You’ve made an alcohol-based tincture with cannabis or herbs. Now you’re ready to evaporate the alcohol to remove the burn, concentrate the volume, or make FECO – but you’ve heard it can be potentially dangerous. Have no fear! This guide will review all the different ways to evaporate alcohol from cannabis tinctures safely and effectively.
Table of Contents
- Article Features
- Why You Will Love This Guide
- Why Evaporate The Alcohol?
- Safety Considerations
- Safe Evaporation Options
- Invest in the Source Turbo
- Unmatched Efficiency and Performance
- Easy to Use for All Skill Levels
- Compact Design and Quiet Operation
- Perfect for Everyone
- The Ultimate Investment
- What You’ll Need
- Step-by-Step Instructions
- Storage Instructions
- How to Evaporate Alcohol From Tinctures Recipe
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Recipes To You Make With Your Tincture
Article Features
- Safety considerations for evaporating alcohol
- No-heat and low-heat options
- Want to make it easy? Skip the hard work, order high-quality cannabis products from my shop, and have them delivered straight to your door – now shipping across the United States!
Why You Will Love This Guide
Let me guess. You’ve made – or want to make – an alcohol-based tincture like the Green Dragon or Golden Dragon with cannabis or other herbs.
You’ve heard that they’re a great way to medicate and reap the benefits of the plant.
But you’re currently stuck with – or worried about – the unpleasant, burning alcohol mixture that doesn’t taste or feel good.
So, what can you do to fix the problem? Evaporate the alcohol.
But how…especially when the process can be potentially dangerous?
Don’t worry. In this guide, I will teach you how to evaporate alcohol safely so you can eliminate the burn, concentrate your tincture for use in recipes, and easily make FECO, or full-extract cannabis oil.
Why Evaporate The Alcohol?
If you’ve used any of my tincture recipes, you’ve likely used high-proof alcohol.
The high-proof alcohol used during extraction is, no doubt, harsh and unpleasant. You know the burning sensation if you’ve ever put a drop under your tongue.
But using high-proof alcohol is a necessary evil.
It’s a powerful solvent that helps extract the cannabinoids we want, like CBD and THC, and separate them from the plant matter we don’t want.
The good news is that you can reduce or completely eliminate the alcohol from a tincture through evaporation, leaving behind all the good stuff.
This makes it easier for you to enjoy all of the benefits a tincture offers without discomfort.
Evaporation can happen naturally at room temperature or speed up the process by introducing heat.
Heat evaporates the alcohol faster, along with air movement, such as with a fan.
Remember, evaporation can only happen when the tincture is exposed to air. It will not evaporate if your tincture is covered with a lid, such as in a mason jar.
There are many ways to introduce heat to evaporate the alcohol from a tincture, some of which are safer than others. Let’s review them below.
Safety Considerations
First, let’s ensure we are safely evaporating the alcohol in a way that does not cause physical harm.
Here are the most important safety considerations to remember before starting.
Skin Contact
Strong alcohol may cause skin irritation when there is direct contact.
Always wear protective gloves when handling alcohol to minimize the risk of irritating your hands.
Removing and washing all contaminated clothing thoroughly after handling it is also good.
Eye Contact
Avoid splashing alcohol on or near your face, as it can harm your eyes.
If you accidentally get alcohol in your eyes, clean the eyes with water or regular saline.
If symptoms do not disappear after twenty minutes of washing, seek medical help.
Inhalation
It is recommended to evaporate the alcohol in an open place or a well-ventilated room.
Do not allow the vapor to come directly into your nose.
If you feel you have inhaled the alcohol vapor, move to an open place with good air circulation.
Safe Evaporation Options
The main risk during the evaporation of alcohol is starting a fire or an explosion.
That means if you have a gas stove, you should not use it to evaporate the alcohol.
There are many safe alternatives that involve the use of no heat or indirect heat.
Warning:
High-proof alcohol is highly flammable and should not be exposed to open flames. Exposing alcohol to open flames may start a fire or cause an explosion. When evaporating alcohol, take similar precautions when handling gasoline or other flammable liquids and avoid open flames.
No Heat Method
You can evaporate alcohol just by letting a tincture sit uncovered at room temperature, but that can take a very long time.
Below is a picture of a shot glass I filled with 1 ounce of the tincture. It took approximately 3-4 days for the alcohol to evaporate.
This timing will depend on how much liquid is in the glass and the temperature settings where you are.
If you’re patient, this no-heat evaporation process works just fine.
I recommend adding a coffee filter or other breathable material to the top of the container when air drying to keep any contaminants from getting in.
Indirect Heat Methods
We can safely speed up the evaporation process by introducing low heat without the use of flames.
Indirect heat is one of the safest, most popular methods to introduce heat for evaporation.
There are many simple ways to do this.
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Here are ways my Well With Cannabis Community members have successfully used as indirect heat sources:
- A mini-crockpot
- Water bath in a crockpot
- Heating pad
- Coffee mug warmer
- Candle warmer
- Instant Pot
- Rice cooker
When introducing indirect heat, I suggest first placing the tincture in a glass mason jar.
This will collect the important concentrated tincture, or FECO left at the end of the process.
Below, I will give you a step-by-step of how I use a mini-crockpot to evaporate the alcohol from a tincture safely.
Invest in the Source Turbo
If you’re looking for a reliable, efficient, and user-friendly way to evaporate alcohol from tinctures, the Source Turbo stands out as the ultimate solution.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced enthusiast, this innovative machine combines advanced technology with thoughtful design to ensure consistent, high-quality results every time.
Unmatched Efficiency and Performance
One of the standout features of the Source Turbo is its impressive efficiency.
This machine is designed to recover up to 95% of the alcohol used in your tincture, reducing waste and saving you money in the long run.
Its state-of-the-art vacuum distillation system works at low temperatures, minimizing the risk of degrading delicate compounds in your tinctures.
This means you can preserve the purity and potency of your extracts while speeding up the evaporation process compared to traditional methods.
Easy to Use for All Skill Levels
Whether you’re just starting or have been crafting tinctures for years, the Source Turbo is surprisingly simple to use.
Its intuitive controls and straightforward setup take the guesswork out of the process, making it accessible to anyone.
The companion app further enhances the experience, allowing you to monitor and control the machine directly from your smartphone. With step-by-step guidance and real-time updates, it’s like having an expert by your side.
Compact Design and Quiet Operation
Unlike bulky or noisy alternatives, the Source Turbo boasts a sleek, compact design that fits easily into any workspace. It’s lightweight and portable, making it ideal for home use.
Plus, its whisper-quiet operation ensures you can run the machine without disturbing your household or neighbors. This combination of convenience and discretion makes it a game-changer for anyone looking to refine their tincture-making process.
Perfect for Everyone
The versatility of the Source Turbo caters to a wide range of users.
Beginners will appreciate its simplicity, while seasoned creators can rely on its precision and consistency to elevate their results.
With this machine, you can enjoy professional-grade performance right in the comfort of your own home, no matter your level of experience.
The Ultimate Investment
The Source Turbo isn’t just a piece of equipment—it’s a long-term investment in the quality of your tinctures. With its ability to preserve potency, recover alcohol efficiently, and simplify the evaporation process, this machine pays for itself over time.
Take the Next Step: If you’ve been searching for the best way to evaporate alcohol from tinctures, look no further. Make the Source Turbo a part of your setup today and experience the difference it can make!
What You’ll Need
Note: This process will not work with oil-based tinctures like MCT oil. It MUST be an alcohol-based tincture.
- Alcohol-Based Cannabis Tincture Recipes:
Note: a complete list of ingredients with amounts and printable instructions is located in the recipe card below.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Step 1 – If you haven’t already, prepare an alcohol-based tincture. Options include the Green Dragon, Golden Dragon, THCA tincture, CBDA tincture, or cannabis root tincture.
- Step 2 – Do not forget to strain the tincture; this is very important.
- Step 3 – Place the tincture in a mason jar that fits in the mini-crockpot. Carefully pour water into the crockpot, but around the jar, creating a water bath. Turn the mini-crock pot on warm and allow the water to heat up.
- Step 4 – Let the tincture sit in the water bath and wait. The warmth of the water bath will cause the alcohol to begin evaporating into the air. How long this will take will depend on the volume you start with.
- Note: You do not need to evaporate off all of the alcohol if you do not want to. By reducing just half of the alcohol, you will effectively double the potency of your tincture. How much you choose to evaporate, all comes down to personal preference.
Note: complete step-by-step printable instructions are located in the recipe card below.
Storage Instructions
Store your FECO in a glass syringe, capsule, or airtight glass container. Store in a cool, dark place like a medicine cabinet.
FECO can be stored in the refrigerator for longer-term storage and in the freezer for even more long-term storage (6+ months).
Learn more about how to store edibles here.
How to Evaporate Alcohol From Tinctures
Equipment
What You Need
- 8 ounces cannabis tincture *Any volume you desire
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- For your safety, I recommend you set this up this in a room with good ventilation, keep the windows open, with good moving airflow.
- Place your alcohol-based tincture into a mason jar that will comfortably fit in the mini-crockpot. Place the jar on the bottom of the crock pot.
- Carefully pour water around the jar and into the crockpot, creating a water bath. You do not need to use all of the water. Use enough to cover the contents in the jar, but not overflow.
- Turn the mini-crock pot on warm and allow the water bath to heat up. Be sure you do not have a lid on the jar, as this will slow or prevent the evaporation process.
- The time it takes to evaporate the alcohol will depend on the starting volume, or how much tincture you have.
- If you are working with non-cannabis herbs, you can evaporate 10-90% of the alcohol in your tincture. How much you evaporate will determine how strong your end product is. The more alcohol that evaporates away, the more concentrated the tincture becomes.
- If you are working with cannabis, the goal to make FECO is to reduce 95-100% of the alcohol. How long this takes will depend on the volume. For example, 1 cup of tincture will take approximately 4-5 hours to evaporate into FECO. More volume will mean more time, and less volume will mean less time.
- The alcohol will evaporate during the heating process, reducing the volume and leaving behind a thick, black, sticky substance. This black oil is your medicine, or FECO.
- If this black oil gets too sticky or hard to work with, add a few drops of alcohol or carrier oil to the jar and mix well to create a more viscous oil.
- Store your FECO in a glass syringe, capsule, or another airtight glass container. Store in a cool, dark place like a medicine cabinet.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
The length of time required to evaporate alcohol depends on many factors, including volume, temperature, and airflow. For example, 1 cup of tincture took approximately 4-5 hours to evaporate into FECO. More volume will take longer, and less will be shorter.
Check out this guide here, where you can discover how to order high-proof grain alcohol online and have it shipped to your door or learn more about what to ask for when visiting your local liquor store.
These are just two different tincture-making methods. The Green dragon involves a long soak of 24 hours or more, and the Golden dragon involves the freezer and a short soak of a few minutes. You can learn more about the potency differences in these methods here.
If you started with an alcohol-based tincture, yes. The alcohol will evaporate during the cooking process, reducing the volume and leaving behind a thick, black, sticky substance. This black oil is FECO or your medicine.
Actually, yes! The easiest way I’ve found to evaporate the alcohol naturally is to place the tincture on something and allow the alcohol to evaporate off naturally, like with these store-bought gummies. Or you could follow this recipe for gummies made with tincture.
If you have questions or are looking for guidance on your journey, I definitely recommend joining the Well With Cannabis Community, where you can ask questions and get support.
Recipes To You Make With Your Tincture
Articles & How-To Guides
How to Use A Cannabis Tincture: Step-by-Step Guide
Cannabis Infusions & Extractions
How to Make Full-Extract Cannabis Oil (FECO)
Cannabis Dessert Recipes
How to Make Cannabis Sugar – Quick & Easy Guide
Cannabis Drink Recipes
Hello, my question is about strength and dosing when evaporating. When using the calculators to determine how much alcohol / grams of flower to get to a certain potency per milliliter… if I want to evaporate off some alcohol and add honey after the extraction, how do I redetermine strength/potency with the final evaporated+honey elixir?
Hello Lu, great question. When you calculate the potency of your tincture, the total mg of THC remains the same whether it is in tincture form or the alcohol has been evaporated. For example, if your tincture is made with 200mg of total THC in 1 cup of alcohol, the reduced FECO should still contain 200mg of THC; it’s just now in a smaller volume. From there, you’re working with 200mg THC per however much honey you add. If you add just one teaspoon, it will be 200mg per teaspoon, but if you add 1/4 cup (12 teaspoons), it will be 16.6mg THC per teaspoon (200/16). I hope this makes sense and helps!
I have about 5 cups of tincture. I am wanting to use the crockpot method. So am I just adding the tincture to Mason jars, putting those in the crockpot and running it on low? If so, do the Mason jars need lids?
Hello Rasha, how exciting! Yes, the tincture in a mason jar, the mason jar in the crockpot. But then you need to add water to the crockpot, so it is surrounding the mason jar, but not in it. No lids! I hope this helps 🙂
Hi Emily , I have a mini crockpot used for keeping party dips warm. Do I place my mason jar directly into the crockpot ? I worry the heat might cause the glass to bust. Or should I pour the tincture into the mini and turn it on? Or do I water bath the mason jar? So new at all this! Thanks!
Hello Robyn. Either option will work, but I find it easier to keep things clean with a mason jar. If you use the mason jar, then yes, you can put a towel down between that and the pot to keep it safe. And then yes, you’ll create a water bath. I hope this helps!
How long in the crockpot??
Hello Jessica. That depends entirely on the volume you are reducing. It could be several hours. You will know when the alcohol is evaporated when there is only a thick, black liquid left, known as FECO.
Can you reconstitute the evaporated tincture with other liquids. Are ther different liquids that would help increase shelf life?
Hey Sam, yes, you can! The most popular option is to use a carrier oil, like MCT or olive. I don’t know if the different liquids would help extend the shelf life specifically. I hope this helps!
Can I place the strained, filtered concoction in a mason jar without the lid into a pot of almost-boiling water (making sure not to let the mason jar contact the bottom of the pot containing the hot water) and let it sit, while occasionally stirring the tincture, to help evaporate some or most of the alcohol? How long do you think this would take? I’m also assuming if you let it get too hot, it’ll burn away some of the good stuff? But there’s definitely not any thc that’s attached to the alcohol molecules that are being evaporated? Like it definitely shouldn’t weaken the strength, if done properly? And how will I know when most of the alcohol has been evaporated? Will the color/consistency of the tincture change significantly? Or is tasting it the best bet? Like should I be able to taste a reduced alcohol taste once most of it has been evaporated off? Thanks
Hey LM.
1. Yes, you can place the mason jar into the water and let it sit to evaporate the alcohol.
2. I can’t say how long it will take without knowing the volume. The larger the volume, the longer it takes. It can take several hours.
3. If the water is not boiling, it won’t get too hot to burn away anything important.
4. No, you are not losing and THC through the evaporation process.
5. You will know when it’s evaporated when it looks like a black, sticky, thick mixture. See pictures here. Yes, the color and consistency will change significantly.
6. Tasting it will only let you know if there is alcohol left, it will burn if present.
7. If all of the alcohol is evaporated, there will be no alcohol taste or burn.
I hope this helps!
Hi Emily,
I have made a tincture with 80 proof alcohol and I let it sit about a month before I strained it. The burn is way too much for me for daily use so I’m looking to use the indirect heat method to burn it off. My question would be, how would I use it once I have done that? Do I add the FECO to another liquid at that point for daily use or just take as is?
Hello Cori. Yes, once you have your FECO made, you can mix it with a few drops of oil, your choice what kind, and can then use that however you would like 🙂 I hope this helps!
What does tincture look like when alcohol is completely evaporated RSO?
Hey Mike! It looks like a thick, black, sticky substance. Here is my guide for FECO (similar to RSO) and the pictures here will show you what you look for. I hope this helps!
6How can I make a salve from a tincture?
Hey Mike! If it is an oil-based tincture, you can use it in place of the oil called for in this recipe. If it is alcohol-based, evaporate the alcohol and then melt it directly into a prepared salve. I hope this helps!
Hi Emily!
First I would like to thank you for your tincture recipe. After 15 days of allowing the mixture soak, I have filtered it and sampled it. The taste and burn was fine for me but my fiance couldn’t handle it so I’m using the water bath/ crockpot method to evap the alcohol. I’m keeping the temp just under 180F and out of 4 oz starting I am now left with under 2 oz in about 65 min. I chose 180F because I don’t want to lose any terpenes or flavenoids, I’m using “Runtz”, a 50/50 hybrid that I grew this year. It has a very good flavor raw and I’m hoping to retain that flavor, or as much as possible. My question is, after straining the plant matter from the alcohol (before evap) is there any reason I couldn’t add new decarbed bud to the tincture and let it sit a couple more weeks? It seems like it would increase the terps, cbd and thc content. Would I have a “super-tincture” after a couple weeks of extraction?
Hello J Johnson, I am so glad you have been successful in tincture making so far. I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t work, let us know if you give it a try and how it turns out 😀
I’m trying to make a tincture for an alcoholic and I’ve been trying glycerin infusion without much luck (potency leaves a lot to be desired) I’m thinking about trying this method but I want to make sure: Does burning off the alcohol make it suitable for someone who can’t have any alcohol?
Hello Spencer! Yes, burning off all of the alcohol would make an option suitable for someone who cannot have alcohol. When you get to the final stages of making FECO, you can add a few drops of oil to make a tincture that would work well in this situation.
Hey Emily,
I accidentally evaporated 99.9% of the alcohol out of my plant material. Can I safely start the process over with the same plant material?
Hello Bryan! Yes, you can add more alcohol in to reconstitute and restart the process 🙂 Good luck!
Hi, making some tincture for my mother with cancer. for the evaporating process, is using a rice cooker too hot ?
Hello Mick, I am so sorry to hear about your mother. I think a rice cooker should be just fine 🙂 Good luck!
Hi Emily
What sort of volumes are we talking about when reducing Tincture to FECO?
Etc reduce half off two thirds etc
Thanks Gary
Hello Gary! For FECO, you’re going for 95-99% reduction. The goal is to remove as much alcohol as possible, leaving just a tiny concentrated amount. Here is my FECO guide if you need it 🙂
Okay but it’s sticky according to you. How to I make sure I get it removed from the jar to ensure I’m mixing equal quantites in my stopper bottles? Can I use FECO in say coconut oil or coconut paste for salves? I’m looking for around 5000 mg’s per ounce
Albus, the best way to remove everything from the jar is to use a little bit of alcohol or oil to capture the rest. Yes, you can absolutely use FECO in either coconut oil or salves. First, calculate the potency of your FECO, and then add your desired amount to the 1 ounce preparation.