Green Dragon

I added your recipe with a few notes and followed your suggestion to remove the microwave recipe. Please let me know what you think...

I'm taking your word on the dry-bake. I've actually suspected something like that based on cooking pot in vegetable oil and getting very mixed results. It's been awhile, but that might explain why sometimes I hardly felt anything and other times I was flat on my back going through a panic attack. Do some of the general cooking recipes use a dry-bake? That would strongly support the idea of using it for green dragon. Oil does have a higher boiling point than alcohol, so the dry-bake might not be necessary if the boiling process mixes oxygen into the oil.

Actually, the oxygen doesn't make a difference. I'm too tired to be posting. The higher boiling point of oil might explain a lot about why dry-baking is so important for making green dragon and not special brownies.

"In fresh green plants, the cannabinoids are primarily present in carboxylic acid forms, which are changed into the corresponding neutral compounds by aging or heat (for example, burning or cooking).159, 174 THC acid (THCA) for example, is apparently psychotropically inactive, and must be decarboxylated to THC prior to administration in order to produce significant effects. It has been suggested that some decarboxylation occurs in living plants growing in the tropics."

From
http://www.druglibrary.org/SCHAFFER/...dain/ldc2b.htm

That is a great update. I think between the two of us we have produced an excellent guide. Well done and thanks for the acknowledgement.

(Also great job on finding the druglibrary article--it seems to confirm our claim that the pot should be heated prior to extraction to decarboxylate the THCA).

Master Wu

Yeah, I've wondered about that before, but I thought it must be my imagination because of all the sites saying that the need for heat is a myth. (That's not exactly a lie either, but heat makes a big difference.)

Master Wu, do you have email? Mine is on the web page. If you could confirm the email by posting something here...

I like the idea of using a microwave for decarboxylation:
http://cannabisculture.com/articles/3037.html

Some of the cannabinoids vaporize at temperatures lower than THC's boiling point, and it's not just THC but the other compounds that are part of the experience. I've heard that the cannabinoids can also evaporate a little bit during the extraction process.

I think the most efficient method would be to use the microwave for decarboxylation, then use the solar method for extraction. No losses in either step.

So does the alcohol you use make a difference in the extraction? I had tried to make a green dragon on a small scale years ago but it didn't work. I soaked about 2 grams of some good bud in a glass with Vodka. I put a top over it and gave it a good shake and just left it sit. Every two weeks or so, I would go back and kinda shake it again. Finally, after about 2 or 3 months, I poured the liquid through a strainer into a glass. I even pushed on the herb through the strainer to make sure I got as much as I could. Held my nose and took a shot...nothing.

Vodka only has I think 40 to 50% alcohol so it would take much longer time and not extract as well. If the storage place is too cold, then that might also explain why it didn't work. Bacardi 151 has 75% and works a lot better. Everclear or lemon extract work even better. Also, decarboxylation of THCA is rarely mentioned in any of the green dragon recipes but it makes a huge difference in the strength of the green dragon. If the weed is fresh, then it needs to be dried thoroughly using a microwave or oven. When you smoke weed the flame instantly converts THCA to THC, but if you eat or drink THCA it will not get you high. Hope that helps. I understand your disappointment as I have done a lot of experiments to get it right. It sounds like Master Wu did a lot of experimenting too. The easiest way (I haven't tested this yet) is to probably use a microwave to dry the weed (less likely to accidentally vaporize the THC), then use lemon extract and store in a warm cupboard (Everclear is not available in some places).

i had saved up a lot of stems and then put it in some vodka but i used like twice as much because it was lower alc. by vol. then normaly used. the stems probably dont have that much thc in or on them so i would think it is absorbed prity quickly. It is already green but its only been like 9 hours buti want to drnk it now. Do you think most of the thc in the stems has been absorbed so it will effect me when i drink it?

How well does Lemon extract work and why? and when i microwave it for 2 minutes does it have to be on any specific power level setting?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by darkside

use an electric crock pot and plug it in outdoors. safety issue solved.

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[SIZE="4"]Sounds SAFER. My crock boils fast. Will the EXPERTs ever be able to help me wonder if using a vegetable de-hydrator might be an OK temp ??? It make my fresh cut closet stash burn great and work well. No time delay for cure longer than like 6 hours or ??? I need a kick-butt thermometer to know ALL temperature possibilities to help me learn, I assume. Details,details,details. Will an oil boil or water and butter boil ever convert THCA to THC ??? At least 150 degrees iz the known magic answer for us for now. I will temperature test my "Beef Jerky" machine to see if it can copy oven cure. Imagine a water cure/filter/cleaned HEMP-CANVAS that is power upgraded with the THCA to THC conversion and tinctured beyond belief. I want the FUTURE NOW.