Buy oil from the olive mill: What is an olive oil mill?

To buy oil from the olive mill directly is a common practice today, thanks to the digitalisation of many of them, which have opted for online oil sales. But what is an oil mill?

The word “almazara” comes from the Arabic “al-maʿṣara”, which means “a place where the olive is squeezed”, derived from “ma’sarah”, meaning “squeezer”. This, in turn, comes from the verb “‘sarah”, which means to squeeze or press.

What is an Olive Oil Mill?

The word’s etymology suggests that an oil mill is where olives are pressed. This is why our green gold is often called olive juice.

The Royal Spanish Academy defines it as an “oil mill”, as it is generally a press used to extract juice from fruits.

Oil mills in antiquity

Olive oil consumption is so ingrained in humanity that there is evidence of oil mills existing during the Copper Age. Many studies show that the Egyptians extracted olive oil using a torsion system: They placed the olive mash in a sack with sticks tied at the ends, which were used to press the paste and extract the oil.

The Romans used the Muela Olearia, a mill with granite stones that crushed small quantities of olives. Initially, these mills were manually operated. They consisted of a circular stone base with a vertical axis in the centre, to which another horizontal axis was attached, accommodating one or two cylindrical millstones. These stones were rotated and translated, causing the stone to slide over its base and crush the olives.

In the late 18th century, the “Roller Mill” arrived in Spain, driven by animals. This system replaced cylindrical stones with truncated stone cones, aligning the development of the conical surface with the circular sector to minimise resistance and increase the crushing effect.

Between the 17th and 19th centuries, the beam and counterweight press emerged. This mechanism, about 15 meters long, was based on the lever principle. The pressure was exerted by a stone or “counterweight” of about 3,000 kg placed at one end of the beam, which was lifted by the action of the spindle. The counterweight turned thanks to small beams moved by workers, also known as “spindle workers”.

The hydraulic press replaced the beam and counterweight press during the Industrial Revolution, and this pressing system is still used today. Oil extraction is carried out by pressure through presses on filtering discs, which distribute the paste. The obtained liquid is left to settle or centrifuged to remove solid parts.

Modern oil mills

Today’s oil mills can occupy large areas due to their great capacity for processing and storing olive oil. They consist of four well-differentiated parts:

1. Reception Yard: Where olives arrive. Its size depends on how many trucks and kilos of olives it can handle. It always includes:

o Hoppers: Where the olives are deposited.

o Scales: To measure the kilos of olives.

o Conveyor Belts: Transporting the olives through different parts of the mill.

o Washing and Destemming Machine: This is used to clean the olives.

o Mill: Where the olives are crushed.

2. The Mill or Factory: Comprising three machines:

o Mixer: Where the olive paste is kneaded.

o Decanter: The first centrifuge separating oil from water and solids (pomace).

o Vertical Centrifuge: The second centrifuge removes smaller particles from the oil.

3. The Cellar: Where the oil is stored according to its quality. The cellar must be completely isolated to prevent other odours from interfering with the oil and to maintain the proper temperature, around 18ºC to 20ºC.

4. The Packaging Area: The oil is put into appropriate-labelled containers, ready to be sold in various stores or supermarkets for consumer purchase.

Differences between an oil mill and a cooperative

An oil mill is a private oil factory. It mills olives from the company’s own groves or other individuals, charging a processing fee. In the latter case, the customer who brought the olives would take the oil corresponding to the batch they delivered. They can also rent space within the mill to store their oil.

A cooperative is a business model in which several partners combine work and capital to produce oil. The oil produced is the result of the union of olives from all its members.

Buying oil from Reinos de Taifas oil mill

Our oil comes from ancient olive trees of typical local varieties, PICUDO and PICUAL. We recently introduced other single olive varieties, such as ARBEQUINA and HOJIBLANCA, completing the range we offer at Reinos de Taifas. Our olive trees’ soil is clayey and rich in calcium, giving the oil a unique flavour and aroma.

We harvest the olives when the fruit reaches optimal ripeness and mill them on the same day to avoid fermentation. The oil is extracted by cold centrifugation to ensure it retains its properties and aromas.

All materials used in the process are stainless steel to avoid contamination with heavy metals. Once the oil is made, it is stored in underground containers that protect it from light and other harmful elements. The result is an oil that is so rich in nutrients and exclusive that we call it Green Gold.

To buy Reinos de Taifas oil, visit our online store. There you will find all our single variety options.