Cannabis Tinctures

Marijuana Horticulture

by Jorge Cervantes

Use liquor as a solvent to dissolve resin glands into a potent cannabis potion. You can use any liquor, but the higher the percentage of alcohol, or proof, the quicker and more efficient the process. You can let the spirits evaporate so the tincture contains virtually no alcohol.

If you prefer a flavored drink with alcohol, use Kahlua, Cointreau, Galliano, etc. Just remember, liqueurs contain a lower percentage of alcohol, and the extraction process will take longer.

Clean 4 ounces of cannabis leaf in two quarts of lukewarm water. Stir the leaf and water so they are well mixed and the leaf is wet. Keeping the leaves whole makes them easier to work with. Strain out the leaves with a colander, letting the greenish water drain into a receptacle. This step will wash out much of the green chlorophyll.

Place the wet foliage in a bowl and cover with one quart of 80 proof alcohol of your choice. Stir the blend until the alcohol and foliage are well mixed. Make sure all foliage is covered with alcohol. Put a lid on the bowl so the alcohol cannot evaporate, and let it stir for 48 hours.

Take the lid off the bowl, and let the mix sit uncovered for 12 hours, until about half the alcohol evaporates.

Stir the brew again so it is well mixed, and pour it through a coffee filter into a receptacle. Use the coffee filter to wring all liquid out of leaves.

Pour the alcohol through the leaves again, and wring out the liquid.

You will have about two cups of cannabis tincture concentrate that is ready to use. Or you can boil the mixture down to concentrate it more. The tincture will have 60 percent or more of the THC contained in the entire four ounces of raw material.

The tincture can be added to recipes in lieu of other liquids such as water, wine, etc.

Store concentrated tinctures in a cool, dark place to avoid early degradation. Heat and light degrade tinctures quickly. Use the tincture in one to three months.

Be very careful when you drink the tincture; it is potent! The buzz is similar to the one you get when eating cannabis, but it comes on in less time.