Heating Weed Before Tincture??!

[icurbyou]

This whole tincture thing seems to be very confusing.

Some people claim it works, some claim it doesnt. Some say you must heat your weed in the oven and others say you dont.

From EXPERIENCED TINCTURE MAKERS I would like to know.... Must you heat the weed in the oven first or is this bullshit?

 

[diemdepyro]

Heat will make solvents work better. I am sure this is just perspective.

 

[mannurse801]

Heat to 200 F for about 15 minuts prior to putting in the alcohol. Theheating takes away a carbon bond from THC, making it active. When we smoke weed, it does this using the flame at a high rate of speed. If however we heat weed in the oven too hot, we will actually vaporize the THC. I like 200, mkaes the buds crispy. Crunch them up, add to high proof alcohol (Everclear), wrap in tin foil to make light proof. Place in a closet, not too warm, around 65-80 F. Wait 3-6 weeks, and voila, you have great drinks. At that point you can evaporate off much of the alcohol so that you are left with a concentrated tincture. Add a few drops to your favorite drink, and voila, you have a green dragon!!!!

I find the closet method works way better than the heating on the oven method. I drink a THC drink 2-3 times a week. It comes on slowly, but then I peak, and sometimes stay high for a good 8 hours....
Cheers!

 

[diemdepyro]

Heat to 200 F for about 15 minuts prior to putting in the alcohol. Theheating takes away a carbon bond from THC, making it active. When we smoke weed, it does this using the flame at a high rate of speed. If however we heat weed in the oven too hot, we will actually vaporize the THC. I like 200, mkaes the buds crispy. Crunch them up, add to high proof alcohol (Everclear), wrap in tin foil to make light proof. Place in a closet, not too warm, around 65-80 F. Wait 3-6 weeks, and voila, you have great drinks. At that point you can evaporate off much of the alcohol so that you are left with a concentrated tincture. Add a few drops to your favorite drink, and voila, you have a green dragon!!!!

I find the closet method works way better than the heating on the oven method. I drink a THC drink 2-3 times a week. It comes on slowly, but then I peak, and sometimes stay high for a good 8 hours....
Cheers!

Could I use 100 proof whisky?

 

[mannurse801]

Yeah, but it is not as efficient at drawing out the THC. Use the Bacardi 151 if you can't get a hold of 190 Proof stuff.
I use pure lemon extract at 90% alcohol, and works wonders! I put 2 grams in 2 oz of fluid, end up with 3-4 doses...

 

[icurbyou]

No offense ManNurse but you were the only person I could find that was repping the oven thing. Can I hear from someone else?

 

[icurbyou]

I did find this:

Heating dried marijuana makes the carboxyl group convert into water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2). When marijuana is smoked, the burning eliminates the carboxyl group. There are several ways to decarboxylate marijuana for use in extracts. A layer of marijuana buds or leaf can be placed in an oven at 150 degrees for 15 minutes. This is far below the boiling point of THC yet warm enough to evaporate the carboxyl group. Another method of releasing the COOH is by placing a bowl of buds in the microwave for 2 minutes. The waves will boil away the water. The boiling point of marijuana's active cannabinoids ranges from 260-392 degrees F.

http://www.cannabisculture.com/articles/3037.html

 

[icurbyou]

Ok... So say I do this and cook my weed in the oven.... How long is it going to make my house smell like herb??

 

[mannurse801]

Not too long. Depends on how much you do. I do only 2 grams of herb per batch.
No offence taken, I do this so often, it is regular for me. Do a test with a small sample. One with and one without cooking, you will see.
The flame does this for us when smoking, but when making a cool extract, it is the only way to do it...

 

[mannurse801]

Here is a link to the Green Dragon....
http://www.greendragonsoda.com/

Notice, they use a microwave for their herb, don't, use the oven at like 175-200 for 15 min!

 

[icurbyou]

Man... sucks being unemployed.. I need a fucking scale. lol

So i can make it with like a marble size of weed .. maybe in a shotglass or something.. Long as I make it 3parts weed and 4 parts Everclear (its what I have already)

Like.. in order to have a small batch - to test the oven VS no oven method?

Also, 1 more Q... How much do you personally take orally? A few drops from a eye dropper? Or a spoon full? a shot?

 

[mannurse801]

I usually get 2-4 dses from 2 grams of weed.
Let's say you smoke X amount to get you toasted, then X would be 1 very strong dose.
If you put 4X in the alcohol, you will have 4 doses, hence, just spilit the alcohol into 4 doses. If you use 4 oz, then 1 oz per dose. I tend to evaporate much of my alcohol so I am only left with like 12 ml. I then pu 3-6 ml per "drink" depending on the type of high I want.
I actually love the high, it is very pure, and lasts a long time. It really creaps up on you slowly, then all of a sudden, it really hits hard and you gotta focus on things in order to stay with it....

 

[diggitydank420]

icurbyou, here is the definitive answer from the Vancouver Island Compassion Society(Links for download are active):

VICS Cannamist/Tincture Recipe
​

and Instructions on How to Convert THCA Into THC

​

Download Recipe​

A tincture is an alcohol-base solution of a non-volatile medicine (in this case cannabis). In this case alcohol is not only the solvent used to separate cannabinoids from the plant matter, it is what makes this type of application (particularly in fine-mist form) more bio-available and therefore effective.
In whole-plant cannabis, THC content is expressed as THCA (tetrahydrocannabolic acid) prior to decarboxilation into THC, which takes place when cannabis is heated during cooking, and smoked or vaporized ingestion. THCA is a mild analgesic and anti-inflammatory but does not have good affinity with our CB1 receptors, so in order to make a THC-rich tincture that has many of the same therapeutic effects as smoked ingestion (including rapid absorption, quick relief and ease of self-titration), we must convert the THCA in the plant matter into THC prior to extracting it through an alcohol soak.
Supplies:
Converted cannabis
Alcohol (50% is preferred, but 40% vodka works just fine)
Organic mint
Organic honey
Large mason jar, x 2
Cheesecloth or fine mesh sieve

Dry heat conversion of THCA into THC:

• Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C) exactly (use an oven thermometer to be sure).
• Spread cannabis leaf or bud in a thin, 1 inch (2.5 cm) layer on a clean cookie sheet.
• Put in the oven until the first of smoke or 5 minutes, whichever is first, remove, and transfer to glass or ceramic container to cool.

Tincture/Cannamist Recipe:

• Pack a mason jar loosely but completely with converted cannabis product.
• Add alcohol until the jar is full.
• Seal, shake and put in a dark, cool place.
• After week 1, strain mixture through cheesecloth or fine mesh sieve and add to another mason jar packed with converted cannabis and a few sprigs of fresh organic mint.
• After week 2, strain mixture through cheesecloth or fine mesh sieve into mason jar.
• Add organic honey to taste.
• Shake/mix and then decant into bottles fitted with fine mist spray tops.

Dosage:

Initial Dosage: Spray two times on the inside of the cheek, and wait 30 seconds before swallowing. Wait ten minutes and if desired effect has not been reached, repeat on the opposite cheek. Wait ten minutes, and repeat until desired effect is achieved. Dosage will vary between users, but should remain fairly constant once established.

Effect will last for between 1-2 hours. Repeat use as needed.

If you feel dizzy or disoriented, immediately discontinue use. Do not operate heavy machinery or drive during use of this product.

Download a PDF of Cannamist Recipe​

 

[mannurse801]

No offense, but do not use that recipe. That temp is too high. I vap my weed at 325-350. It only takes a few minuts to vap the product. That heat will vap a ton of the THC. Use only 175-200,
Believe me, I do this twice a week with lemon extract at 90%.
Everything else in that recipee will work, but a higher proof alcohol is highly recommended. at 40-50% you need to soak it longer than 1-2 weeks. I soak mine for 3 weeks in 90% alcohol.
One of the problems with the above recipe are that the dosage would be very hard to guage. I like mine to be able to measure within ml, not sprays. Also, the addes stuff in that recipee are not really needed. The honey and mint, ewww....
Anyway, play with it if you like, no harm. But the oven thing at 325 is too high IMO, but others swear by it. I just know that when I use my vaporizer at that temp, I get high, meaning thc is being vaporized....

As you can see from this chart, thc is vaporizing at that temp...
www.kayzeekreations.com

 

[diggitydank420]

No offense, but do not use that recipe. That temp is too high. I vap my weed at 325-350. It only takes a few minuts to vap the product. That heat will vap a ton of the THC. Use only 175-200,
Believe me, I do this twice a week with lemon extract at 90%.
Everything else in that recipee will work, but a higher proof alcohol is highly recommended. at 40-50% you need to soak it longer than 1-2 weeks. I soak mine for 3 weeks in 90% alcohol.
One of the problems with the above recipe are that the dosage would be very hard to guage. I like mine to be able to measure within ml, not sprays. Also, the addes stuff in that recipee are not really needed. The honey and mint, ewww....
Anyway, play with it if you like, no harm. But the oven thing at 325 is too high IMO, but others swear by it. I just know that when I use my vaporizer at that temp, I get high, meaning thc is being vaporized....

As you can see from this chart, thc is vaporizing at that temp...
www.kayzeekreations.com

You have to understand that to heat up .5g to 325 in a vaporizer takes almost no time at all.

Half an ounce in an oven for 5 minutes isn't very long. I seriously doubt that even 20% of the plant matter will get anywhere above 275 within that time frame.

 

[mannurse801]

Hey man, I am going by experience. I do this 2 times a week so I have a constant flow of tincture. I can tell you, I first started using the higher temps for less time. Then I experimented, and kept the temps lower for a longer time. The potency of the product was better at the lower temps. I am sure the above works, but is not ideal when heat activating the herb. Lower for longer is almost always better.

 

[Landragon]

But admitedly you are using much less herb. This will heat way faster than .5-1 oz..

 

[mannurse801]

Of course, but I only mention this due to the possiblity of evaporation of the THC. I for one do not want to chanc losing any of my content to heat issues. Doing it lwer only ensured quality product at the end by ensuring evaporation of the cabannoids does not take place.
I am just shring this information for everyones benefit. Just trying to help.

The problem with the high heat method is that 1-2 minutes too long and you can lose 10% of your product. May seem like not much, but it is a loss, and something I don't want to fool around with.
Cheers guys, and enjoy the tinctures, regardless of method.

 

[icurbyou]

I'm a dumb dumb and totally forgot to heat my weed before pouring in the Everclear.. lol

Now what? hahahaaha

 

[hackel]

Just to add in my smidgeon of experience, the heating at 200 or even 250 was a waste of time. I ground 1oz the night I got it and put it in a glass pan and bake it at 250 degrees for 5 minutes. Now the difference in my method over Mannurse, (BTW another man nurse, here. Glad to see another open-minded medical proessional!) is that my heating time was only 1/3 as long as his, so my percentage of activated THC molecules may have been paltry by comparison. Also my cooking temp was 50 degrees higher. Either way, I must recommend that you avoid the Cold Method of making a tincture as I found not even the slightest hint of potency after the 3 days or even after and additional 2 weeks. The Traditional Method made a tincture that gave me a ghost of a mild buzz after a 25ml dose. I would attribute the ghost buzz to a placebo effect, though. I ended up just evaporating it and smoking the oil left behind. After this harvest comes in, I will do a definite measurable test of whether or not baking is worth it.