had the most beautiful pink tint but it turned brownish in few weeks which was little unpleasant as if i sell them fresh i don't want customers to think its molding because its changing color.
Thanks for answering about the parabens. It is a common thing that people ask for paraben free and this is truly a pity. An entire group of preservatives has had to suffer under scare campaigns that started because of 2 parabens that came under suspicion for being endocrine disruptors. These 2 were pulled from the market in 2009 and to my knowledge are no longer even available.The others were also put under new testing, and one one were again released. Every paraben preservative on the market today is throughly tested and approved. Parabens are among the safest preservatives and also have the longest track record of use (and testing). Sorry for 'preaching' at you, but I find it truly sad that misinformation about these preservatives has been allowed to take hold in the way it has. We are not only cheating our customers out of tried and tested ingredients, but by dismissing parabens, we are also allowing scare tactics and fearmongering to dictate how we make our products. It's just not fair - to anyone!
That said, if you are not happy using benzyl alcohol, you might try a 'cocktail' mix such as Cosguard. If you are use hydrosols instead of infusions, you won't experience the same color change problem, but you will need adequate broad spectrum preservation, where I can recommend both cosguard (a 'cocktail' mix that includes ebenzyl alcohol) and phenonip (which does contain parabens). Best of luck with it. :)
I have no issues with benzyl alcohol, just couldn't find it at my usual suppliers :) i have to look a little harder
With parabans, i really have no issue with them, but there were few reasons I opted to choose not to use them, one there is so much misinformation that initially i got overwhelmed and tried to stay away from something i wasnt sure y i am using it. I found optiphen plus and germall plus as good alternates for most of the stuff i was making. Then realised customers didn't wanted them too and lots of them specifically ask if i have parabans free products. I honestly didn't got too much chance of reading parabans and reaching on a conclusion. I am not against preservatives or unnatural alternates if they are safe to use but because other options were doing just fine I never came back on parabans topic.
What about this blueberry extract mixed with a wee bit of strawberry extract and cassis hydrolat?
In my opinion that would make a lovely toner or micellar water for summer ;)
@Tannu, I hope Lise doesn't mind I put this link, but I know a supplier in Australia, New Direction Automatics (http://shop.newdirections.com.au), they also have store for UK and Canada and I've heard good reviews. On eBay also there is an Australian eBay store that seems to be good according to reviews I've seen, but now I don't remember the name, I can look for it if you're interested
Soooo that being said, have you noticed the almond scent too? and where can I find this? Thank you Lise!
-Philippa :)
I hope you can find what you need :)
Question that i have is about viscosity. Will it becomes lower the second day? As usually Glycerine is abit higher viscosity but when i tried to agitate the jar in the second day, it has a lower viscosity then the first day.
Thanks!
TIA
Wondering if you've tried this with frozen blueberries??
I'm wanna give it a try, but was wondering if I should leave the proportions the same, or reduce the blueberry content due to a higher water/juice content in the frozen blueberries. Plus the freezer already started breaking down the blueberry I feel like I could get something interesting in less time than 6 days, I'm thinking 24 hours and a quick spin in the blender before straining.
Would love to read your thoughts on my lazy herbalist method, have you tried with frozen fruit??
infusion time this will have to be a judgement call. My usual reply to people who want to speed up the process is “you can’t rush excellence”. :)
You might consider checking out my book The Art of Making Glycerites (there's a link at the bottom of this post) as it answers all of your questions and includes calculation charts for all kinds of raw materials - both with preservative added and as self-preserving. Preservative ECO with the INCI: "benzyl alcohol, salicylic acid, glycerine and sorbic acid" is a broad spectrum preservative and can be used but be mindful of recommended dosages-- check with your supplier.
Do you have any suggestions for making a glycerite out of the leaves of the blueberry bush? Or any ideas if the green leaves are good to work with, or if it is better to harvest the leaves when they turn orange and red here in Vermont in the fall? Supposedly, the leaves contain more nutrients than the berries do. Thank you so much!
Wendy
Thanks for your comment! I am fascinated to hear the leaves are said to carry more nutrients than the berries! I would pick fresh leaves if I were doing a glycerite with the leaves. Crush or chop them just before use. Best of luck with it!