Bite Me The Show About Edibles
Helping cooks make great cannabis edibles at home.
Create your own tasty, healthy cannabis edibles and take control of your high life! Bite Me is a weekly show that helps home cooks make fun, safe and effective cannabis edibles. Listen as host Margaret walks you through an marijuana infused recipe that she has tested in her home kitchen or interviews with expert guests. New episodes every Thursday.
Bite Me The Show About Edibles
Liquid Gold: The Art of Cannabis Tinctures
Ever wondered why cannabis tinctures have stood the test of time? From ancient apothecaries to modern dispensaries, these potent liquid extracts have remained a cornerstone of cannabis medicine for centuries.
Making your own tinctures at home is surprisingly straightforward. Whether you choose the traditional steeping method, which extracts more compounds but requires patience, or the quicker freezer method for a cleaner taste, the process requires minimal equipment and expertise. My recent experiments showed significant extraction happens in just 10 minutes, though longer steeping times do increase potency. A 24-hour soak nearly doubled the potency compared to a 10-minute extraction, offering flexibility based on your timeline.
Beyond the standard sublingual approach, tinctures shine in the kitchen. Add them to beverages, drizzle over desserts, mix into dressings, or blend into homemade topicals. Their adaptability makes them an essential component of any cannabis enthusiast's collection, especially those who enjoy exploring creative consumption methods.
Ready to transform your cannabis experience drop by drop? Discover why tinctures have remained beloved for generations.
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Friends, welcome to episode 296. Today we are exploring the topic of tinctures. Welcome to Bite Me, the show about edibles, where I help you take control of your high life. I'm your host and certified gonger, margaret, and I love helping cooks make safe and effective edibles at home. I'm so glad you're here. Welcome back, friends. I'm so glad you're here. Thank you for joining me today on this exciting topic of tinctures, and I'll get into a second as to why we're doing this subject Aujourd'hui.
Speaker 1:Yes, je peux parler un peu de français, not to toot my own horn, but I am a product of the French immersion school program, one of the first kids to do it here in Canada, because we are an officially bilingual country, we have two official languages, so it does occasionally come in handy that je peux parler un peu de français. And if you are an actual French person, please don't be offended by my Québécoise or my poor Québécoise, because when I was going to school, all the French immersion teachers were typically Québécoise and I have heard often that Québécoise is quite different than la Française de France. Also, my grammar is terrible. That's one thing that I have lost over the years, even though my comprehension and vocabulary levels remain relatively impressive, considering how often I do use it. I don't know why I started doing that, maybe because, like I said, when I am recording these, it sometimes feels like I'm talking to myself a little bit and you feel a little bit crazy. But that's also why I started the Bite Me Cannabis Club and I hope that you will consider checking it out. I would love to have you join me over there where we can continue this conversation in a two-way format instead of just me talking at you, because I really do love the folks that listen to this podcast. We seem to be a pretty like-minded bunch and I think that's really special. So I'm really happy that you're here today. If you're just joining for the first time, welcome to the podcast that explores the intersection of food, culture and cannabis, and if you've been here for a while, you are one of those amazing people that likes to take control of your high life, take your world into your own hands, and that's what we're exploring here as well.
Speaker 1:So what are we making today? We're making tinctures, and I think I last covered the subject of tinctures. This is episode 296, probably like 290 episodes ago, give or take, and no, I have not gone back to listen to that episode. I really should, but I haven't listened to a lot of those really old episodes, partly based on fear because I think it would probably be incredibly cringy. I like to think that I've improved over the five years that I've been doing this show, and maybe part of the reason I don't listen to it is, a because it might be so cringy, and B what if I haven't improved as much as I think I have. I encourage you to share this episode. I'm going to do this now instead of later, but I'm going to encourage you to share this episode with somebody that you think would benefit from learning about cannabis-based tinctures.
Speaker 1:Actually, before I get into it, one last thing. I was recently hacked. My Instagram account, specifically got hacked, and it happened so quickly and I almost knew as soon as it happened, because I had gotten a DM, a direct message from somebody, somebody that I know I've known for years, a decade probably and they sent me this innocuous question and I didn't really think anything of it and I clicked the link that they sent because they were asking a question about, about something, asking me to do something for them and, of course, being the kind hearted person that I am, I was like, of course I'd love to help out. And as soon as I opened the link, I was like, oh shit, I closed it, logged out of my Instagram and I wasn't home at the time. But I was home probably 20 minutes later and by that time my one of my daughters sent me a message saying hey, mom, I think you got hacked and sent me a screenshot of what I was supposedly pushing online, which was a new cryptocurrency, get rich quick, get rich quick scheme. And I guess I spammed a bunch of people and I posted it on a post and in my stories and all the rest of it. And what a nightmare.
Speaker 1:It wasn't really a nightmare to get it back, it was just frustrating because I didn't have two-factor authentication turned on and the hackers did turn it on and perhaps that was also a mistake that they made on their end, because when they turned it on, I later, because obviously the post got reported a lot of people reached out to me and I said please report the post. It's obviously not me, I have not started an exciting new career in cryptocurrency and so they did and of course, I had to go in and make note or whatever it is you do with Instagram to let them know that you've been hacked and you have to reset your password and all that kind of thing. But it took a little bit longer because they had turned on this two-factor authentication, which I should have had on in the first place, which may have prevented me from getting hacked. And ironically I have two-factor authentication turned on for most of my things now, most of my accounts, where I have to put in a username and password. But I just didn't really think of Instagram and Facebook for whatever reason. And later I did get a text message from supposedly Instagram although the name was decidedly not an Instagram related name and they were saying hey, if you've gotten a reset email from Instagram, please reply to this text with the word help and the six digit code that you got, because they were obviously trying to get back into the account and they had put on two-factor authentication, which sent a notification to my phone with the code and of course I thought idiots and deleted and reported the messages as well.
Speaker 1:But these hackers, they really move quickly. You have to be cautious and this is my PSA of the day. Have you changed your password lately? Are your passwords all the same, because they really need to be different. It's getting more sophisticated out there today, folks I'm sure I don't need to tell you that and if there is the option for some kind of two-factor authentication, it is a pain in the ass a lot of the times. I log into so many accounts where they're like yeah, I have to go to the authorization app and get the code, or I have to get an email sent, a code sent to my email or my text messages and it really is a huge, a huge inconvenience sometimes, but it's an inconvenience until it's not. And this was a lesson learned over the weekend where, suddenly, that two-factor authentication kind of saved me a little bit from them getting in deeper into my account and perhaps wreaking even more havoc. So that inconvenience. It's a small price to pay for a little extra security when it comes to our online accounts. So that is my PSA of the day Change your password, set up the two-factor authentication.
Speaker 1:Now let's get into today's super fun subject of tinctures. And there's a reason why I'm covering this particular subject today, and that's because, if you haven't yet listened to the episode that I did with Vanessa Lavorato, we covered so much in that conversation and I have been really excited. I've re-listened to the episode. I need to listen to it again because I pulled so much in that conversation and I have been really excited. I've re-listened to the episode. I need to listen to it again because I pulled so much out of it. And, of course, if you feel like you want to pull more out of that episode that perhaps you didn't get the first time around, listen to it again. Or you can also head over to actually it's in your show notes or the time transcripts sorry, are in the podcast player, but I'm transcripts, sorry, are in the podcast player, but I also have transcripts and timestamps and full show notes over on bitemepodcastcom where you can find the breakdown of that episode so you can tease out some of the things that you wanted to get from it without having to necessarily listen to the whole conversation again, even though I thought it was a fantastic conversation one of my favorites to date, I'm sure, although I probably say that about many of the interviews that I do, because I love doing the interviews.
Speaker 1:That's one of the things I really love about doing this show is the opportunity to talk to really cool people about edibles, about cannabis, about all the things related to those things and then sharing that information with you so we can all learn together. So we're talking about tinctures, because she did bring up tinctures in her book specifically and this is a really fun book how to Eat Weed and have a Good Time which she just released very recently, and I'm hoping to introduce tinctures because there is. With her permission, I am sharing a recipe or two from her new book on upcoming episodes and I thought I would choose tincture-based recipes as opposed to the traditional, because I just wanted to mix things up a little bit and give you folks some new options, and I don't do alcohol tinctures very often. I tend to stick to the pretty traditional edibles or, sorry, infusions, your fat-based infusions. That's what I find. They're super versatile, but the nice thing about alcohol tinctures is they're just not going to. They're definitely more. They have a really great shelf life and we'll get into the whole thing as we dive into this episode, because we are diving into the wonderful world of cannabis tinctures liquid gold as many people like to call it. Well, I don't know how many people like to call it that, but I like to think of it as liquid gold.
Speaker 1:Now, my first experience with tinctures myself. I made a tincture, oh God, long before I probably started this show. I say probably, but I was making edibles for several years before I started this show. It's now actually closer to six years than it is five since I started it, but I discovered edibles a few years before the show and in large part because I found that I'm very sensitive to inhaled THC. I remember making my first tincture and dropping it under the tongue and it stung. It did definitely sting. I remember that in particular. But you didn't have to wait as long and the best part was that I was making it myself at home and it's a pretty forgiving tincture. So today's episode is packed with everything you need to know about cannabis tinctures.
Speaker 1:We're going to explore what tinctures actually are and how they differ from other cannabis products. We'll break down the impressive benefits that make tinctures a staple in many cannabis users' collections, and then we'll get hands-on with two different methods for making tinctures at home the traditional way and the quicker freezer method for those of us who aren't blessed with patience but I do have a note on that and of course, we'll wrap up with some dosing information and creative ways to use your tinctures. But that will also be coming in upcoming episodes, because the standard under the tongue approach, while it works, sometimes we like to do things a little more creatively. And again, under the tongue can often sting because you're putting alcohol under your tongue and that doesn't necessarily taste that nice. So are you ready to transform your cannabis experience drop by drop? Excellent, let's get started, friends.
Speaker 1:First off, let's answer the question what exactly are cannabis tinctures and why have they been a trusted method of consumption for centuries? Yes, the tinctures have been around for a hot minute. They are not new and I'm sure many of you listening to this over time have probably learned this alongside me as well that tinctures have been around for a while. They might seem like a modern innovation, but they're actually one of the oldest forms of cannabis medicine. Before prohibition, tinctures were the primary form of cannabis medicine used in the US of A. In fact, they were listed in the US Pharmacopeia from 1850 until 1942. And the concept dates back even further, with documentation of medical texts as early as 1025 in the canon of medicine. So what exactly is a tincture?
Speaker 1:At its most basic, a cannabis tincture is a concentrated liquid extract where cannabinoids are infused into a carrier liquid. The cannabis plant material soaks in the liquid traditionally alcohol, and after a period of steeping, the plant matter is drained out. What remains is a potent liquid containing all those beneficial cannabinoids, terpenes and other compounds from the plant. So remains is a potent liquid containing all those beneficial cannabinoids, terpenes and other compounds from the plant, so it is considered a full spectrum extract. Now you might be wondering how tinctures differ from other cannabis products, like edibles or oils. While both tinctures and edibles are ingested, they enter your bloodstream through different pathways, and this is the big difference here. Edibles go through your digestive system, you eat them and then they go through the digestive system, processed by our liver, which transforms the THC into its more potent form, and that's why edibles can hit so hard and last so long. Tinctures, on the other hand, are absorbed directly through the tissues under your tongue, bypassing the digestive system and going straight into your bloodstream, and this means faster onset so think 15 to 30 minutes versus an hour or more for edibles, but also generally a less intense experience.
Speaker 1:Tinctures are whole plant extracts and even when made from hemp, they may contain trace amounts of THC and the full spectrum of the plant compounds, and that will include some of the things that we don't always want as much of. Like the chlorophyll, the things that make things green. It can give it that sort of green flavor that we might be familiar with when using certain tinctures. But let's talk about the different types of tinctures that you might encounter. Technically speaking, the term tincture specifically refers to an alcohol-based extract, and there's also glycerin or oil as your base, and if you're using glycerin or oil, it's more accurately called an infusion. But most people use the word tincture as an umbrella term for all of these.
Speaker 1:Alcohol, glycerin or oil. Alcohol-based tinctures are the traditional form and generally the most potent. Glycerin-based tinctures offer sweeter tastes and are gentler on sensitive mouths. Serum-based tinctures offer sweeter tastes and are gentler on sensitive mouths. Oil-based tinctures using carriers like MCT or coconut oil or olive or any of those oils that we all know and love, provide a milder experience and can double as a topical product. Now, in my personal experience that milder experience that is perhaps a misnomer, because tolerances vary so widely. What is mild for one person might not be mild for another, so you have to take that with a grain of salt.
Speaker 1:Glycerin, interestingly, is the one, the sole ingredient infusion that I have never made, and this came up recently in the Bite Me Cannabis Club there was a discussion about glycerin and one of the members had posted in the club about making a glycerin-based infusion and how easy it was. It was quite easy and the different applications for it, and I think perhaps and she explained later that I guess I don't always understand what glycerin is, and she said it's often a byproduct from bath and body care products and that kind of thing, which makes sense, because I have glycerin in my cupboard, because I do like to make a lot of bath and body care products myself at home. It's something I really enjoy doing. A lot of them do turn into topicals because I add cannabis to it, because, like many people of a certain vintage, I have aches and pains. Topicals are so wonderful and that's my understanding of glycerin is from that world, but it can be made into a food safe compound that is great for infusing and has lots of applications. So it is something I'm going to have to try one of these days soon. Stay tuned for an episode near you because obviously if I'm experimenting with it in my kitchen, I'm going to bring it to you as well. But another reason to consider joining the Bite Me Cannabis Club because we talk about all kinds of cool things over there because there's lots of people doing their own kitchen experiments and being able to share their findings, their results, their happy accidents and all the rest of it.
Speaker 1:Tinctures usually come in those little one ounce glass bottles with the droppers for precise dosing and, unlike edibles, which often have a cap on how much THC will be in the package, in many markets Currently in Canada it's not very high. I'm not going to say it because I'm hoping that this evergreen episode will mean one day it is. They'll relax the rules on that a little bit but tinctures can contain much higher concentrations since they're not considered food items. So that's how they sort of get around some of those THC caps that you may find in some jurisdictions. I know that doesn't apply to everywhere.
Speaker 1:Now the magic of tinctures happens under your tongue, as we already talked about. Your mouth has absorbent tissue called the oral mucosa, essentially a mucus membrane that lines your cheeks, lips and under your tongues, and this tissue is highly vascular, meaning it's packed with blood vessels that can quickly absorb the cannabinoids and deliver them directly into your bloodstream. This sublingual absorption method bypasses your digestive tract and liver, resulting in faster onset times than edibles, but a potentially less intense experience, since the liver doesn't get the chance to transform the THC like it does when you're eating edibles. Now, something you should keep in mind is when you are dropping it under your tongue. They do recommend holding it there for as long as you can like say up to a minute, before swallowing, and that can help absorb even more of those cannabinoids into your bloodstream. Now that we understand what tinctures are, let's explore why they've become such a popular option for both recreational users and medical patients alike.
Speaker 1:So cannabis tinctures may not be as trendy as the latest vape pen or as fun as a colorful gummy, but there's a reason. They've endured for centuries in apothecaries, and now they're making a comeback in dispensaries. Well, did they ever really go away, though? Let's explore the impressive benefits that make tinctures a must-have in your cannabis toolkit. First up is the discretion. For many of us, this is a pretty important factor. Tinctures at a glance resemble a skincare product or wellness supplement. There's no telltale cannabis smell when sealed, no smoke, no vapor to attract attention, and using them as simple as putting a few drops under your tongue. The discretion is a big factor, and they're very portable. A small one ounce bottle will easily fit into your purse, pocket, travel bag and, unlike flour that can get crushed or edibles that are perishable or could melt, tinctures are durable and travel friendly, so they're perfect for those moments when you need relief but you don't necessarily want to announce it to the entire world.
Speaker 1:And one of the most significant advantages of tinctures is the ability to precisely control your dose. We've all heard the edible horror stories. These edibles ain't shit. And then you eat more, and we all know how that ends. And with tinctures, you can literally dose down to the drop. Most tinctures come with measurements on the dropper, allowing for a consistent, repeatable experience. And if you just want to microdose for focus, maybe you need a few drops. Maybe you need a little more substantial relief to deal with something that's ailing, you add a few more drops. You can build on it. And this precision is especially valuable for medical patients who need to maintain specific cannabinoid levels throughout the day.
Speaker 1:And here's one of the things that's often overlooked when it comes to tinctures is that they're one of the cleanest ways to consume cannabis. While some brands might add flavoring, if you're making your own, you're probably not adding flavorings, and if you do, you know exactly what's in those flavorings, which is why I love making my own edibles, tinctures, infusions. At their core, tinctures only need two ingredients cannabis and the base liquid. That means no sugar, no gluten, no gelatin, no artificial colors, no artificial flavors, none of the other ingredients that might trigger allergies or sensitivities, and you're not inhaling anything into your lungs, which is a really big consideration for a lot of people as well, especially, I find, those who are new and coming to cannabis for the first time, perhaps ever, or after a lengthy pause in their consumption, and for those with dietary restrictions or those who simply are mindful about what they put into their bodies, tinctures offer a very straightforward option. Now, we touched on this earlier, but it bears repeating.
Speaker 1:Tinctures often offer a middle ground between the immediate effects of inhalation and the delayed onset of edibles, and when used sublingually, the effects typically begin within 15 to 30 minutes, compared to an hour or more that you might have to wait for an edibles to kick in, and the faster onset means that you can more easily gauge if you need more or if you've reached your desired effect. It's also perfect for those situations where you don't want to wait an hour for relief but don't want to step outside and smoke. A lot of these tinctures make me think a lot about also cannabis beverages in a very similar way, and I do find often a beverage or in this case a tincture is sometimes good when you're out and about, because they kick in faster and don't necessarily last as long. They're good for social situations where maybe you want a little bit of the fun but you have to drive later, which is often what I find, because I kind of live out in the country and when I go into town to hang out with friends and go to events and things like that, I have to drive home and I don't like to drink very much and if I take a beverage or I can now that I've made some I can take a tincture and enjoy the benefits of the cannabis high and then be fine to drive home when I'm ready to leave a little while later.
Speaker 1:Now, another advantage of tinctures is that you typically preserve the full spectrum of the plant's compounds and when you make a tincture, you're extracting not just the THC or CBD but all the cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids that contribute to the entourage effect, and that's the theory that cannabis compounds work better together than in isolation. This full spectrum approach can provide a more well-rounded experience and potentially greater therapeutic benefits than isolated compounds alone. I think when you talk to anybody who's been using cannabis for a while, when you compare full spectrum versus the isolated compounds and if you're in a dispensary, you'll see that often labeled as like distillate, which is an isolated compound People do talk about how the experience is quite different and sometimes it may feel a little bit subtle, but those differences can be that the high is just more robust, it lasts longer. You don't necessarily get like shoot sky high really fast and then drop really quickly, because you will find that in a lot of products like vape pens that you're getting isolated compounds that can get the user like really high really quickly but it doesn't last as long and it just doesn't feel. I just describe it as robust and I feel like, if you know, you know, and an interesting way to experiment with this would be to try both and see how you find it.
Speaker 1:But tinctures are obviously incredibly versatile, which is why we're talking about them today, and while the sublingual method is the most common, you can also add your tinctures to food beverages after cooking. They can be incorporated into homemade topicals or even used in aromatherapy. One product, multiple uses isn't that great value. That's the kind of shit that I love to talk about on this show, because we are getting more bang for our cannabis buck. So now that we understand why tinctures deserve a spot in your cannabis pantry, let's roll up our sleeves and learn how to make them at home using the traditional method. This is interesting because some of the thoughts have changed around this, but we'll get into that in a second here.
Speaker 1:So one of the most empowering aspects of cannabis tinctures is that you can make them at home yourself. You don't need dispensary tinctures. I understand the convenience, but when you see how easy these are to make, you may change your mind about that, because, also, if you're buying from a dispensary, you have to make sure that you're buying from a really reputable brand, but they are one of the easiest cannabis products to make at home. So if you're already making infusions with your traditional fats like coconut oil, butter, olive oil, then you can do this and you'll find it even easier. It requires minimal equipment, no advanced plant science degree. You may need a little bit of patience, but we'll get into that too. So let's start with what you need. The beauty of tinctures is their simplicity. For ingredients, what you'll need is cannabis flower decarbed and your base liquid, food grade ethanol or Everclear.
Speaker 1:Now for the folks listening, everclear, depending on where you live, may or may not be readily available. Now I used to know a fellow that made his own homemade hooch and had over the years sort of built up a whole distillery and all the rest of it. So I got a giant bottle. I remember I traded him infused cannabis cookies for this huge bottle of basically pure alcohol and I'm like at the bottom of this bottle and I haven't talked to him quite sometimes. A long story. This was quite a while ago, but I need to get a new supply because in Canada it's a lot harder to get. Was quite a while ago, but I need to get a new supply because in Canada it's a lot harder to get Everclear. Now I did learn recently that you can get food grade ethanol from the local where I am in Ontario, lcbo, but you have to go in and ask for it. So if you can't get ethanol or Everclear, then get the highest proof alcohol that you can. Vodka is often what's recommended because it doesn't have as much flavors Other alcohols. The highest proof, the better. That might be. The biggest challenge for those who are making this is that you can't just go out and buy a bottle of Everclear. Where I am, you can't. I know a lot of people that can, so that really depends.
Speaker 1:Alcohol is the most efficient at extracting cannabinoids, so that's why you do find most tinctures are made with alcohol. For your equipment, you're going to need a couple of clean glass mason jars with lids. You're going to need cheesecloth, or maybe coffee filters for straining or a fine mesh sieve. You're going to need your baking tray and parchment paper for your decarboxylation and finally, you're going to need a one ounce glass bottle with a dropper cap for your finished product Nowation and finally, you're going to need a one ounce glass bottle with a dropper cap for your finished product. Now, if you don't have that last thing, I mean you can work around that. That's not a big issue and those are often easy to pick up. I mean, obviously Amazon has them. If you're trying to avoid Amazon, a lot of places around town will sell this kind of stuff.
Speaker 1:Before we dive into the process, let's talk about an essential first step, of course, is decarboxylation, or decarbing for short, and if you did again listen to this episode from last week. Vanessa recommends decarbing in a little parchment paper pouch or in a silicone little bag to help contain some of those turps, if possible. It also helps contain some of the smell a little bit. Raw cannabis can contain THCA or CBDA, which are non-intoxicating acid forms of those cannabinoids, and they convert to their active forms by removing that A acid molecule when we apply heat. And the same thing happens when you light a joint or vape. You're applying heat and that's when the conversion process is happening. It's just happening a lot faster when you're vaping or smoking a joint or a bowl or whatever.
Speaker 1:However, it is that you're consuming it. And since we're not applying heat during the tincture making process, you need to decarb it first if you want the psychoactive effects. I mean, you could do it without that, but you're going to have a very different tincture than you otherwise would. So let's break down the traditional step. First you're going to decarb your cannabis. So once it's cooled, you're going to transfer your decarb cannabis to a clean glass mason jar and then you're going to add your chosen amount of alcohol and then you're going to seal the jar and give it a good shake until all the plant material is submerged and now this is where the waiting game potentially comes in.
Speaker 1:But this is why I'm also referencing this episode with Vanessa, because she was talking a lot about how a lot of these things don't necessarily seem to take as much time as we previously thought. I've had some people say you know, you store your tincture in a cupboard for two months, for two weeks, for however long it's not necessarily necessary and you are going to agitate the jar once a day, regardless of how long you let it sit for agitate the jar once a day, regardless of how long you let it sit. For Now, after listening to the episode again with Vanessa and some of the experimentation she's been doing, I decided to try some experiments myself and I'm going to be reporting on more of these as they come in. But, as she was saying that you don't necessarily need to let it sit for as long to extract as many cannabinoids, there are differences, but it's kind of marginal after that first little bit and I need to do one more experiment to really see how this goes in my end. I mean, obviously she was doing the experiments in the book, which is a really interesting aspect of the book that she has written.
Speaker 1:But I did a tincture and I added three and a half grams of CBD, because I had some CBD flour that I wanted to use. I decarbed it and I added three and a half grams to a third of a cup of alcohol. Maybe not a lot, but I was not working with a large stock of alcohol so I had to sort of preserve it a little bit. I did two tinctures like that. I did one that was a 10 minute tincture, as she talks about in her book, and then I also did a 24 hour tincture just to compare the results. And what I found was the 10 minute tincture in this particular instance. And you know, you put it, you put it in the jar and then you give it a swirl every two minutes for up to 10 minutes and it it ended up being 2.6 milligrams per milliliter. Now, when I did it for 24 hours because that was the next experiment that I did it did almost double it. I did the same three and a half grams of CBD flour in the third cup of alcohol and what I ended up with? 5.3 milligrams per milliliter.
Speaker 1:So maybe letting it sit for a little bit longer could give it a higher potency, of course, but if you're really looking to make something in a pinch, you are going to be extracting cannabinoids within those first 10 minutes. The next thing that I would love to do is try it for a week. So I am going to be trying that for a week next and just to see what the results are, because according to a chart in her book, the infusion or the tincture 15 minutes, and then she compares it to 7 days, 14 days, 28 days, 21 and 28 days, and once you get past that sort of 14-day mark, the results are rather minimal. I mean, maybe if you're really looking to extract as much as possible out of your tincture, then it's worthwhile, but just remember, you're also extracting all the other compounds out of that cannabis plant, that cannabis that you have in there. So you're going to be getting flavonoids and terpenes, but also a lot of the chlorophyll that makes it taste very green and whatever else happens to be in that cannabis plant. So I mean, it's up to you.
Speaker 1:You can let it sit for a month and if that's your preference, the process is the same. You're just going to give it a bit of a swirl every day to agitate it, and that helps with the extraction process and then, after the steeping period, you're going to strain the mixture through your cheesecloth, fine mesh, sieve into a clean glass jar, squish it until you get every last drop of that liquid gold and what's left is your tincture, and that is full of cannabinoids and terpenes. So if you have one, you're going to transfer it to your dropper bottle and label and date it with the contents. Always label, as I say ad nauseum on this show. And this homemade tincture will last for years if you store it properly. So you just keep it in a cool, dark place. Dark, amber or blue glass bottles will help protect it against light degradation. Some people store it in the refrigerator.
Speaker 1:I don't know if that's necessary, especially if you're using it pretty regularly. So I know what you're thinking. You're like four weeks. I don't have that kind of patience. But don't worry, there is another extraction method that we can look at and that's one I'm actually currently conducting right now, and, as I've already mentioned, you could wait 24 hours or you could wait 10 minutes. It's really all up, it really is up to you. Extraction possible. Then you might want to wait a little bit longer, but I do think the difference between 24 hours and one month is going to be more negligible than what I saw with the 10 minutes to the 24 hours. And this is where the experimentation is fun. But I've got great news there's a faster way to make cannabis tinctures and that can have you from your plant to dropper in just a day. It's called the freezer method and it's a bit different from the traditional approach, but it can produce excellent results with significantly less waiting.
Speaker 1:Why would you consider the freezer method? Well, you need your tincture quickly. You want to minimize the plant taste. As I already talked about, that can sometimes come with longer infusions and tinctures. You're making alcohol-based tincture because this won't work with glycerin or oils, and you want to experiment with a different extraction technique, just because it's fun to experiment. And it works on a fascinating principle when you freeze cannabis and alcohol separately before combining them, the freezing temperature makes the trichomes, those tiny crystal-like structures on the plant that contain the most goodies, the cannabinoids. They become more brittle and easier to separate from the plant material. The cold also slows down the extraction of the chlorophyll and plant waxes, which means less of the raw green taste that some people find unpleasant and can lend a flavor if you're using it for things other than just dropping it under your tongue, and the result is often a cleaner tasting tincture, though potentially with a slighter different cannabinoid and terpene profile, than the slow steep method or the quick steep method.
Speaker 1:And let's just walk through this really quickly. So, just like with the traditional method, you'll still need to decarb your cannabis first. So take care of that as your first step. And once the cannabis is completely cooled, you place it in a mason jar. But in the freezer and in a separate mason jar, you place your high proof alcohol, your Everclear, whatever it is you're using. You put that in the freezer too, and you let them get ice, ice cold maybe, and then, working to keep everything cold, you're going to combine the frozen alcohol which obviously won't be frozen and the cannabis in one jar and you're going to seal it and shake it vigorously for about a minute. And then you're going to seal it and shake it vigorously for about a minute and then you're going to return it to the freezer. Now you can leave it in the freezer for five minutes, take it out again, shake again for another minute, or you can let it sit in the freezer for about a week and take it out and give it a shake every so often, once again strain the mixture through a cheesecloth and a fine mesh sieve and voila, you have another tincture that is ready for bottling.
Speaker 1:It would be really interesting to do the potency testing to see. So I do have some. I have alcohol in the freezer right now getting ready for this purpose, and I will be very interested to see how this differs as far as potency compared to the first two tinctures that I've already made, and I'm hoping to do the exact same thing. I'm going to do the three and a half grams of CBD flour, because I still have some of that CBD flour and I have enough of it so that I can be using the same flour. So I don't know how potent it is, because I got it from a friend, but this means it's from the same batch, so it's going to have around the same potency level and the same amount of alcohol and see how it turns out. So how does the freezer method compare to a traditional tincture? It's generally they're going to be lighter in color and have a milder taste, and they may be slightly less potent than traditional tinctures. We'll see about that. I'm using my trusty tea check for these particular experiments.
Speaker 1:A lot of people find the trade-off in time and energy is worth it, so it's really up to you. Some people, like myself, will make both types because the flavor is intense. As strong, it may lend itself well to other types of recipes you're going to be using it to later, like if you're going to be using it for food or adding it to beverages, because you don't necessarily want that super green taste that comes with a traditional alcohol tincture, traditionally made. Now that you know how both tinctures are made, let's talk about how to use them effectively and some safety and essential dosing and usage tips. So, whether you've purchased your tincture from a dispensary or crafted your own at home, knowing how to use it properly is essential for a positive experience. So we're going to talk about dosing, administration techniques and some creative ways to incorporate tinctures into your routine and of course, I have some exciting episodes coming up around that.
Speaker 1:But the golden rule with cannabis, especially in concentrated forms like tinctures and really any kind of cannabis, no matter how you're consuming it, is to start low and go slow, particularly important for beginners or those trying a new tincture or a new consumption method. For context, let's start. Let's use a standard 300 milligram tincture and a one ounce bottle as a reference and in this case, a microdose would be about a 0.1 milliliter or three milligrams of THC, and that's great for very subtle effects. Now, of course, that's going to depend. A microdose would be a good place to start for anybody. If you're a beginner and you're uncertain, then that's a good place to start a three milligram dose of THC to see how it affects you, because I have met people where three milligrams of THC could be a lot.
Speaker 1:It varies so widely. A standard dose might be a 0.5 or 15 milligram dose of THC. For me, that's getting into the realm of psychoactivity. 20 milligrams, 25 milligrams and around. There is where I'm going to be feeling it more acutely. But again, it really depends on the person, and this is where taking notes is really helpful and experienced users might take a whole milliliter dropper. So 30 milligrams or more and, of course, depending on that, experienced users I know people who can double or triple that and that's when they're starting to just starting to see relief, based on what effects they're looking for.
Speaker 1:Everyone's endocannabinoid system responds differently to cannabis, which is what makes it so exciting but also requires a little extra patience when you're figuring this stuff out. Accurate measurement is key to consistent experiences with tinctures, and most dropper caps have measurement markings, but if yours doesn't, one milliliter is a typical full dropper. So when you squeeze the bulb and release, it will naturally drop about one milligram or one milliliter of liquid. And for smaller doses you can estimate half a dropper is going to be your 0.5 milliliter and a quarter is 0.25, and so on. And if you're very concerned about your precision, you can purchase a small oral syringe from any pharmacy, so that will have the appropriate markings on it so you can know what you're taking.
Speaker 1:If you're making homemade tinctures, it's harder to know the exact potency. But just start with a few drops, wait a few hours and then decide if you want to continue with more. And of course, there is the calculator on my website that will help you decide how strong it is. With give or take, I mean. Obviously it's not a perfect system, but it certainly helps to give you at least a benchmark and then start with a little less and go from there.
Speaker 1:Now fill the dropper with your desired dose, squeeze it under your tongue and hold it there for 30 seconds to a minute without swallowing, and this gives the cannabinoids time to absorb through the mucus membranes and then you can swallow any remaining liquid after that. But that really does help to absorb as much as possible. It allows for faster onset and more efficient absorption compared to simply swallowing the tincture directly and, as I've mentioned a few times, you can expect to feel the effects within 15 to 30 minutes, peak effects happening around 60 to 90. The experience will typically last three to four hours, though this is going 60 to 90. The experience will typically last three to four hours, though this is going to vary based on dosage and other individual factors, as I've mentioned. So this is faster than traditional edibles, but slower than smoking and vaping, and it's a nice middle ground. That will give you time to gauge the effects before they fully kick in. And if you swallow the tincture directly or mix it with food, you can expect a timeline more similar to edibles. So your 45 to 90 minute window onset time, with effects lasting six to eight hours, while sublingual administration is the standard, tinctures are incredibly versatile and here's some creative ways to use them so you can add a few drops to beverages like a morning smoothie.
Speaker 1:You can incorporate them into sauces, dressings, condiments after cooking. A cannabis-infused salad dressing can transform a regular meal into a whole new experience. Could create custom topicals by mixing alcohol-based tinctures with lotions or creams for localized relief. You could add it to ice cream, drizzle it over fresh fruit. So those are a few ideas and next week and the week after I'm going to have a couple of recipes for you that you can use your freshly made tincture.
Speaker 1:A lot of people like to make FICO and RSO. Fico is full extract cannabis oil or Rick Simpson oil. You may have heard of both of these. They are concentrated tinctures essentially, where you're basically cooking off the alcohol. That's a whole other thing, if you will, and I'm going to refer to a podcast episode I did quite some time ago now with my friend Temple Grower, who makes all kinds of these FICO oils. A lot of people find them super helpful, really useful in making a lot of edibles or adding to foods and infusions. But there are some caveats with that because obviously there are some issues with heating your alcohol-based tincture that you have to be mindful of. So I'm going to link to that episode because the show notes alone are worth a read, even if you don't want to listen to the whole episode. But we break down how to make concentrates from your tincture in depth in that particular episode, so I'm not going to get that into it today.
Speaker 1:Of course, avoid taking too much too quickly. Start low and go slow, as always. Don't store your tinctures in plastic containers. The alcohol can leach chemicals from the plastic. Always use glass. I mean, I feel like, whenever possible, always use glass, even when outside of tinctures. I usually try and use glass as much as possible, but this seems particularly important. We're all full of enough microplastics as it is. We don't really need any more when we're trying to take our medicine. And perhaps most importantly, don't forget to label your homemade tinctures Date, contents, potency. Wow, that was a lot. With these dosing and usage tips in mind, you are now well equipped to explore the wonderful world of cannabis tinctures safely and effectively.
Speaker 1:Let's wrap up with some final thoughts, shall we? So we covered a ton in this episode today. Let's recap what we learned. So we learned that tinctures are one of the oldest forms of cannabis medicine, dating back oh centuries, and consist of cannabis compounds extracted into a liquid base In the case that we're talking about today, alcohol. We explored the impressive benefits that make tinctures stand out their discretion precise dosing, allergen-free nature, faster onset compared to edibles, full spectrum effects and versatility. And we walked you through a few different methods for making tinctures at home, using a slower steep method and also a freezer method.
Speaker 1:I also actually did an episode when I first talked about tinctures. It was called the green dragon method, and that's when you use like a whipped cream dispenser to sort of do a really quick infusion. I'll link to that as well, because I thought that was interesting and I haven't revisited that in a while, but it is another way to sort of address the issue of speeding up the infusion process. So there's a whole bunch of ways to do a thing. And finally, we covered some essential dosing information and creative ways to incorporate tinctures into your lifestyle beyond the standard sublingual approach, which works just well but maybe sometimes a little bit boring. Keep a journal of your experiences with different doses and types of tinctures, because this is useful data to you later. And again, I cannot stress this enough you think you'll remember and you will not from one stoner to another.
Speaker 1:And of course, experimentation is everything. So in our next episode we're going to be exploring using your tinctures and one of those recipes. I almost don't want to say, okay, I'm going to say it. I'm going to say it Because I sometimes hate to let the cat out of the bag too early. But marshmallows I've never made marshmallows before and we're going to try that out together.
Speaker 1:So, if you are able, go out, make your tincture, find a method that works for you, report back. I would love to hear it. Join the Bite Me Cannabis Club and share your experiences over there, or message me some other way. Tag me on Bite Me Podcast, on Instagram or Blue Sky, and then the following week I'm going to be using a tincture to make a beverage. I've done a beverage in a while, so we're going to be trying that as well. And if you want to learn more about all that we talked about today, this episode was a little bit longer than I intended, but it just seemed to flow head over to bitemepodcastcom, where you'll find the episode page for this particular episode, with all the detailed show notes and links to things that I've mentioned. So thank you for joining me on today's wonderful world of cannabis tinctures. So, whether you're seeking relief, relaxation, just a new way to enjoy your cannabis, I hope you'll give tinctures a try. They might just become your new favorite method and until next time, my friends. I am your host, margaret, stay high.
