Decarbing Cannabis in Alcohol

Two Year Old Sasquatch

Two Year Old Sasquatch

Well-Known Member
I've drank cannabis infused alcohol where the plant matter sat in 190proof for two years. I've also drank it where it sat for a few months. Never could drink enough to learn which is best and still not sure how the decarboxilation works. Now I'm fermenting then distilling alcohol. When I put the fermented liquid in the distiller it boils and creates vapor which rises and drips out the lid as alcohol keeping the impurities inside the boiler.

The distiller is a simple $100 water distiller. Now I'm wondering what would happen if I put weed in the already distilled alcohol, which is about 120proof and double distill it. (actually doing it now but without test results I have no way to know the THC potency.

It would look like this;

1gal 120 proof alcohol
2 oz ground flower
Boil at less than 180 degrees until distillation is complete.

Seems to me this would decarboxylate the cannabis and at the same time infuse the alcohol. Anyone have any experience with this? Thanks in advance!
 
raratt

raratt

Well-Known Member
There is a finite time/temp to release THC into whatever substance will absorb it, without loosing potency. I am not sure what evaporating it would do. Most of the THC infusions I have seen are using frozen buds/alcohol. (Yes I know alcohol won't freeze, but really cold then.)
 
cannabineer

cannabineer

Ursus marijanus
Two Year Old Sasquatch said:
I've drank cannabis infused alcohol where the plant matter sat in 190proof for two years. I've also drank it where it sat for a few months. Never could drink enough to learn which is best and still not sure how the decarboxilation works. Now I'm fermenting then distilling alcohol. When I put the fermented liquid in the distiller it boils and creates vapor which rises and drips out the lid as alcohol keeping the impurities inside the boiler.

The distiller is a simple $100 water distiller. Now I'm wondering what would happen if I put weed in the already distilled alcohol, which is about 120proof and double distill it. (actually doing it now but without test results I have no way to know the THC potency.

It would look like this;

1gal 120 proof alcohol
2 oz ground flower
Boil at less than 180 degrees until distillation is complete.

Seems to me this would decarboxylate the cannabis and at the same time infuse the alcohol. Anyone have any experience with this? Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Decarboxylation and distillation are two distinct things. I do both of these routinely.

You can decarboxylate effectively around 100 degrees C. But distillation of Cannabis requires higher temps and a good pump vacuum. A whole different temperature/pressure regime than the atmospheric distillation of ethanol.

Some things do steam distill, but cannabinoids don't do it to an appreciable degree. Any goodness you put in the still pot ( which is the vessel that is boiled) will stay there. Although the lower terpenes will probably steam-distill and give the spirit an interetsing odor and flavor.

As for stewing Cannabis in 120 proof, your boiling point , even with an efficient reflux condenser, is too low to effect decarboxylation quickly enough. It takes over a day at 90 degrees (12 degrees higher yet) to decarb THCA.

So you'll likely get an infusion ( a weak one because all that water will drive cannabinoids off the "solution" part of the phase diagram) but not decarboxylation. You're better off decarboxylating your weed in advance (using the oven method perhaps, but be warned this is smelly) and infusing into stronger alcohol, 170 or better proof. You can make such alcohol yourself, but you'll need to research and construct a fractional still. In my still, vodka makes an excellent feedstock for 190 proof neutral spirit, should I need any.
 
Two Year Old Sasquatch

Two Year Old Sasquatch

Well-Known Member
My understanding is the alcohol doesn't decarb cannabis no matter how high the proof or how long it soaks (Because it doesn't heat up the carbons) but I've been told it does, hence my question. I've never ran a test to a lab but I think I am going to.
 
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