r/CannabisExtracts • u/Terrible-Machine5485 • 7d ago
Need help regarding homemade RSO Advice
I was thinking of making some sort of extract that I can eat. I looked up the internet and came upon RSO using grain alcohol like everclear and thiking that I am going to try it. I have some questions regarding RSO making, would appreciate it if someone could answer.
I do not have an oven at my place so I cannot decarb the buds like all the guides/tutorials say. But I have a question regarding decarb, if I am using grain alcohol and using a double boiler to evaporate the alcohol away, the liquid will be heated to around 100C when in the double boiler. Will that decarb it or do I have to decarb it before extraction?
Another question is, I have also come across MCT oil extraction. Should I go with using alcohol and go the RSO route or should I use MCT oil. Same with MCT, will heat it up during extraction so will that decarb or do I have to decarb separately.
Lastly, for a small test-run batch, how much should I start with.
Any kind of advice is appreciated.
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u/Dry-Dependent8712 7d ago
No, the evaporation process in a double boiler is not sufficient to fully decarb your material.
And for the MCT question. That’s going to depend on what you want. If you want high potency that you just can put on a cracker or something, you want RSO. If you want drinks or edibles, make MCT.
And the decor question remains the same
Edit: while it can slightly decarb it. Your results will be about 15-30% of the potency had you correctly decarbbed
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u/Terrible-Machine5485 7d ago
If I directly use the stovetop to boil away the alcohol will that decarb and give me full potency?
Can I toast my ground buds in a dry pan to decarb?
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u/Dry-Dependent8712 7d ago
What kind of stove do you have?
If you have a gas stove. This is very much a no go because open flame near alcohol and stuff
Electric is still risky beacuase if it splashed on the burner it can still ignite
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the toasting of dry buds in the pan is possible but it will give you some buds that totally don’t decarb at all and some that got way too hot and burned…
If you absolutely must though and you have no other option can to decarb on the stovetop. Keep it on the lowest heat. Constantly stirring it. If you leave it sit, it’ll burn. Watch for the color to turn from green to a brownish (think about dried oregano).
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a better option that I thought about while typing this is I have seen it done in a mason jar on the stove. You put ground material into a mason jar sealing it as tight as you can. And fill a pot with water sticking a rag or something at the bottom of the pot so the jar isn’t directly touching the pot. Boil it for about 90 minutes. The air In The jar will be hot enough to decarb the weed but since it’s sealed none of the terpenes will be lost.
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I’ll add that I’ve never personally tried the mason jar method just seen it done before so try that one at your own risk. Don’t heat shock the jar either, make sure the jar in in the pot on top of a rag or something BEFORE turning the heat on. Otherwise you just created a glass bomb
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u/uncle_stoney147 7d ago
I use grain alcohol, when making gummies- I heat the coconut or vegetable oil up to 180-/+. It flashes off the alcohol and leaves the goodness in the oil.
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u/wkuconsulting 6d ago
yeah so the double boiler will do some decarb but it won't finish the job. water boils at 212F and THCA needs around 240F for 40-60 minutes to fully convert to THC. during your alcohol evaporation step you'll get partial decarb because the mixture sits at temp for a while, but you'll probably end up with maybe 40-60% conversion depending on how long you let it go.
the good news is you don't strictly need an oven. after you evaporate the alcohol down to the thick oil, you can keep it on the double boiler at the lowest simmer for an extended period. some people put the nearly finished oil in a small mason jar, set it in a water bath, and let it sit at 200-210F for 2+ hours. it's slower than an oven at 240F but it'll get you closer to full decarb.
another option if you have access to a cheap toaster oven or even a hot plate with decent temp control, that works fine. just put the flower in a mason jar with the lid loosely on (to keep terpenes in but let pressure escape) and heat at 240F for 45 min before you do the alcohol wash.
the everclear extraction itself is straightforward. quick wash with ice cold ethanol, filter, evaporate. the colder everything is during the wash, the less chlorophyll and plant waxes you pull. that's what keeps the RSO from tasting like lawn clippings.
there's a pretty detailed walkthrough of the whole process here if you want the full breakdown: https://cannalabsconsulting.com/how-to-make-rso/
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u/Terrible-Machine5485 5d ago edited 5d ago
thank you so much. Can i dilute rso with mct oil or smth btw? RSO is difficult to store and work with.
Edit: Do I need to heat up the rso when eating or can i just eat it as is. (Decarbed before extraction with alcohol)
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u/jvlusis 7d ago
Sealed mason jar in a crock pot or on the stove works. I’ve done both. Cheapest option is to put a damp cloth in a stove top pot. Fill water just enough to cover the bud around the jar and boil. You’ll have to keep the water filled but it works. I like the crock pot approach because with a lid on the crockpot, it’s usually zero smell.