Discover how to make a Golden Dragon cannabis freezer tincture using the quick wash extraction technique, the QWET method. Made with frozen cannabis flower and high-proof grain alcohol, this tincture produces a lighter-colored, less-intensely flavored cannabis extract that can be used as a sublingual supplement, in recipes, or as a base to make other concentrates and extracts.
Table of Contents
- Article Features
- Why You Will Love This Method
- What You’ll Need
- The Step-by-Step Process
- Decarb Times
- Storage Instructions
- Green Dragon vs. Golden Dragon Tincture
- The Importance of Freezing
- Golden Dragon QWET Freezer Tincture Recipe
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Determine The Dose
- Should I Evaporate the Alcohol?
- Can I Make FECO from QWET?
- Can I Reclaim The Alcohol?
- Can I Make Concentrates From This QWET Tincture?
- What Can I Do With The Leftover Plant Material?
- Recipes You Will Love Using Tincture
Article Features
- Quick wash soak time: ready in just 15 minutes
- Just two ingredients needed: cannabis flower & high-proof grain alcohol
- Want to skip the hard work? Shop with me and have premium, high-quality cannabis products delivered directly to your door! Now shipping across the US.
Why You Will Love This Method
Members of my Well With Cannabis Community have asked me many times how to make a Golden Dragon tincture using the QWET method, so here is my easy beginner’s guide to making one at home!
QWET stands for ‘quick wash extraction technique’ or ‘quick wash ethanol extraction.’
The end product is a cannabis tincture called “the Golden Dragon” or “Ice Dragon.”
This QWET method uses frozen cannabis, freezing cold alcohol, and quicker wash times to produce a lighter-colored, less-intensely flavored – but still highly potent – cannabis extract.
Below, I will show you how to make a Golden Dragon tincture.
We will also discuss the differences between the Green and Golden Dragons and the reason for the QWET method’s specific steps, with fully answered FAQs to help you make this perfect the first time.
What You’ll Need
- Cannabis flower: You will need your desired amount of cannabis flowers, ranging from 1 gram to 1 ounce or more. Choose THC, CBD, or CBG-dominant flowers. You can purchase them from your local dispensary or hemp flower from my online shop. Do not forget to decarb before getting started.
- High-proof alcohol: You need high-proof grain alcohol. You want at least 150 proof, but ideally 190 or 200 proof. Lower-proof alcohols, like vodka, are not ideal. Be sure to check out my guide for where you can 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.
Note: a complete list of ingredients with amounts and printable instructions is located in the recipe card below.
The Step-by-Step Process
- Step 1 – If you haven’t already, decarb your cannabis. See the decarb recommendations guide below for different times for CBD, CBG, and THC.
- Step 2 – Place the decarbed flower in a mason jar inside the freezer. Freeze overnight.
- Step 3 – Place the alcohol inside the freezer. Freeze overnight.
- Step 4 – Pour the cold alcohol over the frozen flower. Screw the cap on tightly.
Decarb Times
- THCA → Δ9-THC – bake at 240°F/116°C for 40 minutes
- CBDA → CBD – bake at 240°F/116°C for 90 minutes
- CBGA → CBG – bake at 220°F/105°C for 60 minutes
- Δ9-THC → CBN – bake at 240°F/116°C for 180 minutes
- Step 5 – Gently invert the mason jar to shake – do not shake vigorously.
- Step 6 – Place back in the freezer for 5 minutes.
- Step 7 – Remove the jar from the freezer, shake gently, and place it back in the freezer for 5 minutes.
- Step 8 – Repeat the above step one more time for a total of three times.
- Step 9 – Remove from the freezer and strain the tincture through a filter.
- Step 10 – Repeat a second and third wash, if desired.
- Step 11 – Store in a dark jar, like this dropper bottle.
- Step 12 – Move on to evaporate the alcohol, if desired.
Note: complete step-by-step printable instructions are located in the recipe card below.
Storage Instructions
Store your tincture in glass, not plastic. A dark jar, like this dropper bottle, is ideal.
Clear glass is fine if you store it in a cool, dark place like a cupboard or freezer.
Tinctures can be stored for up to several months or even longer.
Green Dragon vs. Golden Dragon Tincture
A traditional cannabis tincture involves combining cannabis flowers and alcohol in a vessel and letting them sit and steep for a prolonged period, with no freezing involved.
I’ve seen traditional tinctures steep anywhere between a few hours and 24 hours, as described in my traditional tincture method, and up to 4-6 months or longer in some cases.
Fans of the traditional tincture prefer this method because it is believed that the longer soak times help extract a full spectrum of plant compounds, resulting in a complete full-extract cannabis oil.
In contrast, the QWET tincture combines frozen cannabis flowers and frozen alcohol for only 15 minutes, often called a ‘wash’ or ‘wash times.’
Compared to a traditional tincture, this quick wash freezer method produces a much lighter colored tincture with a much more mild cannabis taste that many people prefer.
The QWET method is generally preferred due to its mild taste and flavor, although lab tests prove this method is slightly less potent than the Green Dragon method.
Some generally prefer the traditional long-soak tincture because a more complete plant extract that includes more plant compounds like chlorophyll and terpenes produces a more medicinal final product.
Neither is right nor wrong; it is a matter of personal preference.
Feel free to experiment with it, adapt and adjust your method as you go along, and learn more about your personal preferences.
The Importance of Freezing
For many different reasons, freezing the cannabis flower is extremely important in the QWET tincture process.
For the reasons listed below, it is important to keep your product and in-process tincture cold or as close to freezing as possible the entire time you are working with it.
More Effective Trichome Removal
Trichomes are the small, resinous glands found on cannabis plants that contain the cannabinoids we are after, mainly THC, CBD, CBG, etc.
The goal of the QWET process is to remove as many of the trichomes from the plant matter as possible.
Freezing the plant matter makes these trichomes more brittle and easily separated, or broken off, from the plant material.
This helps us get the most cannabinoids off the plant and into our tincture, resulting in a more potent final product.
Remove Chlorophyll
Freezing cannabis helps prevent the chlorophyll in the plant material from being absorbed into the alcohol tincture.
Chlorophyll, the most abundant pigment in plants, is responsible for the bright green color associated with kale, spinach, celery, and, yes – cannabis.
Chlorophyll produces a strong green taste and color we try to avoid in this extraction method.
While chlorophyll plays a vital role in healthy foods, like in the consumption of raw cannabis, many people do not want it in their final cannabis product for various reasons.
Remove Waxes and Lipids
Freezing also helps remove other naturally occurring plant compounds, like waxes and lipids, also called ‘the undesirables.’
When the flower is frozen, the waxes will stay frozen and can then be filtered out during the filtering or straining process.
This prevents the majority of waxes and lipids from entering your final product, resulting in a ‘cleaner’ end product.
Golden Dragon QWET Freezer Tincture
Ingredients
- 14 grams decarbed cannabis flower
- 8 ounces high-proof grain alcohol
Instructions
- Place the decarboxylated cannabis in the freezer. Also place the high-proof alcohol in the freezer. Freeze overnight at a minimum, ideally 24 hours.
- When ready to prepare your tincture, place the frozen cannabis in a mason jar.
- Pour the cold alcohol into the jar. You only need to add enough alcohol to cover the cannabis completely*.
- Screw the lid on tightly and shake gently. Place the jar back in the freezer for 5 minutes.
- Remove the jar from the freezer, shake gently, and place it back in the freezer for 5 minutes.
- Repeat the above step one more time, for a total of 3 times.
- Remove the jar from the freezer one last time and strain. Pour the tincture through your preferred straining system, separating the plant-matter from the alcohol, into a clean mason jar. A coffee filter in a funnel works well here.
- Store this tincture in a mason jar, amber-colored tincture jar, or other glass container. You can store at room temperature, in the refrigerator, or freezer. A tincture should last months, if not longer.
Notes
- You do not need to use the full 14 grams of cannabis called for in this recipe. You can use as much or as little cannabis as you want. For a small, starter batch, start with just 3.5 grams.
- Only use high-proof alcohol, the higher the better. Lower-proof alcohol, like vodka, is not ideal. Use this guide to finding high-proof alcohol, if needed.
- You do not need to use the full 8 ounces of alcohol, you just need enough to cover all of the cannabis in the container you are using. Anything more is a waste.
- If you want to make FECO, follow this guide for how to safely evaporate the alcohol from the tincture.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
These are the questions I receive most often about the QWET tincture-making process from my Well With Cannabis Community.
If you still have additional questions, please feel free to join and post your question to the group.
You must be using food-safe alcohol, like high-proof grain alcohol, for this process and not toxic isopropyl alcohol to make your tincture. Here is my complete guide for getting high-proof alcohol for making tinctures.
Yes, and you should if it’s your first time experimenting with a tincture. The recipe below calls for 14 grams of cannabis flower, but you can honestly use whatever amount you want. Remember, you only need enough alcohol to cover the cannabis flower in the mason jar; exact proportions are not as necessary here.
Traditional long soak cannabis tinctures appear anywhere from vibrant bright green to dark green. This QWET tincture is not supposed to look like that. This tincture should appear very clear with a light yellow or orange hue, almost like a weak steeped tea. More green color signifies that more chlorophyll has been infused and thus is unwanted with this method. See the image above to compare the color of the two tinctures.
Yes, you can use the QWET method to extract just about any cannabinoid you want, including CBD. To make a CBD tincture, first source CBD-dominant flower. Then be sure to decarboxylate the flower for the appropriate time and temperature; the CBD flower should be decarbed at 240°F for 90 minutes. Then follow the process the same process as outlined in the instructions below.
This recipe recommends combining cannabis and alcohol for no longer than 15 minutes; however, as with all things cannabis, there is more than one way to achieve the desired result. Many people do a simple 3-minute wash and are happy with their results, while others do a 60-minute wash and are happy with their results. The goal is to remove as many trichomes from the plant as possible without removing additional plant compounds like chlorophyll, waxes, and lipids. If you combine the cannabis flowers and alcohol for longer than 15 minutes, you may not necessarily extract more THC or CBD, but you risk pulling more unwanted plant matter. For this reason, going for longer than 15 minutes moves you into the territory of a more traditional cannabis tincture. However, if you want to experiment to find a perfect wash time, please do!
Yes, you can make this recipe with decarbed kief. Just like with kief cannabutter, know that kief will make a more potent tincture.
Can I Do More Than One Wash?
There are also methods where people will do a ‘first wash,’ ‘second wash,’ and even a ‘third wash.’
This washing method uses the same cannabis flower but a fresh batch of frozen alcohol for each wash.
After the first wash, you would strain off the alcohol into a mason jar and proceed with a ‘second wash’ by adding new frozen alcohol to the already used batch of flowers.
If you use this method, label your jars as ‘first wash,’ ‘second wash,’ etc., so you know what you’re working with.
Alternatively, you can combine all of the washes for one final tincture. Again, the choice is up to you.
Is QWET As Potent?
I ran lab tests to compare the traditional Green Dragon cannabis tincture to this Golden Dragon QWET tincture, and the results are posted here.
According to the results, the Green Dragon long soak tincture method produces a more potent tincture. The results suggest that the longer the soak, the more potent the final product.
However, this method produces a stronger-tasting tincture with more residual plant matter like chlorophyll.
This leaves you, the consumer, deciding to choose potency over taste. As with all things cannabis, I always recommend going low and starting slow when experimenting with a new product.
How Do I Estimate the Final Potency?
Without lab testing, you’re essentially guessing the final potency of your tincture, or any cannabis edible, for that matter.
However, if you know the starting percentage of THC or CBD in your cannabis flower and how much you used by weight in grams, you may be able to use my online calculator to get a ballpark range.
For this reason, I recommend weighing out your cannabis flower with a digital scale before making the tincture, so you have a starting point.
Once you have calculated the milligrams of THC or CBD used, this number will remain the same regardless of how much alcohol you keep or evaporate.
It is also important to know that cannabis edibles will affect everyone differently.
You and your spouse may consume the same amount of an identical product and have vastly different responses or experiences.
This is normal, and again why I recommend starting low and going slow when dosing tincture.
Determine The Dose
Want to get a more accurate guesstimate of the potency of your cannabis infusions and extractions? Try my popular edibles dosage calculator. Not sure what your perfect dose is? Learn more here.
Should I Evaporate the Alcohol?
This is a personal preference, and you must experiment to find what works best.
Some people do not evaporate off the alcohol and prefer the cannabis to be infused in alcohol for more effective sublingual absorption.
Some people evaporate off just a portion of the alcohol, 1/4-3/4 of the total volume, to help remove some alcohol burn.
Some people evaporate 100% alcohol to make FECO or other cannabis concentrates and extracts.
There is no one correct answer as to what you should do; this is all personal preference based on your desired outcome.
If you want to evaporate the alcohol, follow my guide full of safe evaporation methods.
Can I Make FECO from QWET?
Yes, you can turn this QWET tincture into FECO, also known as full-extract cannabis oil.
However, the jury is still out as to whether or not the QWET tincture truly contains the full spectrum of cannabis compounds due to the quick wash times.
Regardless, you can still evaporate off the alcohol from this tincture to make a sticky cannabis concentrate like FECO.
You can follow the same directions here for safely evaporating off the alcohol and making FECO at home.
The guide also comes with instructions for mixing your final FECO product with MCT oil for a more viscous sublingual product.
Can I Reclaim The Alcohol?
If you are serious about making cannabis tinctures at home long-term, I recommend thinking of ways to reclaim your alcohol so you’re not spending as much money.
One way to reclaim the alcohol is to use a water distiller.
A distiller will heat the alcohol, evaporate it, and send it to another waiting vessel, where you can reclaim and use it again for future use.
Another way is to invest in a machine that does this work for you, like the Source Turbo or ETOH Pro from Extract Craft.
This machine will also help you make cannabis concentrates, as explained below.
Can I Make Concentrates From This QWET Tincture?
For many people, making this QWET tincture is just the beginning step for making cannabis concentrates at home.
While making cannabis concentrates at home requires a bit more investment of time, money, and energy, it is worthwhile for many of my Well With Cannabis Community members.
If you are interested in making cannabis concentrates and extracts at home, I recommend checking out Extract Craft for helpful resources and machines to help you through the process.
What Can I Do With The Leftover Plant Material?
I’ve heard people say all of the THC has been removed from the remaining plant material, but I’ve also had people save it and say they’ve had a great experience using it in various ways.
I think it’s at least worth experimenting with the leftovers to see if they’re worth saving for you.
If you decide to give it a go, there are many recipes and ways to use the leftovers in this article for using leftover pulp.
Recipes You Will Love Using Tincture
Once you have your cannabis tincture prepared, you can use it in many recipes.
Our most popular recipes for using a cannabis tincture include:
Cannabis Dessert Recipes
How to Make Cannabis Sugar – Quick & Easy Guide
Cannabis Sides & Snack Recipes
This is exactly what I’m looking for, so thank you. I read through the comments, and didn’t see this question answered, so I’ll ask here.
Given that the solubility of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in ethanol is greater than 1 gram per milliliter (g/mL), one can imagine that a 750ml bottle of 190 proof Everclear could theoretically dissolve almost 750g (~26oz) of pure THC alone. That is a lot.
I know that your recommendation is to do the 3 quick consecutive ice washes to remove to most THC (or whatever your cannabinoid goals are determined by strain and decarboxylation time and temperature) from the plant matter, without the lipids, waxes and chlorophyll. And that this tincture is less potent than the “Green Dragon” method.
Would it be possible to use the resultant “Golden Dragon” tincture a second time (x3 frozen washes) and perhaps third time (x3 frozen washes) with additional freshly frozen decarbed cannabis to increase the THC profile to get a far greater potency that the traditional “Green Dragon” method.
As I have medical issues which preclude any substantial intake of ethanol, combined the inability to digest fats which THC typically binds to with a FECO extract, that sublingual absorption of the resultant tincture of using the same amount of ethanol with 3 times as much cannabis, would mean less ethanol in my system.
Have you done any testing in this regard? Even if I have to “top up” the initial resultant “Golden Dragon ” with additional ethanol between runs (eg 9 washes total with 3 rounds of fresh decarbed cannabis topped up to ensure the flower is covered) I am hoping this might work for me.
Since I live in Canada, have a medical license, and grow my own outdoors, I have cabinet’s full or cured cannabis to work with so my costs are extremely low.
Thanks for your input.
Cheers
Thank you for your detailed question, Brock! Yes, you can absolutely perform multiple washes with fresh decarbed cannabis to increase the potency of your “Golden Dragon” tincture. Just ensure you’re using enough ethanol to fully cover the plant material each time, and topping up as needed should work fine. This method could help you achieve a higher THC concentration while minimizing ethanol intake. Best of luck, and it’s great that you’re making use of your homegrown cannabis!
Very informative 👍👍
Glad you found it helpful! 😊
Ihave a QWET tincture using 28 grams of flower reduced in half wanting to use under young what can I add to help the taste
Hello Gary, I’m so happy you’re exploring the use of QWET tinctures! To help improve the taste, one option is to evaporate more alcohol as suggested. Additionally, you might try adding a few drops of food-grade peppermint or vanilla extract to provide a more pleasant flavor. Just ensure you’re using high-quality extracts meant for consumption to maintain the tincture’s integrity. 😊
Hello,
great guide!
I’m thinking about storing the tincture in an open jar at a dark place for some days to let the alcohol evaporate. That should transform the tincture to an oil, right? Or is that a bad idea to do with an Golden Dragon and should I do a FECO or RSO instead?
Thanks for your input 🙂
Hello Barschti! Thanks for reaching out with your question 😊 If you let the alcohol evaporate, yes, it will turn your tincture into an oil; which is considered to be FECO, the concentrated end form of your product. It’s totally fine to do with with a Golden Dragon tincture as long as the flower has already been strained out of the liquid. Let me know if you have more questions!
Do you have to decarb.I have a cbg strain and would like to extract the cbga. I understand that decarbing turns cbga to cbg
Thank you for your question, Jim! 😊 If you’re looking to extract CBGA from your CBG strain, you don’t need to decarb it. Keeping it in its original form will allow you to enjoy the unique benefits of CBGA. However, if you’re interested in reaping the benefits of CBG, then you should go ahead and decarb. It really depends on what you’re aiming for! 🌱
Will Ice Dragon THC % increase with a longer (25 day) freezer soak time? Love your website!
Thank you so much for your kind words about my website, Michael! 😊 As for your question, I don’t have lab tests to confirm the exact effects of a longer 25-day freezer soak on Ice Dragon THC levels. It’s possible that while potency might increase, it could negatively impact the flavor. If you’re more focused on potency, I definitely encourage you to experiment and see what works best for you. Keep us posted!
Hi Emily,
beautiful recipe I found it very interesting. On my first try the dye came out perfect. However, when I tried to replicate it, always following the same steps (except for the fact that I used the nebula boost to decarb) the dye became darker and had residues of material that looked like kief even after filtering. Furthermore, the effect was weaker. Why? The only thing I changed was the decarb and freezer time (longer). Hi thanks!
Hi there Toby! 😊 Thanks for your kind words about the recipe, it’s great to hear that your first try went so well. Regarding the issues you encountered with the color on your second attempt, the longer soak time in the freezer can indeed lead to increased chlorophyll extraction, which might explain the darker color and the residual plant material you noticed. This can affect both the appearance and potency of your final product. If you’re looking for a lighter effect, consider reducing your soak time. Happy experimenting!
Thank you for the great instructions! I have a question about evaporating the alcohol. Once I do so using the crockpot method, how much of the concentrate do I use in your basic gummy recipe? I am a little confused as to how much considering the whole batch was 14 grams.
I’m glad you found the instructions helpful, Brian! If you started with 14 grams, you’ll want to measure the final concentrate in terms of volume (like teaspoons or milliliters).. A general rule of thumb is to start with a small amount, such as 1/4 teaspoon or 1 milliliter, and adjust based on the potency and your preference. YOu can use our online calculator to help you determine what the potency of what you have: https://emilykylenutrition.com/edible-dosage-calculator/
Remember, it’s always better to start with less. Let us know if you need more guidance!
Hi Emily! Thank you for your detailed instructions!
I am wondering if you might know if I can use the QWET method for any herb (not just THC or CBD)?
Thank you, again!
Ilse
Hi Ilse! Thank you for reaching out with your question! Yes, the QWET method can indeed be applied to a variety of herbs beyond just THC or CBD. It’s a versatile extraction technique that can be used to extract essential oils and compounds from different plants. However, it’s important to research and ensure that the specific herb you’re interested in is suitable for ethanol extraction, as the characteristics of the herb can affect the outcome. Happy extracting!
I could not find the link to the decarb recommendations you mentioned.
above.
“See the decarb recommendations guide below for different times for CBD, CBG, and THC. ”
Please advise where to find it?
Hi Dan. Sorry for any confusion! You can find the detailed decarb times here: Easy Beginner’s Guide to Cannabis Decarboxylation.
So I tried to make an iced green dragon and it’s amber .then I tried to make a golden dragon and it’s pinkish yellow. Are they still good?
Hello Maryann 🙂 Yes, totally fine. Each cannabis plant has its own unique properties, and the colors are likely from the differences in the plant’s genetics. You should still be good to go!
I would like to end up with a tincture not FICO, but do not want the alcohol left, so need to evaporate all of it off. How would you do that? add vegetable glycerin to the product and then evaporate off the alcohol? Or first evaporate the alcohol and then add vegetable glycerin or MCT oil, coconut oil, etc.?
You say not to use regular 80 proof alcohol but what would happen if one did?
Hi Peggy. You’ll want to evaporate off ALL the alcohol, which is easiest using a mini crockpot like this: https://amzn.to/4a1rcWF. Once the alcohol is evaporated, you’ll be left with FECO, which is a dark, tarlike substance. While still warm, add in your choice for tincture, whether its MCT oil or vegetable glycerinfor a base. Then, mix everything together until well combined.
80-proof alcohol won’t extract as much medicine out of the cannabis as 190-proof. The higher the proof, the less water content, so the more effective of an extraction you’ll have. It also takes longer to exporate off when using a lower proof alcohol.
I hope you find this helpful. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have further questions.
I have a deep-freezer which I used to try to make the golden dragon.
It came out DARK GREEN.
??
Should I not use a deep freezer and just a regular refrigerator? 🙁
Hi Wayne. The color change to dark green likely resulted from chlorophyll extraction, not the freezing method. Using a deep freezer is actually beneficial as it helps to keep the plant matter frozen and reduces chlorophyll leaching. For a more golden color, ensure your plant material is thoroughly dry and consider shortening the soaking time. Keep experimenting, and you’ll find the right process for the color and potency you desire!
Hi Emily,
Do you have any thoughts on how doing another 3 shakes at 5 minute intervals for a total of 30 minutes soaking could impact potency for the QWET process? Or do you think after the 15 minutes the amount of THC or CBD released is aa good as it’ll get for that process? Thank you.
Hi there Steve, great question! While it’s tempting to believe that a longer soak could result in greater potency, the QWET process is designed to optimize extraction within a 15-minute window. Extended soaking might risk pulling out unwanted compounds. However, I encourage you to experiment cautiously and see what works best for your needs. Just remember, safety first! 🌿
Hi Emily this is probably a silly question. Planning on trying my first FECO soon. How do I understand the THC mg content in the final FECO product? It is exactly the same total amount as it was prior to evaporation?
Hi Dawn. Yes, the THC mg content in the final FECO product remains the same as it was prior to evaporation. Enjoy your first FECO experience!
I have a question about strength. I normally evaporate half of my tincture off to get the right strength, if I just double the amount of herb used, would that provide me the same strength tincture without evaporation? I’m more concerned about wasting thc
Hi Harry. You’re on the right track of thinking. If you double the amount of cannabis used in your tincture, you won’t need to evaporate any to achieve the same results. Happy extracting!
Is there any value in combining this with the Green Dragon approach? As in, start off with the freezing/shaking part, then letting it sit for a month?
Hello, JB 😊That’s a very interesting question! Combining methods can definitely bring about unique results. Starting with the freezing/shaking part from the Golden Dragon method could potentially enhance the extraction efficiency. However, letting it sit might also alter the flavor profile and chlorophyll level. I encourage experimentation – after all, that’s how we learn! If you do try it, I’d love to hear about your experience.
I usually make 1/2 cup of canna-mct oil from about 15 grams of cannabis, then I filter out the solids and make brownies or jello gummies.
I read that the ‘goodies’ in cannabis are more soluble in alcohol than oil(true?), So, what if I prepare a 1/2 cup of qwet, then add a 1/2 cup of mct oil, then evap off the alcohol say in a crock pot set to low…. once the alcohol is gone will that leave me with a higher potency 1/2 cup than if I had just infused the oil directly?
Hey David! You’re correct in that cannabinoids like THC and CBD are indeed more soluble in alcohol than in oil. This is why alcohol-based tinctures can be highly potent. However, when it comes to combining QWET (Quick Wash Ethanol) with MCT oil and then evaporating the alcohol, the theory seems sound, but I haven’t personally tried it myself. If you give it a try, please do come back and let me know how it turns out for you!
Hi, Emily. My question is I started with 2c of high proof acholol after straining it’s only 1 1/4 c. Do I Calculate my dosage on the amount I have after infusion?
Hi Tootsie. Calculate based on the lesser amount of alcohol since it’s more concentrated than what you started with. The alcohol evaporated off, the cannabis didn’t. Make sense? Happy extracting!
Thank you so much for this!!! I was wondering if you can use the QWET for other medicinal herbs, et al?
Hi Lisa. We’re glad you found the post helpful! Yes, QWET extraction method can indeed be used for other medicinal herbs. It’s a versatile technique that helps isolate the beneficial compounds from plant material. However, please remember that the effectiveness and safety can vary greatly depending on the herb, so always do your research before starting a new extraction project. Happy experimenting!
If you are using a machine to make tincture what do you do when this is done in the machine it doesn’t say what to do in the instructions thank you
Hi Wendy. Thank you for reaching out with your question. Once your tincture is done in the machine, strain the mixture to separate the liquid from the plant material used infused during the process. Store your tincture in a glass container with a tight lid to maintain its potency and prevent any contamination. You can keep it in a cool, dark place like a pantry or refrigerator to prolong its shelf life and maintain its quality.
After making the tincture, consider reusing the leftover plant material for other purposes. Here are a few suggestions from Emily: 15 Best Ways To Use Leftover Cannabis Pulp
If you need more specific instructions based on the machine you’re using, I would recommend referring to the manufacturer’s guidelines on their website. I hope this helps! Happy Infusing!
Hello again, and thanks in advance for all of your incredibly helpful research! My journey to find my preferred method for edibles continues. I’m using your golden dragon technique and evaporating the alcohol to turn it into feco, but I would then like to add a carrier oil to create a more palatable tincture. I’m thinking I’ll use olive oil and LorAnns cherry flavor drops b/c I have those on hand, but I’m wondering if I need to gently heat the oil to bind it with the feco or can I just combine the ingredients in a tincture bottle and shake to combine?? Any advice is very much appreciated, & thanks again for all of this detailed information!!!!
Hi Betsy. Warming the ingredients does allow for the FECO to blend more consistently throughout the oil. Either way will work, but warming does help quite a bit. Thank you for your kind words and support!!
Great recipes! I have a question about FECO. I have some and it is too strong for me so I would like to thin it. I know thinning it is contrary to most people’s goals, but I’m a total lightweight :). I have tried heating it up a bit in a cup of hot water (it’s in a needleless syringe) and adding it to vodka – 80 proof is what I had. No luck there. Any ideas? I would like to turn it into a tincture – is that backwards or what?
Hi Diana. Working with cannabis is all about finding what works best for your individual needs and tolerance levels. Rather than using vodka, a carrier oil might be a better option for you to dilute your FECO. MCT oil or hemp seed oil helps dilute the strength of the FECO while also aiding in its absorption in the body. To make a tincture with FECO, you could start by adding a small amount of FECO to a larger quantity of carrier oil. For example, you might add a grain-of-rice-sized amount of FECO to 1oz of carrier oil. You can adjust the ratio of FECO to carrier oil until you find a potency that works for you. 😁
Hi.
Thanks for a well written and informative site! Lots of great inspirational stuff!
My plan is to try your golden dragon method, but first I need to decarb. I have borrowed a sous vide (my Nova broke and I can’t afford a new one at the moment) and it only goes up to 90c/194f. I’ve read so many different suggestion how to decarb at this temp. Any tips?
Hi Jay. Thank you for your kind words! We’re thrilled to hear that you’re finding our content helpful and inspirational 😀 When it comes to decarbing with a sous vide at 90°C/194°F, the process is a bit slower due to the lower temperature. However, it can still be done effectively. Here’s a simple method you can try:
∙ Seal your ground cannabis in a vacuum-sealed bag or a zip-top bag, making sure to remove as much air as possible.
∙ Set your sous vide to 90°C/194°F.
∙ Submerge the sealed bag in the water bath and cook for about 2 hours.
∙ After 2 hours, carefully remove the bag (it will be hot!), let it cool. Once cooled, you’re good to use your decarbed cannabis.
Hey there! Tried this receipe for the first time & I think I may have messed up somewhere. My after evaporating about 2 oz of the alcohol my tincture still smells really strong if alcohol & isnt as tacky as I was expecting- still very liquidy. Do you think I went wrong in tbe decarb process?
Hi Cj. How much alcohol did you start with? In order to avoid the alcohol smell and taste, you want to evaporate all the alcohol. Doing so, you’ll have Full-Extract Cannabis Oil (FECO) remaining, which is a dark, sticky, tar-like substance of all the cannabis plant goodness! The decarb process controls the effects of the cannabis, not necessarily the consistency. I hope this helps!
I love these tinctures, my question is about the freezing, why do we do that?
Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe. I am doing the QWET THCA one hoping it will ease some of my arthritis pain.
Hi Dawn. Sending you good vibes for arthritis relief! ✨ Freezing cannabis helps prevent some of the undesirables from leaching into your final product. The chlorophyll in the plant material absorbs less into the alcohol tincture when frozen, as well as other naturally occurring plant compounds, like waxes and lipids. On the flip side, the cannabis trichomes break off easier when frozen allowing for more cannabinoids extracted into the alcohol in a shorter amount of time.
Emily, I can’t thank you enough. I’m still a bit new to the more complicated cannabis recipes, and I’ve already learned so much from your site. I have 190 proof alcohol and decarbed flower in the freezer for tincture I’ll make tomorrow, which I’ll then use to make canna-sugar for baking. I can’t WAIT!
However, I’m hoping you can help. I don’t understand why every recipe I can find for tincture has a certain amount of alcohol (as recipes typically do for an ingredient), in this case 1 c/8 oz. But in the instructions everything says to just pour enough to cover the flower. Which is it? How do I end up with 1 c (or more) of tincture – do I just keep repeating the QWET process until I have enough, or am I missing something?
Thanks in advance for any help you can give me in clarifying this process, and thanks again so much for your amazing website and all the info!
Hi Stacy. Thank you for all your kind words. We’re happy to support you every step of your edibles journey! ? So it really depends on how strong you want your tincture. The more alcohol you have covering the flower, the less potent the tincture. If you need 8oz of tincture, you can start with 8oz of alcohol and then fill it with enough flower for it to be covered just enough. Or, you can start with a desired amount of flower and then add 8oz of alcohol. There really is no right or wrong way, just potency determinant really. Does this make sense? You can use Emily’s edibles calculator to help you determine the strength of your tincture. The Most Accurate Edible Dosage Calculator. I hope this helps!
Soooo, I tried making an alcohol tincture in my second hand herbal infusion machine (which to my defense I do not have the instructions to nor could I find them online) and I decarbed my weed and poured it and the alcohol 100 proof vodka as it’s all I could find in, turned it on and a few minutes later I got an error read so I took it all out. The only thing I could think of to do at that time was pit it all in a jar in the freezer hoping for the best. That was 3 days ago. I’ve shaken it periodically. So any idea of what I could do to save this?
Hi Laurie. No worries here, as you can finish off as if you were making Green Dragon Cannabis Alcohol Tincture. Soak for desired time, strain all plant matter, and you’ll have an alcohol cannabis tincture. An infusion machine isn’t required. ☺️
Thank you for this easy recipe. I hope you can clarify a couple of questions:
1. How do the additional washes affect potency? Weaker? Stronger?
2. Does freezing for longer than 24 hrs affect potency?
Hi Tamie. 1. Each additional wash will be less potent than the one before due to less cannabinoids and terpenes remaining in the flower. 2. Freezing longer than 24 hours will provide a slightly more potent tincture, but will also have more chlorophyll and undesirable plant matter in the final product.
I made a batch of golden dragon for my wife this last August and she has loved using it almost nightly and we still have some left. I evaporated about 1/2 the alcohol to yield 4 oz total. Do you have any suggestions on how to make the tincture more palatable without evaporating more of the alcohol? Can honey or anything else be added to sweeten it? Thanks!
Hi Andrew. There are a few options you can try. Honey is a good option, but it doesn’t dissolve in alcohol so you’ll want to add a tiny bit of water to the honey to make it more of a liquid before adding to the tincture. LorAnn flavor drops are a big hit as well as mixing the tincture in with a warm beverage like tea, coffee or hot chocolate. I hope this helps!
Hi Emily,
Thanks for your website it’s very good. I’m in Australia and it’s still very backward over her in relation to pot consumption. I’m starting to make gummies this week for recreational use for myself and my mates.
So glad I found the golden dragon recipe and the knowledge of decarbing the pot first.
A mate has been making them with poor results and this explains why
Thanks so much,
Mark
Hello Mark! Thank you for your kind words; I am sorry Australia is not quite where it needs to be. I am so glad I could help you from the other side of the world! I hope everything turns out well 🙂 Keep us posted!
2 questions in my state I can only purchase 151 proof without a license will that work? Also, is there something we can do with the flower after straining process? TIA
Hello Andra, yes, 151 proof alcohol will work if that’s the only option. Here are some ideas for saving the flower after; however, with this method, there shouldn’t be too much good stuff left 😀
Do the trichomes that come off and go through a coffee filter have any thc in them or has the alcohol dissolved it out of the trichomes? Wondering if I should leave them in or filter out with a small micron filter.
Hello Dr. Rock, I’m not 100% sure, but I do know that trichomes can range in size, many of them being too small to see 🙂
I’m in the process of making tincture and was wondering if freezing the decarbed buds and the alcohol doing a shake and then going green dragon for 30 days would help with the extraction? Looking forward to your thoughts!
Thanks for all of your knowledge sharing. You are the best!
Hey Roger. I have lab tests showing that the longer the tincture sits, the more effective the extraction. However, letting it sit for 30-days would defeat the purpose of the golden dragon method and expose a lot more chlorophyll into your final infusion. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference; there is nothing wrong with experimenting and seeing if you like this final result.
Thank you for all your help with this. I’m new to THC and am enjoying the ease of your directions. However, I do have a question. Will the 2nd and 3rd washes in the alcohol result in the same % of THC in the tinture? Just wondering. Thx.
Hello Susan! You are most welcome, I am glad you’re finding them helpful 😀 I do not have lab tests to confirm how much THC will be in each wash, but it is not likely that they will have the same %. The first wash will have the most, and it will reduce with each was.
Hi what would be the best recipe to use with an infusion machine like the MBM?
Hey JD. You don’t need a machine to help you with the tincture-making process; it really would just add an extra step and more clean up 🙂 The MBM is best for making butter and oil infusions!
The first time I made this it came put so good! The second time I made it nothing happened. I even tried evaporating some of the liquid off to improve potency but still nothing. I don’t understand how following a recipe exactly produces two completely different results?
Hi Maggie. Did you use the same starting material each time? Did you decarb both times? And I would consider evaporating off most of the alcohol, as it can really burn and be uncomfortable.
Thank you so much for a really excellent overview, especially the page where you detail how you compared the various methods. My question for the QWET method is, when you strain the tincture after triple washing, do you press on the solids in the filter to extract the remaining liquid? Or would this just end up adding a lot of the undesirable plant compounds to the finished product? I supposed the other way to make sure you get everything would be to rinse the solids once or twice with more alcohol in the filter?
John, it’s personal preference for what you want to do, but yes, any squeezing or pressing would likely add more unwanted compounds, like chlorophyll, to the final product.
Does it make a difference if we are using a fresh crop (new fresh) or last seasons crop (older but still good) cannabis ?
Hey Ed! From my understanding, fresh cannabis will naturally have more water and chlorophyll present than dried cannabis. This may transfer over to your final infusion, but if you’re freezing well and washing quick – you should be just fine 🙂