Marijuana Tincture Recipe

Marijuana Tincture Recipe

For the times when whipping up a batch of marijuana brownies is inconvenient, a few drops of this cannabis tincture under the tongue or in a glass of water is a quick and effective alternative. Though alcohol-based, you will not be taking any shots. This fast-acting tincture packs a punch.

Kitchen Tools

Blender, coffee grinder, or food processor

Bowl or quart-size measuring cup with pour spout
Mesh strainer
Cheesecloth
Scale for measuring marijuana
Small funnel
Quart canning jar with lid
Brown or blue tincture bottles with droppers

Estimating Dosage

Just 5 to 10 drops on the tongue or in a glass of water will do the trick every time. Be sure to test each batch of fresh cannabis tincture just a few drops at a time until you are familiar with the potency. Remember that any substance enters the bloodstream more slowly through the mucous membranes than through the lungs. Ultimately the potency will depend on the cannabinoid density of the marijuana you use to make the tincture. Cannabis tinctures can be made from the leaf, trichome rich trim or manicure, buds of any quality, as well as kief and hash.

If you are trying to maintain a consistent strength over time with different types of marijuana, have the crew at SC Laboratories check out your cannabis first. They can test the level of cannabinoid present so you know what you are working with.

Use the following estimated amounts of cannabis for each pint or 500 ml of distilled spirit.

Leaf – 3 to 4 ounces

Trim – 2 ounce

Trim Smoke and Bud – 1 to 1 1/2 ounces

Kief and Hash – 6 to 8 grams

Instructions

Measure the amount of cannabis you plan to use and grind it with the blender, coffee grinder, or Cuisinart to about the size desirable to roll a joint with. Shoot for pieces not more than about 3 mm but certainly not a powder either. Decarboxylate the cannabis. If you are unfamiliar with this, here is an article on decarboxylating to help you figure it out. Add the cannabis to the quart-sized canning jar and pour a pint of vodka over it. Seal the lid tight and shake the jar a few times then place it in the freezer.

Once or twice a day remove the jar and shake vigorously for a few seconds before returning it to the freezer. After about 5 days most of the cannabinoids should have dissolved into the alcohol. Set up the cheesecloth over your strainer and place the strainer over the quart-sized measuring cup. Remove the jar from the freezer and carefully pour the contents over the cheesecloth to strain out the plant matter.

Once the alcohol has passed through the cheesecloth into the measuring cup, fold the edges of the cloth around the marijuana and twist the cloth to remove any further alcohol. Use the small funnel to fill your dropper bottles with the cannabis tincture. If further filtration is needed, you can place a coffee filter in the funnel to catch any plant matter that managed to pass through the cheesecloth.

Filled tincture bottles should be kept in a cool dark location. I usually use Belvedere Vodka because I usually have it on hand, but in a perfect world, I would use Everclear for my cannabis tinctures because of the high alcohol content. In reality, it doesn’t matter as long as you use a liquor that is at least 80 proof–40% alcohol. The higher the alcohol content, the faster the cannabinoids will be extracted.

If for some reason the freezer is not available, the same method can be used to make tinctures in the refrigerator or another cool dark place. You will need to wait a month instead of five days, still shaking the jar once a day.