Alcohol bath extraction

The recipe for cannabutter that I gave you in a previous post used water bath extraction to create the cannabutter.

This is the only way that I have created cannabutter so far, but it is not the only way.

Alcohol can be used in the place of water.

It is supposed to create a more potent form of extract  and works to create the extract in a different way than using water will.

The basis for this, is that alcohol is already a very effective solvent for cannabis resin and THC. Water is not, creating only a moist, non destructive heat for the cannabis and a place for the butter to melt and absorb the THC.

Alcohol itself will absorb THC and can then be cooked away, leaving only the butter which completely absorbs the THC. This happens gradually, with the butter becoming more concentrated with THC.

There are safety precautions you must use when using this method, it is alcohol and heating it up will create explosive fumes.

The area must be very well ventilated and do not use a gas stove, only an electric stove or a hotplate can be used.


The alcohol has to be heated in a double boiler.

You can do this outside and use a slow cooker, everyone I know who creates the ricky simpson oil which is a slightly different process from this, cooks it outside in a slow cooker.

The cannabutter created this way is different in appearance and in smell than water extracted cannabutter. It will be a brighter green and the smell will be noticeable

 

Here is one recipe that I have read about. It uses a double boiler instead of a slow cooker.

If you wanted to, you can just use a slow cooker instead, which may be easier.

Cannabutter using alcohol bath extraction

Ingredients:

1 oz fine crushed cannabis

1 cup vodka or rum

8 oz butter

enough water to simmer in bottom pot of double boiler with more being added as necessary
1 cup vodka or rum to pour on while straining

 Equipment:
 

double boiler

wooden spoon

2 large bowls

fine mesh strainer

 

 

Set up double boiler on stove with water in bottom pot at a low simmer.

Add cannabis and alcohol to top part of double boiler.

When alcohol is warm, add butter to cannabis/alcohol mixture.

Cover and cook for several hours, adding water to bottom pot as necessary.

After a few hours, allow most of the alcohol to evaporate.

Pour mixture through a strainer into a bowl and press to drain the liquid.

Heat extra cup of alcohol in double boiler, when hot pour it over the cannabis in the strainer into a new bowl.

Cover the two bowls and let them cool separately. Place in refrigerator overnight.

Skim off the congealed cannabutter from the second bowl you created and add it to the cannabutter in the first bowl.

This butter can be refrigerated or frozen.

The alcohol left over from the second bowl can be used in a sauce.

There are a few variations on this.

One of the recipes I have seen calls for a pound of butter, 4 shots of alcohol and an ounce of cannabis.

Instead of first cooking the cannabis in the alcohol, you clarify the butter, skimming the white froth off the top of the butter.

Then the cannabis and alcohol is added. It is cooked on low heat for an hour and then it is strained and refrigerated or frozen.

I don't know how effective or potent the cannabutter will be using these recipes, maybe someday soon I will test them out.