In the Lab: Creating a Simple Still for Home Distillation/Extraction of Essential Oils
By Dennis Klocek 2 min read
In this detailed tutorial, Dennis demonstrates how to convert a standard four-gallon pressure cooker into an effective essential oil distilling apparatus. (For more on its use, see our video In the Lab: Using a Simple Still for Home Extraction of Essential Oils.)
The video covers the conversion process, including creating a custom adapter for the pressure cooker, setting up a Vigreux Column separator and Clevenger device, and the operation of the still. The process involves detailed steps like drilling the cooker lid, assembling the adapter using gas fittings from a hardware store, and ensuring the system’s effectiveness and safety. This step-by-step guide is perfect for anyone interested in harvesting high-quality essential oils from plants at home.
- 00:00 Introduction
- 02:56 Operation of the still
- 05:34 Schematic Overview
- 11:46 Drilling the lid
- 18:02 Gas fittings in lid
- 27:04 From gas fittings to glass
- 34:13 Easily taking the still apart to re-charge
Parts List
- Pressure cooker- Sitram stainless steel 13 liter (approx. 4 gal ) (example is 10L
- Glass
- Glass Accessories
- 18mm hole saw (example)
Adapter Parts – Printable Adapter Parts list and Instructions (PDF)
- Vinyl tubing (ID = Inner Diameter; OD = Outer Diameter)
- Hose clamps (x2)
- Gas fittings
Addendum: Sealing the gaps
Pressure Regulating Valve on Essential Oil Still
Dennis Klocek
Dennis Klocek, MFA, is co-founder of the Coros Institute, an internationally renowned lecturer, and teacher. He is the author of nine books, including the newly released Colors of the Soul; Esoteric Physiology and also Sacred Agriculture: The Alchemy of Biodynamics. He regularly shares his alchemical, spiritual, and scientific insights at soilsoulandspirit.com.
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Whoa. Thank you!! I knew there as a soulful connection and why your information chimed in and touched my heart. Thank you Dennis this is so welcomed and am looking forward to exploring a new adventure into the unknown. Much love.
thank you for this info ! Im wondering what the water pump is ? can you give me a link please ? thanks again !
Hi Roisin, Dennis said, “No brand, but 120 GPH capacity keeps a 14 inch capacity condenser cool in a 5 gal bucket for a few hours.”
Greetings! I enjoy learning about this process and have already ordered some of the material & equipment mentioned here. I am curious .. since the video doesn’t show it .. and there was no mention in the parts list .. is there a “Glass Stopper” of some kind that is supposed to fit in the top of the condenser? If so that might want to be added to the parts list.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom!
~ Merwin.
In thinking about my question about whether there should be a glass closure at the top of the Condenser .. it’s probably unnecessary .. and would keep the distillation process from working properly. There has to be an opening or pressure could build up in the system. I do understand some of the principles involved with the varying levels of purity etc. as the steam moves up through the condenser.
~ Merwin.
Also very grateful to find Denis.
I’ve also got the same question.
On the diagram of pressure cooker Brass adapter diagram, I have noted a valve that sits above the condenser.
I will have order one too. Ordered my glassware. In process of ordering my gas fitting and tubing.
I live in Australia, so we use a different metric system. Gets confusing.
If you figure out which valve will fit, let me know.
Mishi :)
What a gem! You are an AMAZING teacher!!! I really appreciate your patience and wisdom. I pray you the BEST of the best! Much love from my family!
Hi Denis, I have a question, I’m wondering if you can give me some advice/idea. I love your set up and I have most of the glass apparatus, but I’m wondering if you have ever made an adaptor for a larger hole. Id love to make a connection for my Thermomix because I know it does a great job at producing steam and can also be set to particular temperatures as well. The issue I have is the opening in the plastic lid is roughly 500mm. Do you think I could create an adaptor similar to yours?
Hi Renee and Mishi,
I’m guessing you mean 50mm, not 500mm. Am I right? If so, tt’s really a question of being able to taper the larger hole down to the size of the glass. You might need to bring the lid and the glass adapter to the hardware store and just test with different tubing and fittings. 50mm is a big hole. You might need to use something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Aexit-Fittings-Threaded-Straight-Connector/dp/B07HR73NF2 combined with PVC fittings to get it to merge with your glass, rather than using the gas fittings, which are a good deal smaller.
Note: You need to be clear on whether the dimensions indicated on the label are inner diameter (usually ID) and outer diameter (OD).
Ben
Hello Ben and Dennis,
I have already assembled the various parts needed for making essential oils .. and I have collected a few various oils from Perala Mint, Golden Rod, Turmeric, and a few others. I have enjoyed this process of learning. My wife is a naturopath and massage therapist .. and uses essential oils in her work. I have watched many videos from different people demonstrating their tools. It’s been a very interesting journey and I would like to continue. My focus has been entirely on essential oil .. so when discussing this with one of my friends .. a point was raised about the legal element of having a still .. and so I was very surprised by this direction of thought because I did not hear anyone talk about it before. I live in Arkansas .. and it is considered a Class D felony to have an illicit still (according to how the law is written). From what I have been able to learn .. it’s mostly about making alcohol or hard liquor. Federal law says it’s okay to have a still .. and to use it for essential oils etc. but it says State Law may overrule the Federal Law.
The following is an example.
“Distilling in Arkansas is illegal, even if it would be federally legal.
Title 3 – Alcoholic Beverages 3-3-402. Manufacture, possession, and transportation. (a) It shall be unlawful for any person, including any corporation or legal entity: (1) To own, possess, or knowingly transport any illicit still, still worm, or any apparatus or any substantial part of any illicit still designed for the unlawful manufacture of spirituous, vinous, or malt liquor; (2) To manufacture or engage in the manufacture of spirituous, vinous, or malt liquor in the State of Arkansas without obtaining a license to do so from the State of Arkansas and the United States; or (3) To own, possess, or knowingly transport any illicitly distilled spirituous, vinous, or malt liquors. (b) Any person committing an offense defined by this section is guilty of a Class D felony.”
According to https://www.distillate.org/ .. it seems there is a wide variety of legal issues depending upon what state you are living in. It seems that in Arkansas you can own a still but it has to be permitted or licensed .. and you can make essential oil .. but these statements seem to be conflicting and wide ranging .. and seem to be under the control of the TTB to some extent. Here is an example: “Still. Any apparatus capable of being used for separating alcoholic or spirituous vapors, or spiritous solutions, or spirits, from spirituous solutions or mixtures, but shall not include stills used for laboratory purposes or stills used for distilling water or other nonalcoholic materials where the cubic distilling capacity is one gallon or less.”
Are we to understand then that we can only use a distiller for essential oils that has only one gallon capacity!??
https://www.ttb.gov/laws-regulations-and-public-guidance/other/regulations
It seems to me that the TTB is mostly interested in controlling the production of alcohol .. not essential oils or the distillation of water.
I am not wishing to be in violation of the law .. so I have some feelers out to learn how the local prosecutor would view the distilling of essential oils .. especially if there is a capacity of more than one gallon. If I were to collect many stems from Golden Rod .. or Pine Trees .. etc. and wished to do this on a small scale and make it available for sale on Ebay (for instance) .. then we may need to get permitted by the local health department etc. and if there is a large fee for the permits .. it may not be cost effective for very little profit margin.
I hope maybe you have some idea of what I am trying to explain here .. or if there is a source that I can reliably trust to give solid advice .. I would greatly appreciate it. I think maybe it’s something that others who are potentially interested in the production of essential oils .. would also benefit from. Thank you very much! :)
Hi Seafriend,
That’s certainly an interesting and challenging situation. While we haven’t encountered this specific issue, Dennis has always been a bit of a renegade with his research interests.
Your findings seem to point to these main options:
– Keep to 1 gallon capacity
– Get proper permits
– Set it up in your garage/shed discreetly
I wish I could offer more specific regulations or advice, but that’s all I’m aware of. Perhaps others in our community might have more helpful insights.
Cheers,
Ben
Thank you Ben, for your time and reply. If there is any news or development I will try to leave an update for you here. I think the most important point for now .. is that we build a database of thought around this. I would hate to think that someone was innocently immersed in an unexpected lawfare battle. It seems so odd to me that anyone wishing to distill (purify) water or essential oil .. could potentially be in violation of the law .. depending upon which side of a state line you live on. It seems like there would be some safety checks associated with the purchase of equipment .. a disclaimer of sorts .. as a warning to check local laws before embarking on the distillation journey.
What about the water in the pot? Your recycling the water for the condenser, using a pump. But is the water in the steam pot not running out? Thanks for all this info, it’s fantastic!!!
Dennis starts with it about 1/4 full with water. That’s usually more than enough to complete the distillation for one “charge”. He will often just replace the plant material and keep the water, as it does not need to come back up to temp, reducing time between reloads.
Hello inspiring people!
I stumbled upon your video and built the still exactly the way you described. My problem though is that the oil comes out burnt and stinky, definitely not essential.
I destilled wormwood and the oil is usually green, mine comes brown though. I guess it was the heat, but if I use less heat there is no steam coming up to the condenser.
My plant material is about 1 inch above the bottom of the pot so it is not directly touching the pot (apart from the sides).
Can you give me any advice please?
Thank you and my best regards from Austria
Stefan
Stefan B .. I am wondering if you put any water in the pot with the wormwood. If so .. how much did you put in?
Hello Seafriend,
of course I put water :)
Around 3 Liters which should be enough in my opinion, and after emptying the destillpot there was still a lot of water inside as it cannot go anywhere and basically there is or shouldnt be any loss of water as the system is a closed system.
As I don’t want to cook the wormwood but steamdestill it I didn’t put more than the 3 liters.
I also tried a second time with another plant and got the same result, burnt.
In my next attempt I will try to use a sandbath for heating
Hi Stephan .. I will admit that I do not have a lot of experience with different plant materials .. this is my second year of using a reflux still that I made using parts like are recorded here. It is unfortunate that we cannot share pictures in this format. I decided to plug your question into Grok AI and got the following lengthy answer.
“The brown color and burnt, stinky smell in your wormwood essential oil are classic signs of overheating during distillation, which can scorch the plant material or degrade the volatile compounds (like thujone in wormwood, which typically gives a green or blue-green hue when distilled properly). Since your plant material is suspended 1 inch above the bottom (likely in a basket or rack above boiling water for steam distillation), it’s not directly burning on the pot, but superheated steam or uneven heating can still cause this. Lowering the heat reduces steam production, which halts the process, so the key is balancing consistent, moderate heat without extremes.
Common Causes and Fixes
Based on distillation troubleshooting guides:
Overheating/Scorching: High heat can dry out the plant material or create hot spots, leading to burnt residues in the oil. Wormwood is sensitive—proper hydro or steam distillation should stay around 100°C (boiling water temp), but spikes can brown the oil.
Fix: Use a heat source with better control, like an electric hot plate instead of a stove flame. Start low and gradually increase to maintain a gentle, steady boil (aim for 1-2 drops of condensate per second in the condenser). Monitor with a thermometer in the water or vapor path—don’t exceed 105°C.
Insufficient Steam at Low Heat: This suggests not enough water or poor heat distribution, so steam isn’t generating efficiently.
Fix: Ensure the water level is high enough to cover the bottom but below the plant basket (2-3 inches of water for a standard setup). Add boiling water if levels drop during the process to avoid dry-boiling. If your setup is sealed poorly, steam may escape—check for leaks in the lid or connections.
Plant Material Issues: If the wormwood is old, dry, or packed too densely, it can burn easier or yield off-colors/odors.
Fix: Use fresh, loosely packed material. Chop it coarsely to allow steam flow. Distill for 1-3 hours max for wormwood—over-distilling can extract unwanted compounds causing stink.
Condenser/Setup Problems: Clogged or inefficient condensers (e.g., Graham type) can cause backpressure, leading to higher temps and burning.
Fix: Use a straight or Liebig condenser if possible. Ensure cold water flows well through it. Clean after each use to prevent residue buildup.
Step-by-Step Improved Distillation Process
Setup: Fill the pot with water (distilled preferred) to 2-3 inches. Place wormwood in a mesh basket or perforated insert 1 inch above water. Seal the lid tightly.
Heat Management: Heat on medium-low to achieve a slow simmer. If no steam, slightly increase heat or stir water initially. Use a heat diffuser if on gas.
Distill: Collect oil in a separator (Florentine flask). Wormwood yields 0.5-1.5% oil; stop if yield drops or smell changes.
Post-Distillation: Let the oil sit in a dark bottle for a few days—the burnt notes may dissipate. Filter if needed. Store in amber glass away from light/heat.
Test Run: Try a small batch with lower plant load to experiment with heat.
If this persists, your equipment might be the culprit—consider a dedicated essential oil still kit. For wormwood specifically, hydro-distillation (plant in water) might yield better color than steam, but it’s riskier for burning if not stirred. Always ventilate well, as wormwood vapors can be strong.
Seafriend, many thanks to you!
The oil went over the last days from brown to a blue/green color.
I have no oil to compare the smell so its difficult for me to tell if its alright now, but it definitely looks better.
In any case I will be more careful with the heat in my next destillations…
My best wishes from Austria
Glad to be of help! :-)
.. from southwestern Arkansas!