Just remember I’m an autodidact, so most if what I know is from research and development over time. I like xanthan gum, but it needs something with shearing Force to mix correctly like an immersion blender.
Guar gum behaves in most scenarios and is an emulsifier, stabilizer, and similar to a surfactant it also attaches to oil and water both. It will bloom in water like gelatin to a point. I’ve added a tablespoon of guar gum to a 8oz water and it became a gel. With oil it dispersed evenly and formed a paste. Mixed with a gel or syrup allowed seamless mixing with water or oil without clumping.
I started being intrigued on xanthan gum and guar gum after learning they can be used to emulsify and stabilize an emulsion in a Bingham Plastic. If you need the quick version a Bingham Plastic is the opposite of a non Newtonian fluid. More solid until force is applied to thin it out vs more solid as force is applied and liquid when no force is applied. Examples of a Bingham Plastic are ketchup, mayonnaise/aoli, and mustard. Even without extra ingredients they behave the same.
I did find out a cooking spice that neutralizes bitrex in the tincture, but I’d recommend not using anything that has it rather than fixing it afterwards. Alum chemically reacts with bitrex to get rid of that most bitter molecule on the planet. It’s pH dependant though from the paper that mentioned it.
Even though there’s a option to get rid if it. If I can help it I’ll just use ethanol and MCT oil for what’s left. While I’m informing I’m not recommending that anyone have to do it. Just thought I’d mention it for anyone who chooses to use a qwiso wash tincture method in anything ingested. You can’t be sure it’s all gone if you formed an azeotrope, so if possible just avoid having to use this method to get the taste out.
From my personal experiences though it really only cuts about 80% of the bitter out. After that it’s dilution only that gets rid of it. You don’t want to have anything react with the cannabinoids and with chemistry you can do that by accident.
Edit: I should add it was from my reclaim that I found out later wouldn’t lose the bitrex molecule even after all the alcohol was boiled off. Not making that mistake again and reclaim made using acetone or isopropyl alcohol is only used for topicals now.
Okay, I have probably asked this before, so I apologize, the “oldtimers” is starting to set in.
If I am making a VG Tincture, to I use the amount of liquid I put IN or the amount i get OUT, to try to figure the concentration? All I know is that I have a Durban x Red Cherry Berry mix that is going to be kick ass (tried a bit already) and I decarbed it by boiling the mixture, so it lost none of the terps (super berry flavor).
The calculating is not for this, as I have no clue what the % is (and don’t have $60 to find out - anyone know of a cheap way to get accurate #'s, please let me know) but for a CBD Tincture I will be making (once the damned flower gets here) which I do know (seller was nice enough to do it).
Honestly, I dont know how efficient VG extraction can be. I know it’s based on time. I have some that’s been soaking for nearly a year at this point. It has definitely gotten stronger.
I have noticed that, especially for THC, if I boil it for about 2 hours, which also decarbs it and keeps the flavors for the most part, then let it sit for a week, it had the same effect as the one batch I let “soak” for 6 months. Everything I have read says that the best way is to mix it and let it sit for 4-6 months, and I will do a batch that way, when I get it (a pound ) but I do want some right away.
That being said, what should I use in or out volume?
Actually I used a bit less, in the past, due to the inefficiency of the VG. I think I used 70% before, but that is what I thought you said before. Thank you sir.
would winterization affect the way that my body metabolizes the THC and CBD?
Would winterization be best if I am planning on making cannasugar since that is like a hard candy in essence?
Also, I am not sure if it has been mentioned in this thread, however I find that if I strain the ethanol mixture through a fine screen to get out the weed, and allow that to strain in to a coffee filter, after I let the coffee filter dry I have a nice pile of bubble hash as a gift
No winterization wouldnt help there. You would need to either saturate your lipid system first, or use something like lecithin. This has been discussed in your other thread.
No, it’s not necessary for the canna sugar. The reason I suggest to winterize for the hard candies is because the waxes tend to form clumps on the candy and they dont look as good. It can also make it so some pieces are stronger than others.
While it sure looks like bubble hash, I assure you those are the empty trichome husks. Smoking it should have little to no effect.
I used trim- some pretty low grade. 20 g trim in green dragon, evaporated all the way out, I got 2 g of oil. So about a 10% yield.
For my calcs, if I took that 2g, I still need to assume it’s 60% THC, correct? So that 2 gs is assumed 1200 mg THC, if I made a batch of 60 gummies, I should be about 20 mg each?
Was good to evap that all the way down to help determine potency/yield of the trim I used…
I don’t know if this is the best thread to ask, but I am in search of a topical recipe and I’m having trouble finding it. I am looking for a recipe for a Green Dragon Tiger balm. Basically combining tiger balm with a green dragon tincture addition of some sort to make it effective due to both ingredients, not just the tiger balm. (hoping to help patient with arthritis and joint pain and whatnot). Is this something that can be done? Please let me know, thanks.
(I already have a bottle of the green dragon i made)
I guess i’m really just asking for a green dragon salve/balm and then if it works possibly combine it with tiger balm.
The simplest way would be to just use the solvent transfer to transfer some GD to the tiger balm. Heat the tiger balm in a double boiler, add GD, continue to heat until the GD has evaporated leaving behind the cannabinoids.
so, since salves use oils (coconut, olive) and bees wax, can i just replace the oils with green dragon? would green dragon mix with the beeswax? or would i have to heat it and let it evaporate before mixing it together? i would like to test it before mixing with tiger balm so i know if it’s actually working. can i heat up the green dragon with coconut oil to make infused coconut oil and then use that to make the salve?
My next door neighbor is an 82 year old from Chihuahua, Mexico originally. Not long ago I was out in the back yard working with my plants and he asked me if I could make some stuff for his arthritis. His mom used to live on the property and he built his adobe house on it after she passed. He said she would stuff pot plants into alcohol (I think), and leave it on the counter to rub onto their ailments.
I guess it was just a green dragon of sorts. He never mention doing any cooking of it. I gave hime some balm I had been given that helped me and told him I would make something. I have a lot of good trim I need to use so I may have to ask your help for whats best. Looks like maybe that link above…
For arthritis we do an alcohol extraction of high CBD plants and use the tincture to make gummies.
Works so well we will proactively take a gummy before getting down to business (the jobs you know you are going to hurt from afterwords). It is amazing how well it works sometimes, cuts out a lot of other analgesics.
I need to do that. I have some arthritis now, too. I have a few different bags of CBD. I really don’t know the % but could probably be close in guessing. One is a 1:1 but I have 3 phenos so it could have a stronger CBD pheno. I have Sebring’s Revenge and Perkin’s Cut (cannatoninc?), too. Thanks for the idea. This winter I’m cooking!
My understanding is the 1:1 is best for cancer patients to help fight chemo side effects but I’m sure there are other applications as well.
My wife has issues with THC so we’ve been doing 30:1 to great effect. I think we have cut out 90% of the analgesics I refer to as geriatric trail mix.
) but I do want some right away.