3 Potent Cannabis Tincture Recipes

Many people today prefer to use cannabis discreetly, whether it is for recreational or medicinal uses. It is a smoke-free, low-calorie option. If you enjoy using tinctures, you might want to know how to make your own at home. That way, you can modify them to suit your preferences. 

Why Choose Cannabis Tinctures?

Any type of tincture is made by allowing the cannabis flowers to soak in a solvent. This is often a high-proof alcohol. The cannabis will soak in the solvent for a while. However, you might also choose to use apple cider vinegar or vegetable glycerin. 

The process is an easy one, and the result at the end is often very satisfying if you want to surprise your cannabis-loving friends with what you have made. Each of these three methods is slightly different, and there are different recommendations as to which type of alcohol to use. Often, the higher the alcohol content, the better the result is. For example, you might choose 190 or 151 proof.

The Advantages of Tinctures

Often, a tincture can be a convenient method of delivery. When you put the tincture under your tongue, the bloodstream can absorb the components quickly. This is why taking marijuana as a tincture can make dosing easier than if you have cannabutter or edibles that have THC in them. 

Quick Delivery

Tinctures offer a faster delivery of the marijuana components, so whether you have a strain high in THC, CBD, or even CBG, you can notice how it is affecting you so you can adjust the dosage quickly. 

You might notice the effects 15 to 30 minutes after taking a dose. These effects might last for four hours or longer. The effects might mellow a bit faster than edibles do, so even if you are not taking a tincture high in THC, it will not linger.

This makes it harder to take too much of a tincture since it is not a dessert like a marijuana brownie is. Remember, if you infuse your favourite foods with a lot of cannabis, it can be easy to eat too much of them. 

Customizable Tinctures

You can incorporate CBD, THC, or other cannabinoids in the tincture and then add some other herbs to improve the taste of it. That can enhance the effects you need. For example, if you want to try to relax with your tincture, you might add some chamomile or lavender. Or if you want to try to relieve pain, you might add some ginger or turmeric. 

Option for Younger Medicinal Users

Tinctures are safe for younger users who use medical cannabis. Tinctures might even be helpful for those who are too young to vape or smoke marijuana. Tinctures that have high levels of CBD in them might be a good option for medicinal users who have certain disorders, such as a seizure disorder. You can even make a tincture that has only THCA in it and no THC. The child will not have to get high to get the wanted effects from cannabis. 

Not as Many Calories as Edibles

Tinctures can be better than edibles in terms of calorie intake, as well. Tinctures do not have as many calories as a baked good infused with cannabis. 

Less Risk of Accidental Use

Some people do not like the idea of using edibles since someone might eat the item and not know that there is cannabis in it. Then, they would get high accidentally.

However, tinctures can be easier for storage purposes since they are often kept in clearly labelled bottles. At first glance, they might look like medicine. This makes accidental consumption much less likely. 

Less Risk of Spoilage

Tinctures also can keep longer than edibles without becoming spoiled. As long as you keep them in a dark, cool area, they can last for a couple of years. 

Higher Level of Discreetness 

Tinctures might be good for people who want to be more discreet about their cannabis use. Unlike with vaping or smoking, tinctures are not likely to emit odours and draw everyone’s attention to you. A tincture also is often quick to consume. 

This means that you can take tinctures in the same areas as you would take over-the-counter medications. You could take them in public areas or at work.

The Effects of Tinctures

Edibles can take as long as an hour or more to begin to affect you. However, you can feel tincture as soon as 15 minutes after your dosage. Of course, that also means that the tincture might not last as long as edibles do. The high you feel after using a tincture might peak around 90 minutes after you consume it. It can last for around four to eight hours, depending on how much you took and how strong it is. 

Since you can feel the effects so soon, it can be easier to dose your tincture than with an edible. You can take just a little bit and see how it affects you. If necessary, you can then take more of it. As with other types of marijuana, you should begin with a smaller amount to see how tolerant you are to it. You can also avoid taking too much by doing this. For example, if it is your first time, you might try to take around 1 millilitre to begin with and then adjust the dosage. 

How Do You Consume Tinctures?

There are several ways of consuming tinctures, and the right method for you depends on your personal preferences.

Sublingually

To take a tincture under your tongue, just place the right amount under your tongue and allow it to stay there for around 30 seconds. Then, swallow it. This method can offer you the fastest effects since the linings of your mouth allow for faster absorption to your bloodstream.

Taking It Orally

If you want to take the tincture orally but not under your tongue, add some to your favourite beverage, like juice or soda. You can put a tincture in your food to make it more of an edible. That might make your high last a bit longer. You can add your tincture to a variety of foods, like ice cream, sauce, or salad dressing. You can also just swallow your tincture. 

If you mix it with food, it can take a bit longer to affect you than if you were to take it under your tongue. This is because it has to go through your digestive system before getting to your bloodstream.

Recipe 1: Green Dragon Tincture

This recipe only takes around 10 minutes to put together, with a cooking time of 15 minutes. You will need a glass canning jar, cannabis, a coffee filter, a cookie sheet, and aluminum foil. Of course, you will also need your choice of alcohol. 

How to Make It

First, grind or break up your marijuana. You might want to use at least 3.5 grams. Put your marijuana in the glass canning jar or a similar container. Now, pour the alcohol in your jar and cover up the marijuana. Next, put a tightly fitting lid over the jar and shake it well. 

Put the jar in a warm, dark area for at least a month. The dark area will keep the THC from degrading during this time. Make sure that you shake the jar each day for the first couple of weeks. The more you can store it, the better the result will be. 

If you can wait longer than a month, try to leave it for around eight to 10 weeks. That will give it a stronger taste. Once the right amount of time has gone by, strain out your leaves using the coffee filter. You can store the tincture in a non-see-through container to keep it away from light. Keep it away from heat, as well. 

The result of this recipe is a highly potent liquid that can give you the effects of the cannabinoids without having to smoke or otherwise combust the marijuana. Sometimes, producers add carrier oils or complementary ingredients. For example, you can find tinctures with orange fhy to improve the taste.

2. Gold Dragon Tincture

This recipe takes a little longer since you have to decarb the cannabis before you do anything else. You will need a glass canning jar and a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. You also need alcohol, cannabis, and a coffee filter. 

How to Make It

First, heat the oven to 110 degrees Celsius and put the foil in the cookie sheet. Now, grind the cannabis into smaller pieces and put them on your tray. You will want to use at least 3.5 grams. Place the marijuana in the oven for around two hours to allow the THCA to be converted into THC. Some people call this “activating” the cannabis. 

Once it is done, put the marijuana in your canning jar and put the alcohol in the jar to cover your marijuana. Now, put a tightly fitting lid over the jar and shake it up. Keep the jar in a dark, warm area for at least a month or longer. The darkness will keep the THC intact. 

As with the other method, make sure that you shake the jar each day for the first couple of days to ensure that the THC is evenly distributed. Once enough time has gone by, you can strain out the leaves using your coffee filter. The finished tincture should be stored in another container and kept away from light or heat sources.

3. Master Wu’s Method

It might not be as traditional as the first two methods, but Master Wu’s method has become more popular in the past several years, so you might want to know about it. You will be heating the cannabis and alcohol together before you allow them to sit.

The reason for this is that heating it makes the molecules move faster, speeding up extraction. This will give you a faster finished product. You will need 3.5 grams of marijuana, a cookie sheet, a canning jar, and some rum. You will also need a garlic press and a coffee grinder.

How to Make It

First, heat the oven to around 160 degrees Celsius. Cut up your marijuana finely using your grinder. You will want to use around 3.5 grams of marijuana or more if you want a stronger tincture. Then, put it in a cookie sheet lined with foil and decarboxylate it. 

Bake it in the oven for around five minutes. Then, take the tray out of the oven and put the cannabis in a canning jar. Next, put your favourite high-proof alcohol in the jar.

Simmer the jar in a pot of water for around 20 minutes at 76 degrees Celsius. Once it is done, you can then strain and squeeze out the mixture. You might want to look for a garlic press that has a plunger to it, but any press that you have can be used. Then, store your tincture in a dark, cool area. 

Calculating Your Dosage

If you have 28 grams (1 ounce) of plant material with 10 percent THC and add that to 475 millilitres (2 cups) of alcohol, there will be around 29.17 milligrams of THC in every 5 millilitres of the tincture. There is a slight range in how much each dropper might have in it, so ensure that you check to see how much is in each dropper.

Closing Thoughts

Once you have made your own marijuana tincture, you can add it to any of your favourite recipes. Or you might put it under your tongue and hold it for around 60 seconds and then swallow it. Putting the tincture in a dish means you will metabolize it, but taking it under the tongue can change the potency. Plus, the effects can be different. Once you figure out the right dosage to take each time, you can do a bit of experimentation. Just start out with a lower dosage first, so you do not accidentally take too much of the tincture at once.