An infusion is the bread and butter of any folk herbalist. An infusion can be made with fresh or dried herb material but is generally more successful with dried material thanks to the fragile nature of the cell walls in a herb which has no water in it to cushion the blow from the kinetic energy within boiling water. Experiment with each herb and see what you prefer.

To make an infusion simply boil some water and cover your herb (usually a teaspoon to a cup). Leave this for 5-10mins to brew prefereably covered to maintain the essential oils within the brew. Then you are free to drink it!

A decoction is similar to an infusion and is used with hardier plant parts such as barks and roots. Do make a decoction place the herb into cold water on a pan. I’d recommend leaving it in the cold water over night for osmosis to take place. Then bring to the boil on the hob. This process of starting with cold water and bringing to the boil slowly is the crucial difference between an infusion and a decoction.

To create a very strong infusion (recommended for tonics) place the herb in a jar. Fit as much as you can in the jar then cover with boiling water (careful the jar doesn’t smash). Leave this overnight and either drink cool or dilute with hot water in the morning. Believe me, this method of preparation brings the herbs into a whole other world of taste!

Herbal Infusions