HOW TO MAKE A CANNABIS EXTRACT?
Make your own extract? It is very simple! But you need to know exactly what you are doing. You need to choose the right liquid and know how to extract cannabis safely and carefully. In this article, we'll tell you all about how to make an extract.
What is a cannabis-extract?
A cannabis extract is basically nothing more than rinsing the plant material in a solvent. In this process, important components of the plant are removed and dissolved in the solvent. The mixture is then filtered and boiled, leaving a resinous substance. This substance contains a high concentration of important ingredients, such as the cannabinoids THC and CBD.
Cannabis-extract
It is possible to make your own extract. This can be done with both psychoactive cannabis (cannabis) and non-psychoactive cannabis (hemp). By extracting the cannabis, you obtain the most effective components of the plant, leaving you with a powerful concentrate: a cannabis extract. You only need to use a minimum amount of this for the same result as when using unprocessed cannabis.
How do I make a cannabis-extract?
A cannabis extract is made by using an extraction method. There are various techniques for this, but the most commonly used is to add a non-polar solvent. You let the cannabis dissolve in this and then filter the mixture. Then you boil it, leaving a resinous substance with a high concentration of cannabinoids.
Various types of extraction methods
Another method of filtering the desired components of the plant is by cold water extraction. In this way, the ingredients are not dissolved, but the trichomes - in which the most valuable components are formed - are separated from the plant. Among others, bubble hash and ice hash (or water hash) are obtained this way.
Which solvent should I use to make an extract?
First of all, it is important to know that all plants - including cannabis - consist of both lipophilic (fat-soluble) constituents and hydrophilic (water-soluble) constituents. And that water is a polar liquid and hydrocarbons like Butane, Chloroform are non-polar just like Hexane.
This is important to know because cannabinoids can only be dissolved properly with non-polar solvents. Because the less polar your solvent is, the faster you can dissolve cannabinoids. Therefore, use as a polar a solvent as possible. Furthermore, it is also important to consider the quality, safety and boiling point of the solvent. So always study the safety aspects such as boiling point and toxic properties of the solvent beforehand.
Best solvents for cannabis extraction
The best solvents to make a cannabis-extract with are Butane, Hexane and Pentane. These are the most non-polar and extract only the cannabinoids, lipophilic terpenes and waxes from the cannabis plant. They give a nice golden color to the concentrate and do not leave the polar components like the chlorophyll out of the cannabis. With these solvents, you can make a cannabis extract with a cannabinoid percentage of around 70-85%.
Safety and equipment
When extracting cannabis substances, safety and the right equipment plays a big role. Therefore, make sure you have the right extraction systems and that you carry out this process in a safe environment. Read up well before you start making an extract yourself and be very careful to avoid accidents.
