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 Emily. You always share very good advice. My question is, what are ways of ingesting FECO other than gummies and tea its so thick.
Hi Lance. FECO’s thick texture can be a bit tricky, but there are plenty of options. You can place a small amount directly under your tongue, mix it into sauces or soups, or even add it to capsules for easy ingestion. Whatever works best for you!
How do I know when 95% has evaporated?
Great question, Bob. You’ll know most of the alcohol has evaporated when the liquid thickens and its strong alcohol smell fades significantly.
want to make under-the-tongue tincture using ABV, need to know best thing for getting rid of the alcohol burn of the everclear. Can I evaporate all the alcohol and remix with something else? Or should I evaporate only half and remix? And what is the best carrier for under-the-tongue usage?
Hi Lori. You can evaporate some or all of the alcohol and replace it with a milder carrier like MCT oil or vegetable glycerin, both great for under-the-tongue use. Just be sure to heat gently to preserve potency!
How do I know how much alcohol is evaporated in my mini crockpot? Thanks
Hi Edward! The amount of alcohol that evaporates in your mini crockpot will depend on factors like temperature, cooking time, and whether the lid is on or off. Using a low heat setting and leaving the lid off can help the alcohol evaporate slowly. However, it’s difficult to determine exactly how much alcohol is left without actually taking out to measure. Hope that helps!
I evaporated all the alcohol out of my tincture on a teflon liner. Now I’m left with a ball of sticky dark brown tar. When making gummy’s do you think this will melt or dissolve into the gummy mixture or should I try to dissolve it in a little alcohol first? I don’t have anymore food grade ethanol so I’ll probably try to dissolve it in some vodka if I have to. My last gummy batch I didn’t evaporate it and they kind of have an alcohol aftertaste.
Hi Matt. You can try dissolving the sticky tar in a small amount of vodka before adding it to the gummy mixture. This should help it blend more smoothly and avoid clumping. Just make sure to use as little vodka as possible to avoid altering the texture of the gummies. The alcohol should mostly evaporate out as you cook the gummy mixture. Good luck!
Thank you,your advice has been so helpful!!
Glad you found it helpful — thank you for reading!
What seeing would I use on the instapot? To burn the alcohol?
To burn off the alcohol in an Instant Pot, you can use the “Sauté” setting. Let the liquid simmer uncovered for a few minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate. Just be sure to stir occasionally and keep an eye on it to prevent burning!
You mention that you can remove up 90% of the alcohol in a herbal tincture with this method buy up to 100% of the alcohol with a cannabis tincture. Why does a non cannabis herbal tincture retain 10% alcohol?
Great question, Natalie! The reason a non-cannabis herbal tincture retains about 10% of the alcohol, even after using the removal method, often comes down to the solubility of the herbal compounds. Some components in the herbs may bind with the alcohol, making it more challenging to remove completely. Thanks for bringing this up!
After the evaporation of 50 percent of the alcohol.
Should it be topped off with honey or something else?
Will that weaken the tincture?
I use tincture to make gummy bears.
Just don’t what to do after evaporation.
Thank you
HI Loretta. After the evaporation of 50% of the alcohol in your tincture, you can definitely top it off with honey or another sweetener. Just keep in mind that adding honey might slightly dilute the tincture’s potency, but it shouldn’t weaken it significantly. If you’re using the tincture for making gummy bears, the flavor will likely enhance with the addition of honey. Just make sure to adjust your recipe accordingly. Happy gummy bear making!
Hi, I have a mini instant pot that doubles as a crockpot. I assume I can use this? Also, it looks like you don’t put the lid on the crockpot during this process? you leave both mason jar, and crockpot uncovered?
Hell Doug. Yes, that would be fine. No lid on either, although if you find you are losing too much water in the crockpot, you can replenish it if needed 😀
Can I take the FECO and use a dab to make tea? I’m not sure how to ingest it!
I shook the flower up with Everclear three times and dumped it on a cookie sheet and a silicone mat to help evaporate off the alcohol!
Hi Harry. Yes, you can definitely use it in tea. Just add a small amount after removing the loose leaf or tea bag and let it steep for a few minutes. Enjoy your tea and happy experimenting!
Hi what type of mini crock pot do you recommend?does the ovin get too hot? Have grain alcohol tincture and I want to make candy. New to this, so any input helps. I read your article, clicked on the mini pot link on your article that sent me to Amazon and the ovin slow cooker. I also joined your Facebook group to see if you named a specific slow cooker.
Hi Nicole. A mini crockpot like this one works best: https://amzn.to/4ddEdOi.
I made cannabis tincture, yesterday I took approximately 2-3 Tbsp. It was so hot it scorched my mucosa. I’m going to let it evaporate today, I didn’t feel very high, nor did it help my pain. Weed is high-grade. I used a 420 decarb & infusion machine. I let it infuse at 130 for 9ish hrs, was that too long. I hate to waste it, tried it in hibiscus tea an honey, was doable, but no feeling.
Hi Racy. It’s a bummber you’re struggling with your tincture, but let’s see if we can get you on the right path. Most infusion machines aren’t alcohol friendly, but typically, you need at least 24 hours to soak and effectively extract the cannabinoids, unless you freeze the cannabis, then you can do a quick wash. 130º at 9 hours would have been fine for an oil, but not sufficient for alcohol.
Did you decarb the cannabis before running the infusion? At what temp, for how long? Proper decarb is essential to feel the intoxicating effects of THC.
Evaporating the alcohol off is a good step in increasing the potency per dose and seeing if it’s any more effective for you, but I would recommend soaking the cannabis in alcohol for another 15 hours or so, but not in the infusion machine, and see if that helps any as well.
Hi
I was wondering if you could place the jar into a small pot then add hot water to the pot and evaporate the alcohol that way? If so, what temp would you recommend the water?
Thanks in advance
Hey there Mont! Thanks for reaching out. Yes, evaporating the alcohol by placing the jar in a hot water bath is a good idea. I recommend keeping the water temperature below boiling to avoid overheating the mixture. 160°F-180°F is ideal. Enjoy your crafting adventure! 🌡️
Alcohol (everclear) turns into a gaseous state at 170deg. That’s why there is a “worm” on the output side of a still to turn the gas back into a liquid. I cook mine in a water bath at 170 +- for 30 minutes for a liquid tenture.. You could (I think I will try) to continue on to make FECO?? Never heard of it b4 and i’m 71!! Sounds like fun. PEACE .
Thanks for sharing your process! It’s never too late to try something new—have fun experimenting with FECO! Peace to you too!
Hello, this is great info and I will be trying your methods for cannabis. I purchased an infusion machine that has presets and DIY mode. My question is this:
I want to make kratom tinctures as well. Do you have any experience with kratom? would it be the same process as cannabis? The first batch I made tasted terrible, Too much alcohol. I’m using 151 Everclear, it’s the highest proof available in Virginia. I’m trying the evaporation technique today. If it becomes too thick is it ok to add some food-grade glycerin instead of adding alcohol? Any info or advice you can give on kratom tinctures would be appreciated. Thank you!
Hi Robin! When it comes to making kratom tinctures, the process is similar to creating cannabis tinctures.
Using 151 Everclear is a common, effective choice for extraction due to its high proof, however, the alcohol taste can be overpowering for many. Adding food-grade glycerin can help dilute the concentrated tincture without reintroducing more alcohol, making it more palatable. Additionally, some people find that adding natural flavorings or sweeteners in small amounts can help mask the alcohol’s sharpness.
You can learn more about Kratom here: https://emilykylenutrition.com/kratom-plant/ and please feel free to reach out with any other questions or concerns along your tincture-making journey!