maceration is a method of extracting the oils and flavor compounds from a given amount of herbs and spices in a suitable medium such as alcohol, water, glycerin, or combinations of different solvents; it is used for making bitters and syrups and as part of the process in making absinthe and many liqueurs. The most basic method of maceration is to mix the compounds with a solvent in a suitable vessel and allow the mixture to sit for a period, with occasional agitation but without heating, as in infusion. See infusion. The mixture is then separated by decanting or filtration and the liquid portion retained.
More complex methods of maceration use precise quantities of solvents as well as exact time requirement to produce an extract with a known potency and to provide a level of consistency from batch to batch. This method was employed by early pharmacists using an apparatus known as a percolator.
A percolator is a large glass cylinder with a stopcock at the bottom. The herbs and spices are packed into the cylinder, and then the solvent is added; the mixture is then macerated for a specific period, and the extract collected using the stopcock. Depending on the method or materials, different solvents like ethanol and water can be used in succession to isolate specific compounds or remove unwanted compounds like bitter alkaloids.
Because maceration is a gentle process, it is used to extract volatile flavors and delicate ones. Certain liqueurs employ it in parallel with distillation, so that an ingredient such as, for example, orange peels will be both distilled in alcohol and macerated in it, with the two liquids blended to make the final product. Maceration is also often used with ingredients that impart color to a liquid, as colors do not survive distillation and are often degraded by heat.
See also absinthe; bitters; and Grand Marnier.
Rack, John. The French Wine and Liquor Manufacturer. New York: Dick & Fitzgerald, 1868.
By: Darcy O’Neill