if you’re familiar with herbalism, you’re probably familiar with the process of making decoctions. i find them incredibly annoying to make, so when i learned of the thermos method (via this video by lorraine wilcox) i was pretty excited!
of course, you can’t really make true decoctions in a thermos, but i think this method is incredibly useful for people who don’t have the time, energy, or whatever else to make proper decoctions every day.
method
preheat your thermos (optional)
just pour boiling water in the thermos, and leave it for a few minutes before you add your herbs (and more boiling water). this step wastes water, but will keep the contents hotter.
measure out your herbs
measure out your herbs into a container. pour out the preheating water at this stage, if you decided to preheat your thermos.
add herbs into thermos
a funnel is very useful here.
pour fresh boiling water into thermos and seal
shake or stir. leave for however long you’d like. i let it go for at least an hour.
strain and serve
use a fine mesh strainer of some sort, and pour the liquid into a heat-safe container.