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How To Make Cannabis Tincture

If you’ve ever considered making cannabis tincture, then this guide is for you! Cannabis tincture is just one of the many ways to consume cannabis. And while it might seem complicated, with a little know-how and the right cannabis tincture recipe, crafting your own is simple.

Just like with cannabis edibles, there are many different methods of making cannabis tinctures that vary in time and complexity. But with each cannabis tincture recipe, you’ll find that the flavor will vary in accordance with the cannabis flower, grain alcohol, and other variables involved.

This article will walk you through the steps for both hot and cold methods to make a cannabis alcohol tincture, along with cannabis tincture FAQs i.e. how long a cannabis alcohol tincture takes, what equipment is needed for THC tincture, ingredients used (including the best plant material possible, of course), how to store CBD tincture after it’s made, how to use your own tincture once its done, as well as effects on the body and how long they last. We’ll also discuss benefits over other consumption methods so you can decide if a cannabis tincture is for you!

Keep reading for more insight to transform cannabis plant material into CBD and THC tinctures that will blow your mind!

What are cannabis tinctures?

A cannabis tincture is a liquid form of concentrated cannabis. It can be made in many different ways, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. 

Cannabis tincture is a type of cannabis extract that is usually alcohol-based. Tinctures have gained popularity among cannabis consumers because they’re a smokeless method of consumption and can be easily prepared at home. But you’ll need alcohol with a high proof and a mason jar to make a cannabis tincture – most of the time.

High proof alcohol makes a potent tincture?

Yes, but ultimately, it’s the flower or concentrate that contributes to a tincture’s potency the most.

Marijuana tincture can be consumed on its own, usually by placing a few drops under the tongue, which is called sublingual ingestion. But other consumption methods exist, such as topical use or ingestion.

Cannabis Tincture vs Cannabis Oil and RSO

To start, it is important to understand how ganja tinctures differ from other concentrates such as cannabis oil or Rick Simpson Oil (RSO).

Cannabis Tincture:

A cannabis tincture recipe uses high-proof alcohol like Everclear. It can be made with a variety of different alcohols but can also be made with glycerol (glycerine), which is less powerful and doesn’t have a strong flavor.

As you make cannabis tinctures, keep in mind that even though you’ll make cannabis sublingual tincture with potent alcohol, you’ll want a high THC strain to bring to make cannabis tinctures.

However, if you’re looking for a CBD dominant tincture per your personal preference, look for a high CBD strain before you begin making tincture.

Cannabis Oil:

Cannabis oil, or cannabis-infused cooking oil, uses low proof olive/coconut oils for the base. The best form of cannabis oil right now is high THC and high CBD.

However, in some cases, your oil shouldn’t have psychoactive effects. If this sounds like you, try finding a CBD strain plant matter is ideal.

Rick Simpson Oil

RSO:

Rick Simpson Oil is the most potent form of cannabis oil, and also one that focuses on THC content.

This differs from commercial tinctures, oils, and cannabis butter because it extracts helpful plant compounds to make cannabis oil that’s incredibly potent and potentially useful as an alternative treatment.

Edibles vs Topicals vs Marijuana Tinctures

The different methods for how to consume cannabis can be confusing so it’s important to know their benefits!

Cannabis tincture:

Cannabis tincture is a topical form of cannabis that should be used as an alternative to other consumption methods.

People commonly make tinctures at home using a mason jar, among other materials. However, you might be able to purchase a final tincture from your local dispensary, depending on where you live.

Edibles:

Edibles are great for those who want the benefits without smoking or vaping. But it can take up to two hours before they take effect.

Thus, this means you may have to wait if trying another method isn’t possible at the time.

Edibles are easy to make. The infusion process is rather simple, and you can use decarboxylated cannabis to make cannabis butter that’s highly potent.

If you don’t know how to make edibles, you might end up with a chlorophyll taste. But as long as you don’t burn off the THC, you’ll likely have a nice concentrated dose depending on the plant matter you use.

Topicals:

Topical cannabis is best for those who want the benefits in a localized area of pain or discomfort on their body without having to consume it orally. But because they’re applied externally, there’s less THC absorption.

With this in mind, you’ll get more CBD and therapeutic effects from topicals, which isn’t necessary a bad thing.

If you’re looking to get the desired effects without waiting, cannabis tinctures are a great way to go. But it’s important not to confuse them with other concentrates such as cannabis oil or Rick Simpson Oil (RSO).

Benefits of Cannabis Tincture

CBD from the cannabis plant is a non-psychoactive compound that has been shown, in some studies, to have anti-inflammatory and pain relieving properties. THC is a cannabis compound that can be psychoactive and has many effects on how you feel. 

Ganja tinctures can offer the benefits of both CBD and THC so you can enjoy the experience how you want.

One benefit of cannabis tincture is how fast you feel the effects. Weed tinctures are absorbed more quickly by the body than smoking and vaping cannabis, edibles, or topical applications. Thus, you can feel the effects within 20 to 30 minutes and they can last for anywhere from one to four hours.

Tinctures typically have a longer duration than other consumption methods. With this being the case, it’s easy to do things like work or have a conversation after taking the tincture sublingually (under your tongue).

The effects of cannabis tinctures can be very potent, especially when made with the right fresh herbs. But how long they last depend on how much you consume.

The average time you can expect effects to last is about an hour or two after application. But making tinctures with more potent plant matter will affect the potency, which means the effects can last longer.

The best thing about cannabis tinctures is how versatile they can be. You can mix it with juice or other beverages and create your own new concoction!

The possibilities really are endless. But make sure to use high proof alcohol and decarboxylate your cannabis material before making the tincture.

Cannabis Alcohol Tincture Recipe

Don’t confuse isopropyl alcohol with what can be used here. Use a food grade alcohol such as Everclear. You can also use other grain alcohols to make a tincture.

Here’s how to make a tincture:

The first step to make your tincture is to decarboxylate your cannabis material at 225° Fahrenheit for 45 minutes.

Make sure to stir the tincture every 15-20 minutes in order to avoid tincture burns. If you don’t do this, you risk burning one spot on the pan or cookie sheet and ruining everything.

This process turns THC-A into THCA which we can then extract later after we let the alcohol evaporate. While this step isn’t an absolutely necessary, it is how you get the highest potency tincture.

What you’ll need:

  • 1 baking sheet
  • 1 glass mason jar
  • 1 glass tincture dropper bottle
  • 1 small funnel
  • 1 strainer such as a coffee filter
  • Cannabis
  • High-proof/food grade alcohol

Tip: The best option to use when making cannabis tinctures are high-proof alcohols. Pure grain alcohol, any 100% ABV will work fine (you can substitute vodka or whiskey). But we recommend Everclear as it has a more neutral flavor and won’t mess with the taste of your cannabis.

Procedure:

  1. Break up your cannabis plant matter and put it in an oven preheated to 230 degrees F for 30 minutes. 
  2. After it cools, put the decarbed flower in your mason jar and add just enough alcohol to submerge the hemp.
  3. Seal the jar and store in a cool, dark place for three weeks. Take it out of the dark place and shake once a day. The cannabis and alcohol mixture must wait 21 days for the cannabinoids to fully dissolve in the alcohol. If you need the tincture straight away, you can shake the jar vigorously for a few minutes and move on to the next step. But remember that you can leave valuable cannabinoids behind and you will definitely have a less effective tincture. If you’re making a potent green dragon tincture, the longer it sits, the more powerful it will come out.
  4. Let the tincture sit for 21 days. This will affect potency! Then, strain the cannabis and alcohol mixture through a coffee filter funnel into a dropper bottle, leaving enough room for the dropper so the tincture doesn’t overflow when it’s placed inside.

Type of alcohol

Don’t confuse isopropyl alcohol with what can be used here. Use a food grade alcohol such as Everclear tincture or another ethyl alcohol. This is what we recommend for anyone interested in making a powerful green dragon tincture.

But if you’re not making a green dragon tincture, you could use another type of alcohol.

Cold method or hot method

Every cannabis tincture recipe is different based on the type of alcohol that was used as well as how it was prepared.

The hot method will yield a more potent tincture. But this takes longer to make and is less forgiving if you forget the process halfway through! 

On the other hand, the cold method which only requires one hour of cooking time and can be done without supervision on how long the tincture needs to cook. So there’s no chance of forgetting how long the tincture has been on the stove.

Cold Method:

The cold extraction process for a tincture can take up to 12 weeks. But it’s simpler in terms of equipment needed and time to make.

You will need high proof alcohol, such as Everclear or vodka, cannabis flower and a mason jar with tight-fitting lid for the extraction process to take place.

Hot Method:

For the hot method to create a tincture, you’ll start by heating some water in an oven set at 220°F/104°C for around 30 minutes on low heat. 

Then, you’ll remove the water from the oven and placing cannabis flower in a baking dish.

Cover the premature tincture with olive oil, return to 220°F/104°C for around 30 more minutes (or until brown) before removing them both from the oven.


How to Use Cannabis Tincture

Start by shaking the jar of cannabis tinctures before applying a small amount – ideally, a micro dose – or about one teaspoon. Apply this directly under your tongue and wait 30-60 minutes for any effect.

If after 60 minutes there are no effects, try a half teaspoon more and wait 30 to 60 minutes. Keep in mind, tinctures work, but it might take some time for the effects to come on.

Cannabis Tincture Effects

The effects of a cannabis tincture are different from smoking or vaping. Since tincture is processed slower by the body, you can’t expect instantaneous results like the effects when smoked or vaped.

The high will be more intense. But also, it might last longer. So if you want to feel the effects for a while, cannabis tincture is how you’ll achieve that!

How to Store Marijuana Tincture

One of the many benefits of cannabis tinctures are how long they last and how easy they are to store! 

Alcohol based tinctures will never spoil like oils or edibles do. So if you’re worried about a “shelf life” for your tincture, you have nothing to worry about. 

Your alcohol tincture can also be stored in a variety of ways. From glass bottles and jars, mason jars, or even plastic dropper bottles (a must for how they are used), the options are endless. Keep in mind, this is alcohol. So you will need proper storage, likely a glass mason jar will work best.

The best way to store cannabis-infused tincture is in a dark, cool place like a refrigerator with the lid on tight.

The shelf life of your homemade marijuana tinctures will vary depending on how you make them. So it’s important not to consume any that are past their expiration date or have been stored improperly.

Marijuana tinctures can be stored anywhere where food can be kept at room temperature, such as a pantry or kitchen cabinet. But keep it in a dark place if possible as the sun can decrease potency fast.

Making Tinctures Summarized

Tinctures are alcohol based cannabis extracts. There are other tincture recipes you can experiment with and make own tincture. And, if you’re feeling adventurous, you can add it to tea to make marijuana tea.

Before you invest time and product in a tincture, it’s helpful to know a few basic facts. Perhaps the most important thing to understand is the primary types of tinctures categorized by their cannabinoid content.

Cannabinoids such as CBD tincture and THC tincture each have their own characteristics and unique effects. Depending on the experience you want, you may find that a certain ratio of cannabinoids is right for you.

If you have any questions about making tinctures, feel free to reach out to us at any time. We love all things cannabis, and this – of course – includes making high-quality tinctures!

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