Lower Proof Alcohol
It is recommended to use a 190 proof grain alcohol for a better extraction. The additional water in lower proof alcohol will have a tendency to pull more chlorophyll and other polar compounds. Lower proof alcohol can still be used, but an additional step is required to remove all the water.
You will need
[ul]
[li]Electric heating source[/li]
[li]Double boiler[/li]
[li]Ventilation[/li]
[/ul]
Directions
[ol]
[li]Setup the double boiler on the heating source under the ventilation hood.[/li]
[li]Add Green Dragon to the double boiler.[/li]
[li]Continue to boil the alcohol until the until it begins turn a milky color and the THC oil begins to separate.[/li]
[li]Continue to boil the water out until it is a dark, viscous oil, this is usually referred to as Rick Simpson Oil (RSO).[/li]
[li]Now add 2 oz. of low proof alcohol to dissolve the oil.[/li]
[li]Remove from heat and allow to cool before using.[/li]
[/ol]
Natural Decarboxylation
Using the oven to decarboxylate the cannabis is quick and effective, but there is a cost. Cannabis contains many terpenes and flavonoids that give each strain it’s unique character. These terpenes and flavonoids have medicinal benefits as well as modulating the effects of cannabis, thus creating an “ensemble effect”.
It is possible to decarboxylate cannabis using time instead of heat. This preserves the terpenes and flavonoids. The Green Dragon is made according to the standard recipe without the first step to decarboxylate. For the reduction step, again heat is avoided. Place the Green Dragon in a pyrex baking dish covered with cheesecloth to prevent dust and debris from falling in. A fan blowing over the dish will speed up the process. After the reduction, place the green dragon in an airtight container and age in the cupboard for 3-4 months. After the Green Dragon has aged, store it in the refrigerator to prevent further degradation.
Winterization
Some recipes, such as the hard candy recipe, work better with a more pure extraction. The Green Dragon recipe uses ethanol which will also pull some plant lipids and waxes. While this Green Dragon recipe here is intended to minimize these impurities, winterization can be used to clean up some of the remaining impurities. Winterization is done by freezing the Green Dragon for 48-72 hours at 0°F, then filtering out the lipids and waxes that fallout of precipitation.
You will need
[ul]
[li]Glass jars[/li]
[li]Coffee Filters[/li]
[/ul]
Directions
[ol]
[li]Place Green Dragon in the freezer at 0°F.[/li]
[li]Leave the Green Dragon undisturbed for 48-72 hours.[/li]
[li]Wet a coffee filter with fresh ethanol.[/li]
[li]Filter out the lipids and waxes with a coffee filter.[/li]
[/ol]
Green Dragon with waxes precipitating out.
Using Concentrates
Green Dragon can also be made using concentrates. Concentrates often have a lot of the chlorophyll and other water soluble compounds removed as part of the process. Therefore, the freezer is not necessary when using concentrates. Additionally, when using concentrates, you can go directly to the desired potency without the need to reduce.
Concentrates can be decarboxylated in the oven just like cannabis, or naturally using time. The suggested potency to start with is about 1 gram of concentrate to 1 oz. of alcohol.
Rosin decarboxylating in the toaster oven.
Water Curing
Another technique to reduce the chlorophyll in the final tincture is water curing. Water curing can be done with either dried or fresh flowers. This technique relies on the fact that trichome heads are not water soluble while the chlorophyll and other polar compounds are.
You will need
[ul]
[li]Glass jars[/li]
[li]Cheese cloth[/li]
[/ul]
Directions
[ol]
[li]Place the flowers in a mason jar.[/li]
[li]Cover the flowers completely with distilled water.[/li]
[li]After 24 hours, gently strain out the water by placing some cheese cloth over the mouth of the jar and securing with a rubber band.[/li]
[li]Cover the flowers completely with distilled water again.[/li]
[li]Drain and refill every 24 hours for about a week.[/li]
[li]Allow the flowers to dry and use them as normal.[/li]
[/ol]
Water curing buds for a cleaner extraction.
Tailoring your own medicine
Different cultivars of cannabis can have different effects. Some cultivars will give you a burst of energy, while another may put you to sleep. These effects carry over in the tincture. A tincture of “Haze” will likely be more energizing, while a tincture of “Kush” may put you right to sleep. By making a tincture of each, we now have a morning tincture and an evening tincture, or we could combine them and get varying effects.
Occasionally, a medicinal dose is required without the psychoactive effects. Having a Green Dragon tincture that has not been activated can be useful for daytime use. A tincture with CBD/CBDA will also lack the psychoactive effects while still providing relief of many symptoms. My current favorite tincture is made with a 1:1 THCA:CBDA ratio that has not been activated. This tincture has stopped panic attacks and allowed me to go out in public multiple times. It provides no other effect than a feeling of well being.