Another Tincture Thread - Try it, You'll like it

No, if I use seeded material I clean it first. An occasional seed may get by but since there are no cannabinoids in the seeds, they don't help a tincture other than taking up weight. Of course, there may be some value from the hempseed in the extraction so it may need further study. Could be like adding external extracted terpenes to boost particular effects. I see this as a new field that's just getting started and I wish I had the means to explore it.

 

If you didn't decarb first, it takes about 3-4 months for the solution to decarb naturally. If the material in your 1/2 gallon of GD was not decarbed first, it will take that length of time for it to fully "ripen" for maximum effects. So, yes, it does get better with age up to about that 3-4 month stage. After that keep it in the fridge to prevent further action. You should strain your GD, then allow 3 months from the time you added the last fresh material. The cannabinoids from the earlier material, even without straining, will have already started to cure and it's why you think its strong. It doesn't get stronger with age, really, it just activates.

The new batch that you just decarbed and have currently in the alcohol can be used now. There is no need to let it sit 3-4 months when you have high proof ethanol like Spirutus or Everclear. If you decarbed the material for 40 minutes at 240° then your GD will be golden (brown). That just means that the chlorophyll is gone which is a good thing.

 

Licking the spoon is the best part.

I've noticed you've been doing a lot of reading today. You must be bored.

 

Dark Star Genesis Project
Update - 3 months



Select Image to Expand
​

We are now into the third month of our natural decarb project that I call the Dark Star Genesis. I call it that because we are watching the "genesis" of the cannabinoid profile in order to get a better idea of the development of the various compounds.

I created a compilation from the series of tests and have marked the compounds of interest as well as including a breakdown of the conversion rate of the THC. I was hoping to see that we had 95% or such this time around but had an idea that we were going to see what we have instead.

The tests I did on the Lemon Kush from last fall did indicate that 3 months would provide 98% conversion. However, that material was 50% converted when it was initially used for an undecarbed GD and that fits in with the progression we see above. The LK would have been at the equivalent of the 1 month phase.

For the Dark Star we have seen the conversion rate drop by a few percentage points with each month with us now being at 80%. The first month was a 32% increase, the second month 19% and the third month just 10%. At the current level it is decarbed more than 225°F/30-50min. It is very usable. I have been using it since it turned "3" and it has been working beautifully.

Okay, now I want to build off the previous paragraph by showing you the difference each month in the swing of the THC from THCA. I generated this by subtracting the THCA value from the THC. In the fresh sample the difference was -15.15mg/ml, about 3/4 of the total THC isomers being THCA. The 1 month sample showed a difference of just -0.17mg/ml, or just about 50-50 and the 2 month has a difference of 8.44mg/ml with THC being the dominant isomer. Now we have the third month with a difference of 12.82.

If you take a look at everything and maybe squint an eye, you can begin to see a pattern forming in the percentage of conversion. The numbers aren't perfect but well within the margin of error and includes what we saw with the LK project. It seems that possibly half of the remaining THCA left after harvest is converted each approximate 30 day period at room temperature. That means that after 4 months we will have 86-90% conversion. That's my prediction based on the above conjecture but I'm hoping that it's completed instead. Either way it is very active after month 3.

The other cannabiniods have changed slightly with the biggest being the CBDA. There has been no negligible increase in the CBN value while a few of the others, including CBD have increased. The total values have remained consistent other than a slightly lower reading at 1 month. Including a series of 4 gives us a chance to see when there was a reading error for a value, 0.00, because we can see consistencies in the other tests. With lab tests, the more you have, the more accurate your forecast.

​

 

I know what you mean, DD. As long as you live in a legal state, it can't hurt to talk to your doctors if it's pertinent to that doctor's work. I see a lot of doctors and only talk to my pain and kidney doctors about it, not even the cardiologist. Only the ones prescribing the meds that are affected. With the others, what they don't know won't hurt me.

Depending on the meds you're trying to get changed, the easiest way to get the doctors to listen to you is to tell them you want to lower your dose, that the cannabis is making it so that you don't need as much and bring the doctors into it. If they say it needs more study, you tell them that's what you and they can do. Allow them to monitor your progress. Just make them a part of it. If they feel that you are serious but willing to consult still with the physician then they may listen.

I worked with my kidney doctor and got my blood pressure meds lowered 3 times and feeling a lot better for it. After seeing how mmj worked for me the doctor is just amazed because my kidney function is now better than it has been since I received it 21 years ago. Despite my spinal issues I have almost completely stopped taking the narcotic pain meds I had been on for years. While I do still need the meds from time to time, my pain doc doesn't have any concerns that I will abuse them and will give them when/if I need more.

If you have any personal experience to relate to the doctor it will help. If you've been taking pain meds but now because of the cannabis, you haven't had to take them for X number of days. Don't do that if they are metabolic medications, though, for safety's sake. Also for safety sake, don't tell the doctor everything, especially concerning pain. You never say the pain is completely gone with the cannabis therapy because you never know what may happen and you want to be prepared, just in case.

The age of the doctor plays a big role, too. Older doctors aren't as open minded is what I have found.

 

You need to quit saying that you're sorry about diverting the topic. I've told you before that there is no diversion and that still goes.

Those "little pools of relief" are paradise when they occur and they occur more with cannabis than with anything else, at least for me.

I have had doctors contact me but I get a lot of nurses that follow the thread.

 

The link isn't connecting but I like to use 110 micron. Some people use 160 or a little higher but you get a lower quality kief with more plant material. Yield will be higher with the higher micron sizes. If you've ever used a five layer bubble bag, you can gauge which size works best for the potency you're looking for.

 

Making hash? If you have a lot of material to sift, you may want to think about a "hashmaster 5000". I recommend 110 micron but how do you plan to sift it? The type of material you're using can make some difference, too. I must admit that rosin is a pretty new term for me but sifting is sifting. Anywhere from 100 to 160 microns should be fine.