Freshly milled olive oil comes out cloudy, with sediment at the bottom of the bottle. That's normal, it hasn't gone bad. It's olive juice fresh from the mill, and that sediment is simply olive pulp that hasn't settled yet. An unfiltered oil takes about five weeks to settle naturally; a filtered one, like ours, is clear and bright from day one.
Why is freshly made olive oil cloudy?
Because it's just come out of the mill and it's literally fresh olive juice. That cloudy look takes about five weeks to settle naturally, clearing little by little. What gathers at the bottom of the bottle in the meantime is olive pulp and the natural sediment from pressing, not any impurity or anything that means the oil has gone off.
Filtered or unfiltered oil? What's the difference?
Unfiltered oil ("en rama" in Spanish) is oil that's left as it is. It has a more rustic, intense flavour and a darker green colour, and it's become quite trendy lately. But it keeps for much less time, because the sediment left inside slowly spoils the oil. At heart, it's a more primitive oil.
Filtered oil, which is what we sell, has the same flavour and aroma as unfiltered oil; practically nothing changes there. The difference is that it's clear and bright, and it keeps well all year without the risk of spoiling that oil with sediment inside does have.
When does milling start and when is new oil available?
It depends a bit on the year, mostly on how hot it is, but as a rule milling starts from November. That's when the whole season kicks off and when we can start sending out new oil.
What should you do if you open a bottle and it's cloudy?
Don't worry. That cloudy look doesn't mean the oil has gone bad: it's fresh olive juice that maybe just hasn't finished settling yet. With our oil, since it's filtered, it rarely happens, but if it ever does, now you know it has nothing to do with the oil being off.
Frequently asked questions about cloudy olive oil with sediment
Has cloudy oil gone bad?
No. It's freshly milled oil that hasn't fully settled yet. With time, or with filtering, it turns clear and bright.
What exactly is the sediment at the bottom of the bottle?
It's pulp from the olive itself, left over after pressing. It's not dirt or any kind of additive.
Does unfiltered oil last as long as filtered oil?
No. Unfiltered oil keeps its sediment, so it spoils sooner. Filtered oil keeps well throughout the whole season.
If you've also noticed the oil stings or tastes bitter when you try it, we explain why good extra virgin olive oil stings and tastes bitter.
Try our Extra Virgin Olive Oil, filtered and ready to last the whole season.
