Fresh Harvest Infused Cannabis Oil

[SweetSue]

Thanks Sue. Good stuff. Glad I found this thread again. I was going to sub in last time I found it, then my phone died again.
A question, sort of. I read that after about 70% decarb you are losing THC, as it converts to CBN, faster than you are gaining it from the THCa being converted. I was told to stop decarbing once the bubbles slow down a bit- as a sort of guesstimate of that 70% mark. Do you agree with this (apparently not- or you like a little CBN in the mix).

Of course I don't know anything about this stuff. I've found the decarb temps/time topic a lttile confusing, as you know cause you had to read a zillion PMs from me asking dumb questions about it.

What I've learned in my studies is that THC doesn't make that chanfpge as aggressively as we are led to believe Weaselcraker. I get no sleepy effects from any of the oils I make, and this fresh harvest oil I decarb to the last bubbles.

I took my last Dark Devil Auto today. I'll be back later with a report on the water bath decarb.

 

[SweetSue]

So I went away shortly after we started playing sue, to the forest of peace and tranquility!!(not what it's really called) Love disconnecting. I must say this took off and now I feel so behind in something I'm really wanting to stay on top of.
That said,my best friend loves long mountain walks several times a day. Her hips do not. So I gave her .2-.3ml with her lunch and dinner. She ran or walked fast every walk, stairs were no longer much issues. She followed smells off the trail which has been a while that she's made that kinda of effort.

Last time I was out there, when we came home she laid on the couch and her bed. No real movement for a few days. This time all is still well with her and I'm still dosing her,but once a day.
Couple months till I can play,should have much more to play with

New B, this brought tears of joy to my eyes.

 

[SweetSue]

What I've learned in my studies is that THC doesn't make that chanfpge as aggressively as we are led to believe Weaselcraker. I get no sleepy effects from any of the oils I make, and this fresh harvest oil I decarb to the last bubbles.

I took my last Dark Devil Auto today. I'll be back later with a report on the water bath decarb.

Two hours later, and although there are obvious signs that the water bound in the plant is evaporating I'm getting no bubbling at all. I've been stirring frequently, so I'm sure it's infusing. I put the lid on and I'll give it another hour, or until it releases decarb bubbles.

Shiggity and Dynamo, did your oils foam at any point?

 

[SweetSue]

I can tell you I'm getting a nice buzz licking the chopstick.

 

[SweetSue]

Thanks Sue. Good stuff. Glad I found this thread again. I was going to sub in last time I found it, then my phone died again.
A question, sort of. I read that after about 70% decarb you are losing THC, as it converts to CBN, faster than you are gaining it from the THCa being converted. I was told to stop decarbing once the bubbles slow down a bit- as a sort of guesstimate of that 70% mark. Do you agree with this (apparently not- or you like a little CBN in the mix).

Of course I don't know anything about this stuff. I've found the decarb temps/time topic a lttile confusing, as you know cause you had to read a zillion PMs from me asking dumb questions about it.

Weaselcracker, this is from CAT Scientific. They ran an experiment just last year to see how much conversion actually took place.

"We put the THCA solution in a one liter beaker, placed it on the CAT MCS78 Hotplate stirrer, set the probe temperature to 122°C, which is the temperature of the solution. Once the probe temperature hit 122°C, the timer on the MCS78 Hotplate Stirrer was engaged for 24 hours. We drew samples at six hours, twelve hours, eighteen hours and twenty-four hours to see what THC to CBN conversion rates are for those time segments.

We sent the four samples to the lab for analysis and were quite surprised with the results. In fact, they were nothing what we expected. Heating the solution for six hours @122°C, the conversion of THC to CBN, 0.1 mg/ml, twelve hours, THC to CBN, 0.2mg/ml, eighteen hours, THC to CBN, 0.3 mg/ml and twenty-four hours, THC to CBN 0.4 mg/ml.

The results of the analysis tell us when decarboxylating cannabis using heat, going past 70% decarboxylation, the conversion of THC to CBN is minuscule, and is not the cause of cannabis extract having sedative properties."

 

[dynamo1]

Two hours later, and although there are obvious signs that the water bound in the plant is evaporating I'm getting no bubbling at all. I've been stirring frequently, so I'm sure it's infusing. I put the lid on and I'll give it another hour, or until it releases decarb bubbles.

Shiggity and Dynamo, did your oils foam at any point?

No I did not get any foam, just bubbles working up through the mix very slow at first then peaked at about 1hr 10min. then slowed, I may not have gotten it all thinking that was ok I could leave some unconverted to treat arthritis.

 

[SweetSue]

No I did not get any foam, just bubbles working up through the mix very slow at first then peaked at about 1hr 10min. then slowed, I may not have gotten it all thinking that was ok I could leave some unconverted to treat arthritis.

I got no bubbles to speak of and a lot more than the oil I put in, suggestions the water isn't boiling out. That might not be a problem, if it's decarbed. It's a thick, rich, beautifully purple oil before adding lecithin.

I have a small amount in an oil bath to verify results.

 

[SweetSue]

20 minutes in and this small amount is still decarbing.

When I stir I get masses of bubbles rising. Although the water bath obviously does a certain amount of decarb it's not doing most of it. Just a small amount.

Still more work to be done, but it's also obvious that the infused oil both Shiggity and Dynamo got has potency. What I prepared before this decarb step had me so high I couldn't believe I was able to walk to the grocery store for more canola oil. So something unexpected is going on.

 

[SweetSue]

I'm going to decarb the rest in the oven at 230. I'll give it an hour and keep an eye on it. If this works it'll eliminate the oil bath. Not everyone will be able to handle an oil bath.

 

[New B]

I can handle a oil bath but would prefer a safer way of going about it. So thanks for your effort on that, all involved.

 

[SweetSue]

I have to stop licking the utensils.

 

[dynamo1]

20 minutes in and this small amount is still decarbing.

When I stir I get masses of bubbles rising. Although the water bath obviously does a certain amount of decarb it's not doing most of it. Just a small amount.

Still more work to be done, but it's also obvious that the infused oil both Shiggity and Dynamo got has potency. What I prepared before this decarb step had me so high I couldn't believe I was able to walk to the grocery store for more canola oil. So something unexpected is going on.

I was concerned it wasn't going to get hot enough in the water bath,I don't know how much but the quart jar was a little hotter on the bottom than the rest.I took out the metal plate that I had in my water to keep the jar off the bottom of my water pan. I'm still waiting for lecithin to arrive before using my oil so I haven't had a real test.

 

[TopCola]

Very interesting method Sue. I really like the idea of making the oil with a fresh harvest. I am sure that this will save time. Is there any noticeable difference in the end product when using a fresh harvest as opposed to a cured harvest? Also how did the refrigerated cure turn out?

I have been perfecting my method for oil over the last 5 years. I now have a very simple method that is very effective. I am going to write a post about it. I would love to get your feedback

 

[SweetSue]

Very interesting method Sue. I really like the idea of making the oil with a fresh harvest. I am sure that this will save time. Is there any noticeable difference in the end product when using a fresh harvest as opposed to a cured harvest? Also how did the refrigerated cure turn out?

I have been perfecting my method for oil over the last 5 years. I now have a very simple method that is very effective. I am going to write a post about it. I would love to get your feedback

A simple way to make good oil? I'm all ears. I would love to read and give you feedback TopCola. The more options we can offer the membership the happier I'm going to be.

This method is seriously time-consuming without the pressure cooker PsyCro now recommends, and I may break down and get one before my next harvest. It's well worth the effort though, because, to be honest, it's the most potent oil I've made in over a year of making oils, including CCO.

My favorite so far is the one made with CBD Critical Cure, my favorite CBD strain. The ratio is 2:1 in favor of CBD, and the combination of that ratio and the terpene profile sends me into space as this oil, where that doesn't happen at all with the same plant processed into oil using dried and cured buds. It's cannabinoid profile is believed to be 5-10% THC and 10-15% CBD. I'm still amazed that I get that high on such a small amount of THC, and I've been singing that song for three weeks now, I believe.

We're talking head and shoulders above oil made in the conventional method with dry buds. Every strain I've used for this oil has surpassed their dry bud counterparts in significant ways.

The same can be said for DrZiggy's low and slow cure in the fridge. I harvested 112 grams wet buds today. 50 grams got processed into oil and the rest went into the fridge to dry over the next couple weeks or so.

We believe the low and slow cure retains almost all of the terpenes, and probably all of the flavonoids, so the resulting dry buds look and smell just the way they did when you harvested. That means a more pronounced entourage effect, the same thing that makes the fresh harvest oil so valuable. Terpenes tell cannabinoids what to do. Think of that in the context of this fresh harvest oil.

We have no idea yet how much this improves the medicinal value, but my sense is that is so superior to what I used to do that I'm willing to spend all damned day in the kitchen to come up with only 4 ounces of the best oil I can put my hands on.

Made right here in my own home with my own plants, for my own patient's relief. Does life get any better than that? I don't think so, but the universe can surprise and delight me proving me wrong.

 

[SweetSue]

I knew going into this procedure today that there was a possibility I'd find the need for an oil bath to get decarb done properly. I was right, and it doubled my time, at least, but I had to be certain decarb was happening. I also needed to be sure the water content wasn't being left behind, and in my case this turned out to be true. Part of my backup oil bath was to boil the water out of the mix.

I never got the foaming I get with CBD Critical Cure, but then, I don't remember having it happen with the first DDA I harvested, so it might be the strain. It's worth remembering that different strains most likely will cook up in different ways. You can see the water beginning to boil off.

I'd given it an hour in the oven at 235 F and there was no decarb or boiling going on, so I set up the oil bath again.

I hastened the evaporation process by running the chopstick around the perimeter. It caused water bubbles to rise and break. I stood and stirred constantly during decarb, hoping to speed things up a bit. I was also fascinated and couldn't take my eyes off it. .

I started the oil bath at 9:33 and finished at 10:28, almost an entire hour over a low flame. If I hadn't just explained to Weaselcracker about the conversion rates I'd have been worried. Instead, I'm just relieved to be finished for the day.

I was surprised at how potent the oil was without the decarb step. I'd been licking utensils and cleaning out measuring cups with small pieces of bread all day, and this is Dark Devil Auto, so I knew it would make me euphoric.

If what you're looking for is potency, stick with the oil bath. You'll get a cleaner oil boiling the water off as the plant material breaks down. I can imagine all kinds of benefit to the oil you'd get from the water bath, which should be loaded with acid cannabinoids. So many possibilities spring to mind.

My best advice is get a pressure cooker and explore that route, but fresh harvest oil is worth whatever it takes to get it made.

Now, let's see what TopCola has in store for us.

 

[Canyon]

Sue,
I started taking the GTH down tonight. The rest will come down tomorrow.

I want to run a process by you that I have been considering.

The plan is to cold dry as much as I can find space for in the frig. Then decarb some of it in coconut oil and do an alcohol wash with some.

My thinking is that the terpene profile of the low temp cure could work as well as fresh harvest material and would eliminate boiling of the water.

I think it is worth trying. What do you think? Am I missing something?

 

[SweetSue]

Sue,
I started taking the GTH down tonight. The rest will come down tomorrow.

I want to run a process by you that I have been considering.

The plan is to cold dry as much as I can find space for in the frig. Then decarb some of it in coconut oil and do an alcohol wash with some.

My thinking is that the terpene profile of the low temp cure could work as well as fresh harvest material and would eliminate boiling of the water.

I think it is worth trying. What do you think? Am I missing something?

I've been thinking the same thing from the beginning Canyon. It was one of the reasons I put more of my harvest in the fridge instead of making it into oil today. My plan was to decarb in 36-hour oil and see how that went. That way I seal in all the goodness.

How sweet of you to let your own curious nature run wild.

 

[Canyon]

Yours will be dry before mine, so I will have a chance to make changes if necessary.
[;>)

 

[Weezze]

I didn't know that you could use fresh cannabis to make oil!
But it seems to take a long time!

The way I make it is pretty simple. Decarb, add lecithin, then in the oven 2x for 45 minutes.

I followed this recipe with coconut oil:

How to make the most potent Cannabis oil. AKA "canna butter"

And it work VERY well!

Here's a picture of my cookies.

 

[SweetSue]

I didn't know that you could use fresh cannabis to make oil!
But it seems to take a long time!

The way I make it is pretty simple. Decarb, add lecithin, then in the oven 2x for 45 minutes.

I followed this recipe with coconut oil:

How to make the most potent Cannabis oil. AKA “canna butter”

And it work VERY well!

Here's a picture of my cookies.

They look tasty Weezee. You put a lot of care into them. Do you know the cannabinoid load per cookie, by chance? How do you dose yourself with them?

I've made many infused oils, and all of them were potent. This particular process captures the terpenes you lose when you dry the buds first and then decarb. All of that is locked in the olive oil, making this the most potent of all I've produced. It's the terpenes that direct the action of the cannabinoids. When you hang to dry before making oil you lose over 50% of the monoterpenes, the most important IMO being myrcene, which is responsible for whisking the cannabinoids through the BBB.


This oil is worth the time, let me assure you. If you get tempted to try a batch you'll understand. I'm purchasing a pressure cooker somewhere along the line, which will take all the work out of it. I've simply documented the original method PsyCro developed before he found that the pressure cooker was the way to go. But even without the pressure cooker, and even with the intense labor that goes into it, it's worth every minute.