Hot Infusions

Infusions are the simplest method of preparing a plant extract, taking advantage of water’s solvent properties, and are especially useful for a plant that contains fragile constituents that would otherwise be destroyed or precipitated by other methods.  To make a hot infusion, hot water is poured over a certain amount of dried herb, covered, and allowed to steep for 5 – 10 minutes. There are a variety of standard formulas for hot infusions depending on the herbal tradition, expressed as a ratio of weight (of the herb) to volume (of water) (W/V).