Dear Old Hippie: For a while now, I’ve heard rumors about the legendary Green Dragon that can get you high anywhere without smoking, yet I’ve never heard of anyone selling it. What can you tell me about this fabulous beast?
A: The Green Dragon — and his consort, The Gold Dragon — are indeed real. The reason it’s hard to buy from your typical weed dealer is that generally you must make it yourself. Medical Marijuana patients with access to well-stocked dispensaries can find such products on the shelf. So what’s the big deal about it? Read on.
You can’t just smoke anything anywhere any more, and most edibles are too strong to use on a regular basis for many people. So the appeal of the Dragons is that you carry around a discreet little brown bottle, put a dropper in your favorite drink, and you’re comfortably medicated. Consider the recent popularity of liquid-based natural sweeteners like Stevia and you’ll realize that you can safely medicate even in a restuarant with two large CHP officers watching you, as I once did.
Dropped in your drink, it will generally take effect in anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes. But if you take it sublingually — under your tongue — you will feel it within 30 seconds, with the full effect coming on in 5 to 15 minutes.
Green and Gold Dragon are technically tinctures or extracts of cannabis. You’ve heard of tincture of iodine and vanilla extract? Both are made by simply soaking or dissolving the material in alcohol. That’s what we’re doing here. You may be interested to learn that Tincture of Cannabis was a standard pharmacy item in this country for far longer than it’s been illegal.
Of course, you have to use the right kind of alcohol, which is ethanol (the kind you drink). The higher the alcohol content, the more efficient the process will be, so most people use Everclear, which is available in 190 or 151 proof, depending on your state of residence. Here in California, you can get good results with the 151 proof, or visit any neighboring state for the “real stuff”. Any liquor of 80 proof or more will work, but most people prefer to use vodka or Everclear because they don’t add any additional taste of their own. You can always add some flavoring later if you want.
There are a number of non-chemical problems with using alcohol. For one thing, alcoholics can’t use it, and for another, it burns like hellfire if you put it under your tongue. If you use this method, I recommend holding your mouth open until the burn goes away, and perhaps having a drink of something else handy. This burning sensation is why some people prefer using lower-proof tinctures based on vodka, or else vegetable-based glycerin (which also solves the problem for alcoholics). My experience with glycerin-based Dragons is that they barely work at all, but some very careful people have had good results with them.
What’s the difference between Green and Gold? Green simply uses fresh marijuana, and Gold uses marijuana that’s been decarboxylated. Green Dragon often tastes of chlorophyll and other things found in and on the plant. Decarboxylating cannabis only involves baking it in a 200°F oven for an hour, but it can make your kitchen smell like the proverbial pot party. Gold Dragon is generally stronger and tastes mellower in my experience.
You don’t even have to use your precious buds to give this stuff a try. If you have access to dried fan leaves, they will work fine for Green Dragon. AVB (Already Vaped Bud, also known as Already Been Vaped or duff) is what’s left in a vaporizer after it’s been used. Since vaporizing also decarboxylates the weed, you can use this to make Gold Dragon.
You obviously have to use more AVB than normal bud (start with 50% to 100% more depending on how dark you vape your weed) for the same highness level, since AVB has lost much of its THC, but AVB tinctures are generally preferred for some medical conditions (pain or anxiety, for instance) for that very reason. Both fan leaves and AVB are often thrown away by people who don’t realize how useful they can be, so it’s an excellent example of recycling!
So here’s the safe and easy way to make Green Dragon:
- Crush, crumble, or grind up your cannabis, however much you want to use. I recommend at least an 1/8 ounce.
- Put the material in a suitable size glass jar with a tight-fitting top. I use a Mason jar for larger quantities, but cleaned condiment jars (think pickles, relish, mustard) are perfect for normal use.
- Pour enough of your chosen drinkable alcohol into the jar to easily cover the cannabis.
- Close the cover, and shake it up, baby!
- Now comes the hard part: put the jar in a warm, dark place for at least a month. I’ve found that the longer you go (I try to go 8 to 10 weeks), the stronger and better it will taste, up to a point. Shake it every day for at least two weeks.
- When the time is up, simply filter it through a coffee filter to remove the dregs (and squeeze hard to get every last drop out).
Warmth helps the process along, and darkness (or using a dark-colored jar) protects the THC from degrading. The perfect place is in the exhaust path of a computer fan, because you’re recycling heat. If you have a completely opaque jar, it’s also cool to leave it in a sunny window for free solar power.
If you’re making Gold Dragon from AVB or decarbed bud, it’s much easier and faster. Just use steps 1 through 4 above, leave it overnight, then strain…you’re all done!
When you try it, start with 1/4 dropper under your tongue. Wait 15 minutes, and if it’s not strong enough, try another 1/4 dropper, and so on until you feel it. You’ll quickly figure out your own correct dosage. If the liquid isn’t dark, or it takes more than a dropper to feel results, it might be too diluted. In that case, leave the jar open overnight so some of the alcohol will evaporate, and try again.
As you can see, this isn’t all that hard to do. Actually, the most difficult part might be next: finding a 1 to 4-ounce, dark-colored glass dropper bottle to carry your Dragon around in. You may have to make the rounds of drug stores, or recycle a bottle of Stevia, but you have a month to do it!
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Got a question for Old Hippie? Send in your questions to him here or post a comment below.
nice thank you
Does golden dragon have thc and how much? And am i able to pass a urine test taking golden dragon tinture?
Well, sure it has THC, so there’s no way you’d pass a test if you used it.
eBay is a great resource for purchasing bottles. These one-ounce cobalt bottles will work great for either an alcohol or glycerin tinc:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/LOT-OF-6-NEW-1-oz-COBALT-BLUE-GLASS-EYE-DROPPER-BOTTLE-VIALS-30-ml-/270950672309?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f15eb27b5
Many others available, just search for ‘cobalt dropper bottle’ (or amber if you prefer)
Nice find, thanks!
Thanks for this. I’m going to begin my first tincture on Wednesday.
It’s my first jaunt into the world of mmj. Still having seizures. I see the dr on Thursday and will tell him I still “someday” want to do this and gauge his reaction. Three plus seizures a week for a million years after trying everything else (including 3 brain surgeries and a brain “pacemaker”) is enough.
I was approved for SSDI first shot, no appeal. That says something, I think. Very rare. I’m thrilled.
I’m crossing my fingers for you! Best of luck! Hugs and nugs!
Dear A,
Here is a little write up about the benefits of a ketogenic diet.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2367001/
Hope you can find some relief
I make thc oil with mct oil. It works AWESOME. If you don’t like the burn under the tongue you should give it a try. Mct oil is GOOD for you.😊
OldHippie, why do you say alcoholics shouldn’t use tinctures? In your experience, could you actually get drunk if you take a full dropper? It’s just that I don’t enjoy my high as much when it gets all muddly with alcohol.
Thanks, great guide!
It’s just that in my experience, alcoholics are adamant about not touching alcohol again in any form. The ones I know won’t even eat rum cake, even though all the alcohol is obviously cooked out! Just another reason we’re working on a glycerin tincture recipe that does work. Nugs and hugs!
cool my wife and I are both recovering acholics and your right we don’t touch anything with achol just the taste could trigger a binge my wife has a mmi card in Colorado when we we’re there they had a veg oil based tincture my wife likes. myself ediables don’t effect me my bother got me smoking preteen so maybe that’s why. but my wife did like the vegbased tincture said it worked good and we smoke a half ounce to an ounce a week
Cool beans! We do teach you how to make your own vegetable oil based infusions here.
this looks like a great method. I was thinking about heating the jar with warm water and get the alcohol to the boil level. I don’t want my house to smell and this looks like a smell free method. Once I make the mix, I will leave the jar in the attic for a month and hopefully it works.
Thanks for your really useful site. I paid way too much for an oz of Hemp oil CBD extract. It helps with pain, sometimes, but it could be stronger. If I WANT the THC to degrade, and just leave CBD, would it do to use a clear bottle? Or, does light harm CBD, too?
Thanks for your kind words. Unfortunately, you are working under a number of misapprehensions. THC degrades to CBN, not CBD. Also, if you have CBD extract, there shouldn’t be any THC in it anyway. Finally, although CBD does work against “generic” pain without psychoactive effects, it is most effective against neuropathic pain. If you don’t have this specific type of pain, then THC is generally considered to be much more effective in general.
I’m not sure if UV light degrades CBD, but it’s safer to assume that it does.
Sorry; I’m in so much pain and the Lyrica makes me stupid. Not clear. I meant that I wanted the THC to degrade, IF I made Green Dragon. That remark merely followed the comment about the CBD extract working but me wishing it could be stronger, which I opened with as a way of indicating why I want to find a a way to maximize CBD and minimize THC……in a duff extract. The steam distilled Hemp CBD extract is too expensive, so I was thinking of making an extract of my own. Yes, I know the Hemp extract has no THC; that’s kind of the point of it. I have pot I can vape, if I want some THC or just have to put up with it to get the rest of whatever helps the pain. Also, the Hemp CBD extract does have a psychoactive effect (dare I write that, lest the feds find it?); it relaxes me (and my friend who tried it) in a pleasant, slightly trippy, way. She felt the relaxation, but it didn’t help her overall horribleness, diagnosed as fibro, but really very complex (as is fibro,I guess).
Also, I do have terrible neuropathic pain, evidenced by several things, including that both Gabapentin and Lyrica take it down from mind-bending to merely horrible (900 of Gabapentin let me garden from time to time, but to get that much pain relief, I had to weather gnarly side effects), not to mention the neuropathy that’s begun spread over that side of the body.
The CBD extract sometimes works, and sometimes doesn’t. I don’t know why, but it doesn’t correlate strongly with activity, which would indicate a possible connection to non-neuropathic pain. I had a low-frequency laser ablation of the nerves from the SI Joint last Wednesday, and underwent 5.5 days of exacerbated pain. Two days ago, despite the 2x Naproxen dose (okay with a lot of water, if not all of the time according to the doc), Norco (nearly useless, but you know how Dr’s are these days), Lyrica, Taurine (small but noticeable effect for about 2 hrs, and it has been healing the neuropathy), and Tibetan Pain Tea (really works, btw, it’s called Loong Tea, but in my condition, it’s a barely noticeable improvement….It worked up to about a year ago, so some of your readers might benefit from it. You can google and order it.)…..I was lying in bed, still, controlling my breath to prevent panic from the pain (which describes 80% of my time for the past 1.5 years.), and then moaned. I draw the line at moaning. So, I had a dose of the Hemp CBDs made by Dixie something. Within 45 minutes, the pain melted a bit and the panic subsided. I was sane all night and could move without inwardly wincing. It does help neuropathic pain. I have no idea where you got your data on that.
Anyway, now I have one more question: Is it any more effective to make the Green Dragon than to just vape the heck out of the weed? I’m still in too much pain to do anything extra (actually ATE today, which is something extra, if that gives you any idea what I mean by that.) If it were just for convenience, I wouldn’t make it. I just want to find a way to avoid having to dig up $160 for the next bottle of CBD’s, when I’m not even on disability, yet, and my house is going into foreclosure.
OK, sorry for the misinterpretation! I see what you are trying to do now, but you can’t destroy one cannabinoid without hurting another, unless you’re going to try fractional distillation. And I’m pretty sure that you and I are having some severe communications problems, but I’m going to chalk that up to Mercury being in heavy retrograde right now. Even though I don’t believe in astrology, I’ve seen this kind of thing happen over and over again with Mercury!
I’m really sorry to hear about all the terrible pain you’re in, but you’re way past my knowledge curve when you’re talking about most of that other stuff.
As far as your last question, vaping is probably more efficient…also, if you have good temperature control, you can “burn off” some THC so that what’s left has a higher CBD:THC ratio. Hope that helps. Nugs and hugs!
How would you go about flavoring the tincture afterwards? Also do you have to make it super concentrated with thc to feel a drop under the tongue? The reason I ask is because when I use 1/2 oz in a fifth of everclear, I need to take a full shot to feel the effects. Does it hit you harder if you drop it under your tongue or do I just need to make mine stronger for that method?
I’ve never flavored tincture, but I’ve made it with 151 proof rum!
Tincture is not supposed to be that strong, frankly, because then it’s almost impossible to get a safe dose. Strong tincture is stuff that works by the dropperful (still not that much!).
OK, first of all, when you drink it, you’re now using edibles, which works entirely differently and involves a waiting period of 30 to 90 minutes while it traverses your digestive system. The whole point of sublingual tincture is that you can drop it under your tongue and feel it in a few minutes. It doesn’t work “harder”, it works faster that way.
Secondly, with that ratio, you’re not making it nearly strong enough. Take your weed, grind it up, use the least amount of Everclear that will saturate it, and it will be as strong as possible.
Hey O.H.
We just made Gold Dragon today on the 4 hour cycle @ 160 f. We used Potters 151 Rum from Bevmo. Almost 1/2 the price of Bacardi 151 and tastes better. After completing the batch’s (2 machines full) we had 1300 ml. We started with 2 oz’s of top shelf herb and decarbed @ 250 f for 30 minutes and used 1500 ml rum. We reduced it by 600 ml then infused natural honey and Sunflower Lecithin back in the Gold Dragon in the same amount. Before the evaporation cycle the dragon was like hell-fire in the mouth and under the tongue, like you have commented before. That’s why we decided to infuse the honey. Wow, what a result. The flavor is fantastic, the burn is very much under control and it makes us feel real good with a body high and head high. We used 3 ml each under the tongue and in the mouth. I love this darn machine O.H. Keep up the good work bro. Coconut oil caps next.
I’m not sure who’s teaching who any more… 🙂
Does it have to be decarbed? I dont want our house smelling so strongly of green 🙂 If I just used green bud with everclear and let it sit for a month like you said that will work correct?
Yes, it will work. But the “self-decarb method” ideally takes several months or more for the full effect. You can do what many other people do…put the bud in a Mason jar, close it but don’t tighten it completely (prevents pressure buildup), put that into a turkey roasting bag, and put the whole thing in a regular oven (250F/30 minutes). If you’re really concerned, start some microwave popcorn at about 5 minutes in, and that should mask whatever smell makes it out of the oven, jar, and turkey bag…which won’t be much!
I will try that and thank you for your guidance 🙂 There is SOOOO much information on making tinctures available its making my head swim 🙁 I just want a good strong tincture I can use instead of smoking or vaping to enjoy myself 🙂 I dont mind waiting a couple weeks or whatever for it, but trying to understand how to do it is hard when everyone is saying their way is the best and ONLY way to get a tincture that works for recreational use!
Let me tell you a secret about cannabis prep procedures…there is not an “only” way, and there is not even a “best” way…but there are basic principles, and if you understand how they work, you can not go wrong. We publish methods that either we have used successfully ourselves or that we otherwise know will work…but they also have to be safe for you and not overly dangerous for your precious cannabis. Because there’s no feeling like “over-optimizing” to get that last theoretical percent of THC yield, only to see all your precious liquid spill all over your freezer and be lost forever!
Which is why I often say…”Stay safe! Nugs and hugs!”
Can the out mason jar/oven turkey roasting bag method be done with the bud already in the ethanol solution?
You do not want to ever heat ethanol in an oven. That might be the last thing you ever do…
Is there a way to decarb the herb after its been mixed with Everclear withouth having to wait several weeks/months?
Well…if you have an electric oven (only!), you could carefully:
But if anything causes a spark or open flame during this procedure while you are heating and releasing ethanol vapor, you’re likely to experience an explosion. So please consider a safer method, such as covering the buds with a weighted paper towel and leaving them in the sun.
Thank you very much for your help!!!
You’re quite welcome. Stay safe! Nugs and hugs!
What “machine” is he referring to? I recently started using cannabis after 3 spinal fusions/operations and I prefer the tincture under the tongue over smoking / vaping or inconsistent edibles. I would really like to be able to make my own due to the price and I am thinking I would like the honey and sunflower taste. The one tincture I have tried was infused with honey and some type of oil I think, either way it was very smooth.
Thank you sir for this awesome site and your plethora of knowledge.
You’re probably talking about the Magical Butter Machine that I reviewed a few years ago. It’s quite efficient, but it takes a lot of cannabis to make a minimum of two cups of liquid, so it is not for everyone. You can easily make your own tincture with nothing more than a jar and some alcohol and time however! Hope you feel better. Nugs and hugs!
Thanks!
Don’t forget to read the comments! Also, if you decarb the weed (250F/30 minutes in a regular oven), you can soak it in the alcohol overnight and you’re all done, especially if you plan to add other flavors like honey or whatever.
P.S. Yes I know this is the same article LOL.
Hey O.H.
I give you the props man. You have the creds and the experience. I cannot believe how much this honey infusion changed the outcome. I’m learning from your blog.
im trying to use everclear in my still, with frozen buds… my results have varied greatly… looking for constiency
Hi There!
Here in the UK its proving quite difficult to get hold of over proof alcohol.
I can find some Bacardi 151, but its a liter bottle and costs £80 quid, which is a bit excessive when Im aiming for 50ml of tincture.
I have come across however some 63% white rum at a local supermarket. Slightly lower than the 75.5% of the Bacardi 151, but in your opinion is it worth me giving it a try?
Thank you in advance, take care have fun be happy!
You bet! People have gotten results even with vodka, but 125 proof is more serious 🙂 You might want to try doing the coconut oil thing too, as it certainly burns less and may well be more efficient.
£80 for a bottle of rum, wow. I’m sure they think it will save chavs, but they will just go to hand sanitizers instead.
Nugs and hugs!
Haha! There’s plenty of special brew and white lighting for chavs without them having to track down Bacardi 151!
Thanks for your reply, I’ve been doing a little more research and I’ve been able to locate some 50ml miniature bottles of 151 proof dark rum online, just like th Bacardi so I think its worth while me using that instead since I have the choise?
One more question if you don’t mind, in your instructions you say decarbing increases potency and smoothness…are there any reasons other than ease one would choose the green dragon over the gold? Can decarbed bud be soaked for less time than nondecarbed? Thanks again, keep up the good work!
Sure, my first tincture was Bacardi because I couldn’t find Everclear either, but it’s the alcohol, not the brand. Even vodka will work, just not as well.
I’ve heard of people soaking decarbed bud overnight and of course it will work just fine; most of the time factor is intended for “green”, because that has to decarb naturally over time. I’ve noticed a taste difference between leaving it overnight vs. 1 month vs. 2 months, but if it’s decarbed, taste is the only change possible. Finally, remember that if you put it under your tongue, you’re not going to actually taste anything, it will just burn like crazy! Putting it in a drink like coffee or tea (hot is best because it will help evaporate the alcohol) is the best way for taste purposes.
I started some abv in vodka about 1 month ago – sounds like that might be long enough?
Sure, give a dropper a try!
Hi O.H.
I love reading your posts! I bought an 1/8th ounce of Harlequin buds (11.30% CBD and 0% THC). I was hoping it would be a good painkiller. I smoked it a couple times to test it out and it barely eased my chronic muscle aches. Do you think it would still be weak as a tincture? Also, if it’s just CBD and no THC, do I still need to decarb it first?
I want to be able to use it as quickly as possible. I was planning on making a tincture using the 1/8th ounce ground buds in 1 ounce of 151 rum, doing the freezer method and shaking it a couple times daily for 5 days.
Thank you! The Harlequin we’ve gotten has some THC in it, and that might explain why it’s not working well for you. Muscle aches = THC. Neuropathic pain = CBD.
You always have to decarb to feel the effects of either THC or CBD if you are taking it orally.
I’m not sure what “the freezer method” is for making tincture, but it’s an axiom of chemistry that warmth speeds up dissolving in general, which is why the method I’ve written about has been used for decades.
As you say, here in the UK you can’t get high strength spirits without them costing the earth, however if you go to the baking section of the big supermarkets you will find bottles of lemon extract used to flavour cakes etc. Although they are 70% alcohol they don’t come under the licensing laws and cost about £5 for 60 ml. Enough to make a batch and not break the bank.
Just been to asda they have the orange extract as well, 90% ethanol priced £3.48 for 60ml (2fl.oz). Use with a Henry and reduce by half. A dropper full in a glass of whatever you fancy and Bob’s your uncle. Should say that’s seasoned stoner dose.
For those of us who don’t speak British, what is a Henry?!?!?!?
Nice workaround! And it helps me put the “expensive” 190 proof Everclear bottles (750 ml for $20) in perspective…wow!
Is there a point where the 190 proof cannot absorb the THC oils ???
(I mention this as it occurs in water & salt mixing.)
More thought………….
This may occur if not enough solvent is available to absorb.
Full absorption occurs when oil cannot pass into alcohol .
the volume of each is the same when absorption is arrested.
There is an upper limit, but it’s pretty high. I’ve heard of one-drop tincture, but that’s a bit much for us!
Old Hippie,
I have Charlottes Web tincture (CBD) made with vegetable glycerine in my Magic Butter machine. Why not dilute it with water instead of propylene glycol to reduce it to vaping consistency?
Cannabinoids are not soluble in water, so it would end up greatly diluting the effectiveness, as well as overly cooling the mixture to a point where you might not get the cannabinoids up to proper temperature at all.
Hey all,
Does anyone have any idea at how the effectiveness is between dacrabing and letting is sit for one night, vs longer?
It takes months of mild heat and oxygen to decarb cannabis “naturally”.
I explained that poorly. I made golden dragon, but before I strain it I want to make sure I’ve gotten the best concoction. I decarbed it, and pour just enough 151 to saturate it. And it has been sitting for almost two days. Will leaving it longer, make it stronger?
Ah, now I understand. No, if you made Gold Dragon it’s already decarbed, and all you have to really do then is dissolve the cannabinoids in the alcohol, which is done overnight just fine. It’s all ready! Nugs and hugs!
Is there any THC remaining in the weed after making a batch of green? Any use for it?
Well…theoretically there shouldn’t be, but there always is anyway. In my experience, if you save 5 or 6 loads of “remains” from any extraction, there’s generally enough left for a “free run”!
Probably no good for smoking? And I presume a need to dry them out and store out of sunlight?
Correct, even if the taste wasn’t an issue, there’s a problem putting flame near alcohol-soaked weed! And yes, heat, sunlight, and excess oxygen all tend to degrade THC. But if you’re going to use them again for tincture, no reason to dry them out really.
I have been using the Source by ExtractCraft to make the base oil for my extractions. I am currently messing with different tinctures, carriers, and generally experimenting. My question is basically about letting the Gold Dragon set over night. When I am making extracts with the Source I use 95% ethanol and a 1-3 minute wash to make something smokeable or a 5-10 minute wash for edibles or FECO. I then reduce it solution down to increase potency substantially. So, I’m wondering, with the decarb already done, and the aggressive nature ethanol as a solvent why have the Golden Dragon sit over night? In my experience a 10-minute wash in ethanol brutalizes the cannabis so I’m unsure of the benefit of the longer, extended overnight soak. Is there something else that is happening in the transformation or is simply for harvesting of the trichomes?
Old hippie I think I love you. ❤️ I also wanted to know if there was a ratio of bud to everclear?
You’re a sweetie! No, most people just pour in the Everclear until all the bud is covered for best results.
is there an issue if i used 70% proof ethyl alcohol?
thank you in advance!
It won’t hurt anything, but you might have some trouble evaporating any extra off (if you want to) because it’s 30% water. Just make sure it’s truly ethyl alcohol (ethanol, the kind you drink) because that’s usually stated as “proof” (proof and % are absolutely not the same thing). The 70% alcohol sold in drugstores is generally isopropyl alcohol, which is not safe to ingest. Nugs and hugs!
On a trial basis,what’s the minimum amount of weed you would recommend for a batch of green?
You can actually give it a go with 1/8 ounce of weed and one of those little airline samplers of alcohol! But that will be used up fairly quickly, so many people wait until they have 1/2 ounce or more.
Many years ago, I bought an Iso-2 Isomerizer through High Times. I got ethyl alcohol at a local hardware store. It was in % and not proof. Made wonderful hash oil. I thought tinctures sounded pretty cool. A friend and I cooked a batch of coconut oil 5/17. I’m 4 months from 71. How old might you be good sir.
Almost 65. Nugs and hugs to you my friend!
I’m using AVB with the 180 proof ever clear, how long do I need to leave it? Is there a way to concentrate it a bit or evaporate some of the alcohol off after? I saw someone say to keep it in the freezer while its soaking?
Thanks!
All this is covered right in the article.
Hello Old Hippie. It’s been a while. Hope everything is going well for you and that you”ll get back in the energy of writing cause you you do have a simple and sound way to present topics often of a complex nature. In a loving and kind way, with a constant concern for safety in this experimental field! After thouroughly enjoying your Firecrackers with AVB, I’m doing my very first Golden Dragon tincture today. Since I microdose I don’t have a lot of AVB but I worked on the assumption that you cover the herb with alcool, in the present case 190 proof. I’ll let you know what’s the outcome. Peace!
Thanks, F.P.! I hope you enjoy your Gold Dragon…just soak it, warm it a bit without flame, swirl, and filter!
Hi Old Hippie. Well another discovery. It does give an intense burning sensation that goes away rapidly though. The effect rises in real fast and is quite potent too. A more heady high than ingestion. Vigilance is called for in terms of the number of drops IMO. Again, I am amazed at what is sill available in the AVB. Do you have an idea how long this solution can be kept? In a dark bottle with such an alcool degree, my hunch would be quite a long time. Thank you again for your guidance. Much appreciated. Peace!
Yes, shelf life should be a year at least at room temperature! And don’t miss the “dropping some into coffee or cola” trick. It can also be good on the right flavor ice cream. Nugs and hugs!
Hey thanks for the awesome recipe. I used real moonshine from the PA. Hills. White lightning. I followed your steps exactly to a t. I did no decarbing. My question is now I just let it sit for a month or so ? And I will have green dragon? A lot of ppl are telling me that since I did not decarb I wasted my time and product please tell me that’s not true. I have it sitting in a dark mason jar under my bed next to a heater. Am I gonna be good ? Will my product come out Ok? It’s in a air tight jar is that Ok? Sorry for all the questions but ppl are making me nervous. I used some really pricey bud and some bubble hash. Thanks for everything.
Hugs and nugs
Hey Adam,
The longer it sits the better, mine is 3 months old, and is really nice right now, though I kept it in dark and cold place.
Yes, that’s the Green Dragon. It is not a waste, it’s just another way of “curing”.
Your product will be all fine, just don’t you worry too much 😉
Air tight jar is also ok.
Just shake it once per day for the next month, then try a few drops under your tongue, wait for about 15-20 mins. If youre not satisfied with the result, let it sit for another month.
I also recommend reading all the previous posts, nice and easy.
Peace!
Hello OH
You left this comment to someone on the thread…..”Also, if you decarb the weed (250F/30 minutes in a regular oven), you can soak it in the alcohol overnight and you’re all done””. Does this mean if I’m making tinctures I can make it over night instead of the 4-10 weeks if I decarb the weed first. Or do I still need to let it soak. Thanks. I’m just trying to make strong tinctures the fastest way.
Yes, that’s exactly what it means. The slow method depends on time to decarb and this is faster. Nugs and hugs!
Hello Old Hippie,
I am happy to see that you are still active on this thread still in 2018! I have a few quick questions for you:
1. Since we are using such high alcohol contents, how does Gold Dragon fare on the liver?
2. There’s a comment that suggests using lemon extract as an alternative to buying expensive alcohols, is this a possibility?
Thank you very much!
1. Well, I’m no doctor, but we’re not drinking the stuff! There are about 24 Dragon doses per ounce of alcohol, so even a single shot of liquor would be far more than a week’s worth of tincture indulgence.
2. I have it on good authority that lemon extract is 83% alcohol, which is equivalent to 166 proof. This is indeed very strong and perfect for making cannabis tincture, with the advantage that you can experiment with a small amount and see how it goes (no guarantee on the taste, but it’s probably better than straight alcohol, and I have no idea how much lemon oil might be in there or how irritating it might be). However, I suspect that buying a big bottle of Everclear will still be much cheaper by the ounce.
Nugs and hugs!
Hey there,
Is there any harm/benefit in leaving decarbed bud in the alcohol for a long time? Like a month or two or even longer? Also, if it’s not decarbed, does that alter its effectiveness? Will it still give the medicinal benefits but not the psychoactive ones? Thank you!
Leaving bud in the alcohol for longer will make the resulting tincture stronger and taste better (up to a point). If it isn’t originally decarbed, you will get very little psychoactive effect, but of course you will always get any possible medicinal effect, as long as that doesn’t depend on psychoactivity (as it does for depression or anxiety). The longer you leave un-decarbed bud in the alcohol (we’re talking months here, not hours), the more psychoactivity it will have.
Help Old Hippie!
I am trying a couple different methods (de carb, not, boiling the everclear, not) but the liquid is always emerald green when I am done — not brown or yellowish. What does this green color mean??
It means you’re getting chlorophyll in the mixture, which is perfectly normal because the alcohol dissolves it out of the plant. Does it work? Then don’t worry! Besides, they don’t call it Green Dragon for nothing.
You said putting it in a cupboard for at least 30 days decarbs it. How long would you have to put it in the cupboard if you don’t want to decarb it?
Depends on how much of a smartass you’re trying to be.
I’m looking for mensa level smartassness, will 6 days do it? LOL
thanks for the laugh
Do you notice a burning sensation when placed under your tongue? It felt almost like it burned the skin under my tongue.
A second question is – to start out with 2-3 drops, is that literally a drop out of a small dropper or is it as much as you can draw out with the dropper considered one drop? I hope this makes sense.
If I used an oz of de-carbed bud how much Everclear/ how many Mason jars should I use 🙋♂️🤔👀
By the way the best place to get a few dozen of these dropper bottles is Amazon 🙂
Thanks!
Hello
First timer of tincture production .
What would the ratio of ever clear or vodka to an ounce weed be once weed is decarbonization ?
Hey Ol Hippie! Glad to see you still active on here. I started my Green Dragon on January 7th. Already started to look mushy, and the liquid is a VERY dark color. When shaken I goes a forest green matte color. It’s gorgeous. I wish I could post pictures of it on here. Cheers, from Philadelphia!
hi there I’ve had my trim in for 4 weeks..I decarbed it first cus I thought you had to it’s been 5 weeks..I tried some of it exactly a week ago so at the 4 week stage..and it did nothing ..I know the trim is decent cus I used the same trim to make brownies and they defo did the job…I’m only using 80 proof or 40% vodka as that is strongest tou can get in my country ..I’m a little worried i just wasted a bag full of trim…would be great to get ur 2 cents on my situation
Heavy user for 40 years. I’m going try the gold dragon, but I want to confirm one thing from the article. It says, I think, for the gold to use decarbed weed steps 1-4. Are you saying that I don’t need to let it sit for a month and it’s ready to go ASAP? I think I’m misunderstanding. BTW I’ve been making your caps for a couple years, they are really good, but time consuming.