Cannabutter dosing

[Ibspot]

I currently make cannabutter and have a couple of dosing questions. I just made a batch of butter using Lemon Haze, a sativa hybrid, with 25% thc. I used an 1/8th oz of buds that I decarbed at 240 degrees for 40 min, using 3 1/2 Tbsp of salted butter.
I used 1 tsp of butter for a dose. 3 hrs later and I felt like I wasn't buzzed at all.

My question is: What should a "normal" dose size be? I mean, is 1 tsp too much and I need to go with a smaller amount for a dose to feel a buzz? My understanding with edibles is that eating too big of a dose can actually have the reverse effect of getting you high.

I would love to be able to have the same kind of buzz that I get from a couple of hits off my bowl but I know that edibles will not produce the same kind of high as smoking. But I would at least like to feel stoned in some way. Any ideas, knowledge, experience or help would be greatly apprecitaed.

 

[Old Salt]

'Normal' depends on the person using it. Some need more than others. I use rosin to make capsules. Until now, I've been guesstimating the dosage based on a dried flower equivalency. I just ordered a cannabinoid analysis kit so that I can mix the various strains of decarboxylated and raw rosin to get accurate dosing.

 

[Ibspot]

Yeah, I realize "normal" depends on the person. I'm just looking for an average dose I guess, what any particular persons dose is. I'm guessing that a Tbsp of butter to a gr of bud is a decent ratio but am not sure. I'm just getting started and welcome all input.

By the way, I like the "old salt" moniker. I'm ex-Navy myself. 9-74 to 9-77. Did 2 med cruises, 1 carrib cruise, and an Artic circle cruise. USS Navasota AO-106, USS Independence CV-62.

 

[Old Salt]

I did twenty in the CDN Navy from '77 - '97.

All you can do is try it. Magical Butter recommends 7-14 g botanicals per cup decarbed flower per cup. Three an a half Tbsp corresponds to 0.21875 cups so that's about 5 - 11gms or 0.25 - 0.4 oz.

 

[Greenlizard]

Cannabutter is a staple in our refrigerator. I never made a batch smaller than a full pound of butter so I can't really comment on small batches like 3.5 tablespoons... Do you have the resources to try and make a full pound? Perhaps it's just not enough? I use one ounce of bud or really frosty trim per pound of salted butter, and if you ate my brownies you better have a clear schedule for about 36 hours. LOL.

My process is to decarb at 220 degrees for 40 minutes.
Don't grind the bud. Just break it up a little with your hands.
Put the full ounce of bud into a slow cooker with a pound of butter, and a half cup of water.
The water keeps the butter from burning on the bottom since water is heavier than butter. The butter will always rise to the top, and water will remain on the bottom. (unless stirred of course).
Cook on low for at least 4 hours. I prefer to go 5 hours.
Strain the mixture roughly through a kitchen strainer, then again through cheese cloth. The result will be brown liquid butter. Pour into the desired container and let cool in the refrigerator. Once cool the nice green color will take over and your left with a beautiful green block of butter that should come with flight instructions
Once complete and cooled you will find there is still brown liquid below the butter in the container. You can poke a hole in each side of the butter just like a apple juice can and pour it off. I actually prefer to remove the butter as a solid block and pour the water off. Then pat the bottom dry with paper towel. The excess moisture will cause your butter to mold in the refrigerator if it's in there for longer than a few days, and sealed in a container.

 

[Old Salt]

Cannabutter is a staple in our refrigerator. I never made a batch smaller than a full pound of butter so I can't really comment on small batches like 3.5 tablespoons... Do you have the resources to try and make a full pound? Perhaps it's just not enough? I use one ounce of bud or really frosty trim per pound of salted butter, and if you ate my brownies you better have a clear schedule for about 36 hours. LOL.

My process is to decarb at 220 degrees for 40 minutes.
Don't grind the bud. Just break it up a little with your hands.
Put the full ounce of bud into a slow cooker with a pound of butter, and a half cup of water.
The water keeps the butter from burning on the bottom since water is heavier than butter. The butter will always rise to the top, and water will remain on the bottom. (unless stirred of course).
Cook on low for at least 4 hours. I prefer to go 5 hours.
Strain the mixture roughly through a kitchen strainer, then again through cheese cloth. The result will be brown liquid butter. Pour into the desired container and let cool in the refrigerator. Once cool the nice green color will take over and your left with a beautiful green block of butter that should come with flight instructions
Once complete and cooled you will find there is still brown liquid below the butter in the container. You can poke a hole in each side of the butter just like a apple juice can and pour it off. I actually prefer to remove the butter as a solid block and pour the water off. Then pat the bottom dry with paper towel. The excess moisture will cause your butter to mold in the refrigerator if it's in there for longer than a few days, and sealed in a container.

A pound of butter is two cups, so it's the same as the strong side of the Magical Butter recipe. It's probably better to make it too strong, than too weak. If it's too strong you can split between the infused butter and plain butter for you recipes.

 

[Oldgrowth]

I also use MBM. I make it strong too, 1 oz of nugs and good trim per lb. I may toss in some decarbed bubble hash into the choc butter brownies goop. As OS points out one can always use less. You need to experiment. Don't forget that your THC tolerance may also change. I grow 4 or 5 plants each year producing much more than I use-I can give an oz at a time away and do. This allows me to use any amt of herb I choose baking edibles. It also allows me to produce a lot of herb, excellent trim, bubble hash and kief. I use them all in my edibles and smoke.

The amount you grow IMHO is the most important factor in making your own edibles.

 

[Ibspot]

I did twenty in the CDN Navy from '77 - '97.

All you can do is try it. Magical Butter recommends 7-14 g botanicals per cup decarbed flower per cup. Three an a half Tbsp corresponds to 0.21875 cups so that's about 5 - 11gms or 0.25 - 0.4 oz.

Ok, thanks. I suck at math, and english, but you've helped. Thanks again.

 

[Ibspot]

Cannabutter is a staple in our refrigerator. I never made a batch smaller than a full pound of butter so I can't really comment on small batches like 3.5 tablespoons... Do you have the resources to try and make a full pound? Perhaps it's just not enough? I use one ounce of bud or really frosty trim per pound of salted butter, and if you ate my brownies you better have a clear schedule for about 36 hours. LOL.

My process is to decarb at 220 degrees for 40 minutes.
Don't grind the bud. Just break it up a little with your hands.
Put the full ounce of bud into a slow cooker with a pound of butter, and a half cup of water.
The water keeps the butter from burning on the bottom since water is heavier than butter. The butter will always rise to the top, and water will remain on the bottom. (unless stirred of course).
Cook on low for at least 4 hours. I prefer to go 5 hours.
Strain the mixture roughly through a kitchen strainer, then again through cheese cloth. The result will be brown liquid butter. Pour into the desired container and let cool in the refrigerator. Once cool the nice green color will take over and your left with a beautiful green block of butter that should come with flight instructions
Once complete and cooled you will find there is still brown liquid below the butter in the container. You can poke a hole in each side of the butter just like a apple juice can and pour it off. I actually prefer to remove the butter as a solid block and pour the water off. Then pat the bottom dry with paper towel. The excess moisture will cause your butter to mold in the refrigerator if it's in there for longer than a few days, and sealed in a container.

I can get the quantity, but I'm concerned that I will end up wasting it, so thats why I use a smaller batch. I'm the one guy that could tear an anvil up with a feather. Seems like nothing ever works out right or as planned. Guess I was born under a bad sign. I'll try your recipe and see what happens. Thanks. I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

[Ibspot]

I also use MBM. I make it strong too, 1 oz of nugs and good trim per lb. I may toss in some decarbed bubble hash into the choc butter brownies goop. As OS points out one can always use less. You need to experiment. Don't forget that your THC tolerance may also change. I grow 4 or 5 plants each year producing much more than I use-I can give an oz at a time away and do. This allows me to use any amt of herb I choose baking edibles. It also allows me to produce a lot of herb, excellent trim, bubble hash and kief. I use them all in my edibles and smoke.

The amount you grow IMHO is the most important factor in making your own edibles.

Ok, thanks. I missed the planting time this yr, but come next, I'm gonna have several plants under lights growing out in my shop.

 

[Ibspot]

A pound of butter is two cups, so it's the same as the strong side of the Magical Butter recipe. It's probably better to make it too strong, than too weak. If it's too strong you can split between the infused butter and plain butter for you recipes.

An oz of buds is 28 gr. A lb of butter is 32 tbsp. I'm using a 1 gr to 1 tbsp ratio now. If I follow yours, it works out to be a little less bud per tbsp. (32 tbsp butter, 28 gr buds) In theory, mine should be a little stronger than yours, if you go off the ratio alone. I cook it for 2 hrs in a crock pot. Maybe I should do a longer cook, like you? You said you do a 5 hr cook. Maybe thats what I'm doing wrong. Plus, I've been grinding my buds. I decarbed this last batch at 245 deg for 40 min. .

 

[Old Salt]

An oz of buds is 28 gr. A lb of butter is 32 tbsp. I'm using a 1 gr to 1 tbsp ratio now. If I follow yours, it works out to be a little less bud per tbsp. (32 tbsp butter, 28 gr buds) In theory, mine should be a little stronger than yours, if you go off the ratio alone. I cook it for 2 hrs in a crock pot. Maybe I should do a longer cook, like you? You said you do a 5 hr cook. Maybe thats what I'm doing wrong. Plus, I've been grinding my buds. I decarbed this last batch at 245 deg for 40 min. .

A Dutch university did a decarboxylation study and found that 110 @ 110 was required for full decarboxylation of flower. Thats 110°C (230°F) for 110 minutes or an hour and 50 minutes. This is what I used when making capsules filled with decarbed dried flower.

 

[Ibspot]

A Dutch university did a decarboxylation study and found that 110 @ 110 was required for full decarboxylation of flower. Thats 110°C (230°F) for 110 minutes or an hour and 50 minutes. This is what I used when making capsules filled with decarbed dried flower.

Holy Crap !!! Thats a real long decarb time. No where else have I seen anything over 50 min, regardless of temp. Maybe my issue all along is not getting them decarbed at all. Wow. Obviously not ground up either, just broken up in to small pc's ?

 

[Old Salt]

Holy Crap !!! Thats a real long decarb time. No where else have I seen anything over 50 min, regardless of temp. Maybe my issue all along is not getting them decarbed at all. Wow. Obviously not ground up either, just broken up in to small pc's ?

That's what I did. I broke the flowers into small pieces and put them in oven. After they cooled I ground them to a powder and put the powder into capsules. Size 2 holds 150mg, and size 0, 250mg. I went to rosin as the dosing was inconsistent. Some capsules had far more trichomes than others.

 

[Ibspot]

That's what I did. I broke the flowers into small pieces and put them in oven. After they cooled I ground them to a powder and put the powder into capsules. Size 2 holds 150mg, and size 0, 250mg. I went to rosin as the dosing was inconsistent. Some capsules had far more trichomes than others.

What kind of oven do you use? A household oven? I bought a lab oven (Quincy Lab GC-10) to use, since the household oven temps fluxuate so much. Toaster ovens are even worse. I can keep a steady temp pretty much all day long.

 

[Old Salt]

What kind of oven do you use? A household oven? I bought a lab oven (Quincy Lab GC-10) to use, since the household oven temps fluxuate so much. Toaster ovens are even worse. I can keep a steady temp pretty much all day long.

I just used the household oven. I did two batches this way which was enough to last until I had saved enough for the rosin press. With that, I no longer need to use the oven. I decarb the rosin in a beaker that sits in an oil bath on a temperature controlled induction hot plate.

 

[Ibspot]

I just used the household oven. I did two batches this way which was enough to last until I had saved enough for the rosin press. With that, I no longer need to use the oven. I decarb the rosin in a beaker that sits in an oil bath on a temperature controlled induction hot plate.

You are smarter than me, by far. I'm still learning obviously but am trying to learn and get better. Thanks for your info, suggestions.

 

[Ibspot]

I just used the household oven. I did two batches this way which was enough to last until I had saved enough for the rosin press. With that, I no longer need to use the oven. I decarb the rosin in a beaker that sits in an oil bath on a temperature controlled induction hot plate.

So, how much of your butter do you have for a "dose" ? 1/2 tsp? 1 tsp? I'm trying to figure out if Im not eating enuff to get a buzz.

 

[Ibspot]

I can get the quantity, but I'm concerned that I will end up wasting it, so thats why I use a smaller batch. I'm the one guy that could tear an anvil up with a feather. Seems like nothing ever works out right or as planned. Guess I was born under a bad sign. I'll try your recipe and see what happens. Thanks. I'll let you know how it turns out.

So how much butter do you eat for a dose? 1/2 tsp? 1 tsp? I'm trying to figure out if I'm not eating enuff or am doing something wrong in my butter making process.

 

[Old Salt]

So, how much of your butter do you have for a "dose" ? 1/2 tsp? 1 tsp? I'm trying to figure out if Im not eating enuff to get a buzz.

I had to try the first batch of every strain to find out what I needed, starting low and working up to what I needed. You'll need to do the same. Just give it a couple of hours before taking more as it takes time to enter your bloodstream.

I don't use the butter, but capsules with decarbed rosin and coconut oil. These are the calculations I used:

I started with decarbed flower in the capsules. By trying different sizes of capsules, I found that capsules with 150mg or 250mg worked best for me. The problem was dosing was inconsistent. When I got the rosin press earlier this year, I switched to that to get the consistent dosing I wanted. I did the calculations to get a rosin equivalent to those doses, then added enough oil to fill the capsules.

As an example, for 100 size 2 capsules that held 150mg each, I needed 15gm of flower. I assumed that I would recover 70% of the rosin from the flower.

15gm/0.70 = 21gm This is the amount of flower I pressed for rosin
3.78gm rosin was the result. This is what i used for 100 capsules.
0.37ml is the volume of a size 2 capsule according to capsule connection
100 *0.37ml = 37ml required to fill 100 capsules
0.95 is the specific gravity of coconut oil, I made the assumption that rosin was close to that
37ml * 0.95 = 35.9gm weight of coconut oil and rosin needed to fill 100 capsules
35.9gm - 3.78gm = 32.12gm subtracting the weight of rosin gives me the weight of coconut oil needed

I mixed the 32.12 gm of coconut oil with the decarbed rosin and filled a few capsules. It turned out that the capsules were a little stronger than I thought they would be. This showed I was getting more than 70% of the cannabiniods when I pressed the flower into rosin. The difference was not enough to worry about, so i filled the remaining capsules.