In this post, I will be discussing the art of making your own Over Proof alcohol.
In turn this moonshine will be used to make a fully extracted cannabis oil or any essential oil that you want, for that matter.
In my world, when you are using cannabis as a plant medicine, having control over what your plant material comes into contact with matters a great deal.
Often solvents (which aren’t ingredients that a person would normally ingest) are used. This includes isopropyl alcohol, butane and even kerosene.
The ultimate goal is to purge whatever solvent you have chosen to use to extract the essential oil of cannabis, from its mature flowers, the best you can.
In the gif (below) you can see the alcohol that I made burning a blue and orange flame.
At this point, I had distilled it once and achieved 66% alcohol. This is why you can still see an orange flame. I distilled it 3 times in total and achieved 93%. The closer you get to a 100% alcohol the purer and bluer- white the flame will be, once lit on fire.
Extreme care should be taken. Over-proof alcohol is extremely flammable. Even a static spark can ignite it and if it gets lit during the day, you won’t even see the flame.
Ingredients:
- 4 packages of Turbo Yeast
- 53 pounds of white sugar
- 80 litres of water
Directions:
- Mix 1 package of yeast, 13.25 pounds of sugar and 20 litres of water in a large pail.
Leave a 3 inch air gap at the top of the pail. The yeast is very active and needs room to ferment for 7 days.
Don’t put the lid on tight and use an air lock on top of the lid to allow gas to escape.
Please do your own research and follow the instructions for the yeast you are using, if you attempt to make over-proof alcohol yourself.
Once 7 days have past (and the yeast has consumed the sugar and there’s no more activity visible through the air lock on the lid of the pail) 80 litres, at 20% alcohol, is the maximum alcohol % you’ll achieve.
The additional alcohol % is achieved through the distillation process.
I used a Green Oil Machine for this job.
(In essence, it’s a small still.)
See What I See:
Once the machine is switched on, the alcohol will be condensed off and captured as a clear liquid.
After the first distillation, I achieved approximately 66%
alcohol.
Two more distillations, achieved 93% and I was able to capture 8.5 litres of 93% alcohol.
The Green Oil Machine worked for this particular application but I will be moving to a much larger Reflux Still on the recommendation of @billmega.
Once I jump up to that technology, I am hopeful that my process will become more efficient and that I will be able to produce more 93% alcohol by volume, much faster.
The process that I am currently using (with the equipment that I own now) is time consuming and inefficient as a result.
I am limited to distilling small amounts of alcohol at any one time. A larger still that is more efficient in capturing the over-proof alcohol is what is needed and I am very thankful that @billmega shared his advice with me. (Thanks Bill.)
Stay tuned...
Making fully extracted cannabis concentrates using my own alcohol is next. ;)
I welcome your comments and I invite you to follow me on my journey...I’ll do my best not to blow us all up along the way.
~ Rebecca
Excellent post.! Once again @rebeccaryan your the best...
once built your gonna love the hillbilly flute! Expecially For what you require. Talk to ya soon.
Hi @billmega! I am happy to report that equipment has been researched, sourced, purchased and will be assembled on Saturday.
Started 160 litres, 2 days ago.
Should be distilling with the new rig by early next week ( amongst everything else).
Proving, there is no rest for the wicked...
haha!
this is so damn cool.... I admire posts like this that educate because it makes me realize how many things I don't know that others can share
<3 I think am all progressive taking CBD oil till I see what Steemians share that blows my mind, js
Thank you @battleaxe! (I love your Steemit name, btw.)
Sorry about the delay in my response. I am up to my eyeballs with my outdoor harvest.
We all have to start somewhere and I think that even working up the nerve to try something that has been and still is taboo, is badass.
I would encourage you to keep trying new things.
Scares the hell out of me sometimes but that’s how you know that you’re alive. Haha!
thanks, thought it was super sexy (shakes head not at all)
like your moxie, yeah I like to do caving and stuff to remind me there is adrenaline left , lol
We miss you. Survived 'legalization' over here. Hope you're well.
Hi @vantocan!
Good to hear from you and to know that you have survived Oct. 17th! I hope things are going well for you and your crew.
It’s been very busy in our neck of the woods.
I am happy to report that we’ve been successful at harvesting , drying and curing both our indoor and outdoor grows. Working around the clock it seems, in addition to every day life. (Just the way it goes). So, I haven’t had very much spare time to devote to writing.
We also bought a much larger Still and have been producing over proof alcohol and generally experimenting with extractions... I think we are in the middle of another steep learning curve. Lol! However, beyond all the long hours, we’re having some fun too.
Thanks for connecting. ;)
Jeeeeez. You're really ambitious. You're the real deal, you know that? If you guys were in the Vancouver area, we would be happy to collaborate (and hang) with you. :)
We find it is those very busy and 'steep' times that often produce the most long-term growth! Bravo and please keep up the great work. Respect.
You never cease to amaze me with your knowledge and will to be self reliant. Excellent post my friend!
Thank you @bluelightbandit!
There’s a lot of sick people who require this level of concentrated plant medicine. That’s why I am taking this project on. It will let me teach others and ultimately help in a larger way. Safe solvents are an on-going concern for all of us. ;)
Lol. I think this is a "rattling mixture". You have to be careful :)
You are right @magnata! Extreme care needs to be taken so that nothing explodes or catches on fire.
No worries. I will be careful. :)
I am very much impressed with your distillation process, while I have known from book and demonstration from your post. 93% alcohol pretty good volume, may i have tase some of them if it edible!
Hi @sheikh27! It is an ok volume but with right equipment for the job, it will improve and that’s what I am after next. ;)
First, I love how you made this stuff. Legit!!! I think this is an amazing skill to have under your belt. Definitely following you on this most epic of adventures!!!
Given the work involved, cost comparison, and risk. I would likely opt for wholesale 95% ethanol spirits.
Obligatory Safety Disclaimer:
Anyone unable to do this in a well ventilated location with proper safety equipment on hand, should also just pay a little more for bottle spirits.
Hi @massmedicinals!
If I want to buy over-proof alcohol in Ontario, I require a special license which I have to apply for every year.
The alcohol is 94% and costs $125 CAD a litre. I have gone this route in the past.
When I make it myself, I don't require a license and I was able to make almost 9 litres for approximately $50.
Once I prefect the process, I should recognize even greater economies of scale in being able to capture more alcohol at the correct concentration needed for extracting.
If anyone is considering taking this on as a project, you absolutely must do this in a well ventilated location and you must keep your wits about you because it is dangerous due to how flammable the end product can be.
95% alcohol (EverClear) is fairly cheap to buy bottled, around here it goes for $16-20 for 750mL. But that still might not scale up for what I believe you are needing.
I can remember making poor decisions a decade ago, cooking off 99% alcohol indoors on a flame stove, and considering it safe because it's in a double-boil set-up with windows open.
Oh, also if you're harvesting this weekend that sounds like a rather nice treat for thanksgiving. :)
Thank you @massmedicinals!
I really appreciate the info that you’ve been able to add to this post in regards to the differences between what you can buy “off the shelf” in the USA in terms of Over Proof alcohol and the costs associated with it. It’s a good comparison and record of what this time period is like for all of us.
Thanks for doing that. ;)
Seeing and reading about your capabilities, @rebeccaryan, your complement is well received. But at the same time I feel very junior in knowledge right now to what you are doing.
Totally ready to learn through your posts, and hopefully contribute a little knowledge back to you along the way.
Cheers!
Awesome! Not really a drinker, but I love tinctures, homemade is the best !
Thanks for taking a look @ceattlestretch! I'm not a drinker either, but I do love concentrates and that's what I'm using this hooch to make. ;)
Thanks for sharing, I’ll have to try one of your techniques & share my results. My fridge is running low on edibles & my cupboard is full of jarred trim !
Your trim will be perfect for making edibles @ceattlestretch. I’d wait for a rainy day and then get baking so that you can get properly baked yourself. Haha!
Rebecca, we're thrilled to watch you explore further into the world of extracts!! Much love from Vancouver. <3
Still working on our filtering process and keeping my temperatures under 140 degrees... it’s a work in process. Lol!
Thank you @vantocan!
We've made 4 batches of concentrated "taffy" so far using different plant material...
Limped our broken branches (from the wind storm) outside in laced water for 8 days.
Watched the trichomes amber up under a magnification, then harvested, froze the plant material (without drying or curing it). Then gave it a 3 minute wash in very cold 93% and filtred it. Reclaimed most of the alcohol and finally purged it in a vacuum chamber for 18 hours...
It was a good experiment.
Totally got the basics already down! And having your own access to 93% is going to be great for you. Filtering you'll have fun with and master quickly. Temperatures and other conditions are the art form that we all have to figure out and master in our own ways! It can take years. We are never done learning. Keep going!!
Thank you for all your encouragement. I greatly appreciate it. :)
Awesome post! Upvoted and shared!
Thank you very much @cannuration!
Excellent Rebecca!! Will will include this in our weekly recap!
Thanks so much @canna-curate!
Solid post! Looking forward to the next addition, followed :)
Thank you very much @bengiles!
I love synchronicity... I was just speaking of doing this myself as it is really the only way to ensure you are 100% in control of the contents of your medicine.
Great job, thanks for the tutorial and tips!
Hi @jayanarchon! Cool. It is worth it and I wish you well if you do make your own. ;)
welcom my friend
nice to see u again
Hi @walidsalah! Good to hear from you my friend.
thanks alot
Really good to know. They don't sell anything above 50% where I am so this actually is really helpful if I ever want to make rso.
Wow! First time to know and to read this! Amazing!!! How did you have that kind of machine?