Tinctures: alcohol- glycerine-MCT oil

[Lp_jr]

I read so many conflicting pieces of information about what should be used in tinctures. Any preferences?

 

[Tincandtoke]

Do you mean what do we use to make tincture?
I use everclear 190 proof to make the tincture
I reduce the tincture into coconut oil (mct oil) or simple syrup ( a bit involved), or glycerine to make oral spray

Here is a tincture in the top pic and tincture from left to right in the second, frozen flower, frozen flower with 190proof alcohol, tincture reducing in a double boiler, the finished reduced tincture, and finally in the small mason jar 190 proof alcohol used to clean the beakers (remnants of several strains in it)
Hope this helps

 

[Lp_jr]

Yes!

Made my first one today, ended up using MCT oil just because we have a gas stove. Ended up putting it into mason jars in a water bath, inside a crock pot.

 

[Glassdub]

Whats the least amount of alcohol that can be used per half oz of weed?

 

[Tincandtoke]

Whats the least amount of alcohol that can be used per half oz of weed?

I will assume you decarbed and ground your cannabis
You need to cover the ground cannabis
So go at least a little over the top to make sure the cannabis is completely submerged
Try the cold alcohol extraction method, less cannabis taste

 

[Mostlymooses]

Winterizing your stuff before extracting is always a good idea. I just started winterizing my rso and it makes a noticeable difference.

 

[Glassdub]

I will assume you decarbed and ground your cannabis
You need to cover the ground cannabis
So go at least a little over the top to make sure the cannabis is completely submerged
Try the cold alcohol extraction method, less cannabis taste

Are you saying is best to ground after decarbing I was going to use a blender prior though the instructions to my machine says that that's not even needed.
Also there is a line limit on it that has to be reached in order for the blade to reach the mix, but I'm just attempting to conserve alcohol as its the pricey part, I'm just extracting sugar shake mostly.

 

[Glassdub]

Winterizing

Winterizing?

 

[Mostlymooses]

Sorry I'm not sure what the technical term is, but mixing it with 190+ and putting it in a freezer for 24-36 hours to get the fats to condense on the bottom, then pour it off to separate that layer out.

 

[Glassdub]

Sorry I'm not sure what the technical term is, but mixing it with 190+ and putting it in a freezer for 24-36 hours to get the fats to condense on the bottom, then pour it off to separate that layer out.

Oh, ok I guess this is a oil extraction thing, I'm just aiming to make tincture.

 

[Mostlymooses]

Only reason I mention it is that at first making rso it was making my stomach very upset. I later found out that some people are sensitive to chlorophyll in high amounts, and you can remove that by winterizing. You might run into the same issue, seeing as how rso and tincture are made are very similiar.

 

[Poekie]

Sorry I'm not sure what the technical term is, but mixing it with 190+ and putting it in a freezer for 24-36 hours to get the fats to condense on the bottom, then pour it off to separate that layer out.

Actually, the wax/lipids stay on top, not on the bottom.

 

[Tincandtoke]

Are you saying is best to ground after decarbing I was going to use a blender prior though the instructions to my machine says that that's not even needed.
Also there is a line limit on it that has to be reached in order for the blade to reach the mix, but I'm just attempting to conserve alcohol as its the pricey part, I'm just extracting sugar shake mostly.

You do not need a blender
Decarb your cannabis 240f (115c) for forty minutes
You will find different times and temps but most are close to this
Put your ground cannabis and alcohol in the freezer for at least 24 hours
Pour the alcohol over your cannabis and seal the top (Mason jar works best)
Shake for 5 minutes
Return to freezer for 2 hours
Remove and shake for another 5 minutes
Filter the plant material through a coffee filter (wet the filter with fresh alcohol first)
Not finished yet
Take the plant material from the filter and return it to the mason jar
Pour fresh cold alcohol over the plant material like you did the first time
Immediately give it another 5 minute shake and filter it, this second shake will increase your cannabinoid yield
You have your tincture
You can reduce it to increase potency
No machine needed and you reduce the cannabis taste

 

[Tincandtoke]

Actually, the wax/lipids stay on top, not on the bottom.

My experience with winterizing is that the waxes and lipids end up on the bottom
Before using a buchner funnel to filter I would put my finished tincture in the freezer overnight and then use a syringe to draw the tincture and leave as much wax and lipids behind as I could

 

[Mostlymooses]

You can also put a coffee filter In a strainer lined with cheese cloth and pour your winterized mixture into it to filter. I'm sure some will probably mix back in but it traps most of it.

 

[Tincandtoke]

I do a four stage filter
First stage is a stainless steel coffee filter lined with a paper coffee filter set in a ceramic dripper

 

[Tincandtoke]

Here is the rest of my filtering process
In the fourth stage I add carbon to the tincture and filter through a buchner with a celite 545 puck on top of the fritted filter head of the buchner

Better pic with the carbon and celite puck

 

[Poekie]

My experience with winterizing is that the waxes and lipids end up on the bottom
Before using a buchner funnel to filter I would put my finished tincture in the freezer overnight and then use a syringe to draw the tincture and leave as much wax and lipids behind as I could
View attachment 1104070

Oh now that is strange, by definition oils should float to the top, they do in my freezer.
I do like your filtering process !

"At its most basic, winterization is the dissolving of a non-polar substance (hash oil) into a polar solvent (most commonly ethanol) at sub-zero temperatures. Doing so separates the waxes and lipids from the oil, forcing them to collect at the top of the mixture for easy filtration"

 

[Tincandtoke]

Just a note to the OP
I'm completely nuts about my tincture and only the first stage is necessary to achieve a thorough filter

My initial filtering process may be the reason everything ends up on the bottom
Never seen anything float on the top but that is probably something I'm doing wrong
Thought it had to do with specific gravity but I'm really rusty on the chemistry
Its been a while since organic chemistry

 

[YnoTony]

I will assume you decarbed and ground your cannabis
You need to cover the ground cannabis
So go at least a little over the top to make sure the cannabis is completely submerged
Try the cold alcohol extraction method, less cannabis taste

I am trying the cold extraction now. First time making tincture. Declared trim and is now in the masons.