Making Tinctures

[Jason]

Ok, so I just finished my first tincture, veg glycerin and about 1.3 oz of decent trim and a few small buds. I made it in the crockpot. I laid a cloth in the bottom and laid my jar on the cloth (now the lid will close), set it for 'low' and checked the temp, it stayed 140 deg's. 24 hrs later I cooled it and strained it through cheese cloth into a pint mason jar. Haven't tried it yet, soon enough. The finished product is still quite cloudy with sediment, what would I use to strain this a little finer?

Why strain it? I'd be afraid of losing some desirable stuff. One reason I don't like glycerin is filtering it. Cheese cloth seemed good, but I felt like there was a lot left in the cloth. Coffee filter did not work well due
to viscosity. I get what I need with EverClear. Its quick, easy to filter.
I've let leaf and trim sit for weeks in a sandwich bag with resulting tar good for vaping.

[dontknownuttin]

Or you can let someone else do all the work! I buy this stuff in the 600MG size. Great medicine to take the pain away and help get to sleep quick! Always my first choice when I'm getting edibles. Consistent dosing and great flavors!

[desertdan]

Must be nice to be legal! The rest of us can just dream.

[buz]

End result of my Veg Glycerin, Crockpot tincture is not good. Actually, 5 drops sublingual and nada, zilch, zero, nothing. Not sure what went wrong, had decent trim, decarbed, and simmered in crockpot 24 hours on low (140 deg). Hmmm. Everclear here I come.

[Dutchman1]

Try 10 drops then 20. I bet you just need a higher dose of it.

[Jason]

I tried glycerin twice with crock pot and just didn't get the desired effects. Filtering was a pain. And I don't like the sweet.
In your case you might try upping the dose. Like 2X to 5X and see what happens. I'd hate to think all your effort resulting in nothing.

With EverClear, I use 1 oz to 1 gram of dried, decarb'd flower. My wife can take 5 ml. Most friends do 5-10 ml. A friend did 15 ml and did not have a good time. That was too much.
I do 15 to 30 ml with strong effects.
I've done the same recipe close to ten times and the results are very predictable.

[dontknownuttin]

Warm up glycerin before using filter works for me thins the stuff out!

[Dutchman1]

I still think its a lot better to make it with everclear alcohol ( which is very easy to filter) then reduce the amount of alcohol by fan evaporation or double boiler, then add a little glycerin. It will be a more potent tincture with alcohol then with glycerin as a conduit for the trichomes to disolve into.

[buz]

Is it a pretty intense odor when you're cooking it down? and why do you add the glycerin, is it for consistency?

[Dutchman1]

The odor isnt too bad with a fan and a window open.but you need to have airflow. Actually Im going to experiment with fan reduction next batch. Pour liquid in a tray and run a fan over it till it reduces. This way I dont take a chance of overcooking it and reducing the thc levels and potency.The glycerin or water I add to subdue the strong taste and burn of the alcohol. It makes it a little weaker but much improves the taste. I usually add a food grade flavoring also like tangerine and put the drops in my coffee in the morning. Its the balls !

[buz]

Good answer, thanks. ?Food grade flavoring = Extracts from the flavoring isle?

[Dutchman1]

I cant emphasize enough though the need to freeze the weed and the alcohol. It traps alot of chlorophyll and other water soluble plant material that gives it a strong flavor and color. My tinctures always come out golden and have a mild taste. I hear from many people that other methods make for a strong taste and color. And no need to soak for months. 24 hours is plenty then after straining add fresh alcohol for another 24 hours for a second weaker batch. Ive had hard core, high tolerance, "stoners" tell me my tinctures are amazing and plenty powerful.
https://www.culinarysolvent.com/blog...ating-cannabis
Also https://skunkpharmresearch.com/qwet-extraction/ I altered there method slightly.

[GreenDragonRon]

Thanks Dutchman1. I think I will give QWET a try, I still have 6 zips of flower I can experiment with.

[Jason]

I cant emphasize enough though the need to freeze the weed and the alcohol. It traps alot of chlorophyll and other water soluble plant material that gives it a strong flavor and color. My tinctures always come out golden and have a mild taste. I hear from many people that other methods make for a strong taste and color. And no need to soak for months. 24 hours is plenty then after straining add fresh alcohol for another 24 hours for a second weaker batch. Ive had hard core, high tolerance, "stoners" tell me my tinctures are amazing and plenty powerful.
https://www.culinarysolvent.com/blog...ating-cannabis
Also https://skunkpharmresearch.com/qwet-extraction/ I altered there method slightly.

I'd love to reduce the chlorophyll and other "dark" ingredients. Do I freeze the EverClear/Leaf/Trim mixture? Or separately then combine cold?
What weight of herb to what measure of alcohol do you use? For flower I use 1 oz EverClear to 1 gram of flower. With trim and such, I don't really measure, but I'm guess its close to an oz per batch.
Thanks for any insights.

[Dutchman1]

Freeze separately first, then combine cold. I even strain it in the freezer although I have a full size deep freeze with adjustable shelves. I personally fill a quart mason jar about 2/3 full with decarboxylated flower or trim and small buids. Then cover herb by an inch or two with everclear and return to freezer. I shake it whenever I think of it ( every few hours).Its ready to be strained in 24 hours. Then after straining I add new alcohol to the same jar of strained cannabis and make a weaker "second wash" with the same procedure. You can use the resulting liquid exactly as it is but its "hot" in the mouth. I reduce the volume by 2/3-3/4 which makes the tincture even stronger and eliminates alot of the alcohol.. I then add glycerin or water to further reduce the burn in my mouth but that also weakens the mixture. You can add it to drinks without the reduction process if preferable. This also reduces the chances that you will cook off the terpenes or THC due to overcooking. Or reduce the volume with a fan with he liquid in a tray. Keep all cannabis or tinctures out of direct sunlight as light degrades potency. Always have open windows/fan blowing for good airflow as alcohol fumes can be explosive if concentrated. The fumes can also cause health issues if inhaled directly over time without plenty of fresh air. OH ! and dont reduce by heat on any stove that has a flame burner.

[Jason]

Thank you! I'll try the freezing thing.

[desertdan]

Today I will put my green dragon in a mason jar and then put it in a water bath in my crock pot. Very safe evap method. In summer I just put it outside in the shade and with 100+ and no humidity the alcohol is gone in short time. I don't understand how freezing helps?

[Dutchman1]

Read this Desertdan.https://skunkpharmresearch.com/qwet-extraction/

[desertdan]

Thanks Dutch , great tutorial.

[dontknownuttin]

[buz]

A really good thread - thanks to everyone who pitched in. I'll be referencing back here quite a bit. "A bottle of Everclear, please".

[Aloner]

As someone else interested in getting started making tinctures, I thank you for starting this thread!

[Jason]

I've experimented with decarb flower then soak in EverClear to make GoldenTiger. So far that is the strongest stuff I've made.
I've also evaporated the Golden Tiger down to goo and put in a gel cap. Good, but not the same as liquid form. Slower come on, longer lasting, not as intense.
I've also soaked leaves and trim in EverClear, evaporated and vaped. Now THAT is best done sitting down. No decarb involved.
And lastly, soaked leaves and trim in EverClear, evaporated down to tar, then decarbed the tar (see my Safer RSO thread). So far that is the least effective.
Which I believe is due to the quality of leaf I used.

Of those experiments, Golden Tiger from decarbed flower has the strongest effects. Comes on faster (within 15 min) and is most intense.

I decarb by floating an alum. herb storage canister on heated peanut oil. Oil is heated with a digital induction hot plate with confirming digital thermometer in the oil.
I heat to 240F for 110 minutes. 1 oz of EverClear to 1 gram of flower. Soak and strain. Drink somehow or evaporate to tar and consume.
5ml to 15ml is good for most folks. I've done 30-45ml a couple of times. Which would not be a good time to try to renew your Chess Master Certificate.
A friend did 15 ml after doing 5 and 10 several times. 15 ml was too much. He had a very uncomfortable few hours.

Dutchman has some good techniques I want to try.

[Dutchman1]

Im waiting for the NOVA decarboxylater right now before I make any more batches. Also going to do a fan reduction next time instead of heating.