If you’re a creative, crafty type, then you might have a great time learning how to make CBD tincture. Making your own tincture will teach you more about the process behind making CBD products, and it’ll be a great way to spend an afternoon. CBD tinctures are a simpler and effective way of using CBD.
If you’re a creative or crafty type, then you’ll likely have a great time making a CBD tincture. By making a CBD tincture yourself, you will gain an understanding of the CBD production process, plus it’ll be a great way to spend your afternoon. CBD tinctures are a simpler and effective way of using CBD.
CBD tinctures are a simpler and effective way of using CBD, and making your own tincture ensures that you know what’s gone on during the manufacturing process. In this article, find out what a CBD oil tincture is and learn about the basic process of how to make a CBD oil tincture.
First things first, before you understand how to make a CBD oil tincture, it’s important to first understand what is a CBD oil tincture exactly.
What is a CBD Oil Tincture
Prior to the age of medicine, tinctures had been used for centuries and were the primary means of treating health conditions.
A tincture is a concentrated liquid form of one or more herbs, such as cannabis, which is produced by soaking the plant in a solvent, such as alcohol or vegetable glycerine, for several weeks. In the case of CBD oil tincture, a high CBD-strain of cannabis could be soaked in alcohol for several weeks until it is formed into a liquid state.
Depending on the desired effects of the tincture, the liquid can be refined to contain certain compounds from the plant.
Once the plant extract is in a liquid state, it can then be administered sublingually (under the tongue) with a dropper.
How to Make a CBD Oil Tincture
Even if you don’t have a fully equipped kitchen, you can make CBD tinctures with relative ease. All you really need is a few things:
- A container to hold, mix and store the tincture, such as a Mason jar
- A strainer to filter out the excess plant material
- CBD-rich hemp flower.
- Some high-proof alcohol to extract the CBD. Grain alcohol like Everclear works well.
There are a number of different ways that you can make your tincture, but most of them require that you decarboxylate your cannabis first.
Step 1: Decarboxylating the Flower
Decarboxylation is a process by which the phytocannabinoids – the active compounds responsible for the recreational and medicinal benefits of cannabis – are fully activated.
Cannabinoids that are found within the trichomes (the little hairs on a bud of cannabis) have an extra carboxyl ring that affects the way that the cannabinoid behaves. For example, before it is decarboxylated, THC is actually found in the non-intoxicating form of THCa. Decarboxylating the flower removes the extra carboxyl ring, changing the chemical structure of these cannabinoids.
Decarboxylating can happen as a result of two things – heat and time. Assuming that you’re wanting to make your tincture promptly, the best way for you to decarboxylate your flower is to heat it up. Here are the steps to do so:
- Preheat your oven to 245 degrees Fahrenheit, the most effective temperature for decarboxylating CBD.
- While the oven is preheating, grind up your CBD flower as finely as you can.
- Once your oven has reached 245 degrees, heat up the flower for at least 60 minutes but no longer than 90 minutes.
Step 2: Transfer the Extract into a Sealed Jar
The next step is simple – put your decarboxylated bud into whatever jar you’re using to make the tincture. If you have enough bud, try to fill the jar about three-quarters full to make sure that you have room to fill it with alcohol.
Next, begin to pour in your alcohol. If you don’t have access to high-proof grain alcohol, vodka will work in a pinch. However, the higher the alcohol content, the cleaner the extraction will be.
Step 3: Allow the Extract to Steep
The next step is to let the tincture sit for a while. Generally, the longer the better. Some people use their tinctures after a couple of weeks, but others prefer to let it soak for 6 weeks to several months. Since the bud is sitting in alcohol, you won’t have to worry about it going bad – in fact, the longer it sits, the stronger it will get.
After you’ve allowed the extract to steep for the proper amount of time, your DIY CBD oil tincture is ready to be used!
How to Use a CBD Tincture
CBD oil tinctures are designed to be used sublingually, which means to be absorbed into the veins under the tongue. To administer a tincture sublingually, fill the dropper with CBD oil and drip it under the tongue. In order to allow the CBD to absorb and enter the bloodstream, hold it under your tongue for 60-90 seconds then swallow.
If this is your first time using CBD, be sure to start out with a very small dose to see how your body responds to it. Dosages can gradually be increased to ensure that you find the optimal dosage range for your personal needs.
