When I first started making butter I just used shake a friend gave me. Now I have my own shake and it is even better. In CA you can generally grow 6 plants per license without being hassled. It is definitely an unwritten law so beware. I grew 12 plants and got about 12 pounds of good buds and about 5 lbs of good shake. So I am able to experiment without fear.

I made a batch with no water. The butter was good but some of the stuff in the bottom of the pan looked a little burned so now I add at least some water.

I also used to cook the butter for 8 -10 hours but after trying the 22 - 24 hour cook I will never go back to 8. Hope this helps you enjoy better edibles.