Green dragon- 1) Drops or Shots? 2) Glycerin or Alcohol?

[kiefcamel]

1) In the Green Dragon method, I've read that alcohol (such as Everlclear) will extract more THC per mg. Therefore, would this concentrate more efficient than using glycerin? However, would glycerin necessarily be safer because could consuming drops of everclear necessarily be unhealthy for you with occasional use (because its hard liquor)?


2) What is the ratio of alcohol to buds you should use so that the conccentrate will be concentrated enough to reveal its potency through drops, rather than whole entire shots?

3) As well, what would that ratio for this "drops" (instead of "shots") concentration be for using kief (Rather than buds)?

4) Also, how exactly do you want to go about heating the kief/ buds over an oven before soaking them? Will cooking them make the green dragon more potent and concentrated? Why or why not?

5) As well, can you efficiently consume the alcohol-based tincture sublingually as you can with the glycerin-based tincture?

 

[Foreigner]

1) In the Green Dragon method, I've read that alcohol (such as Everlclear) will extract more THC per mg. Therefore, would this concentrate more efficient than using glycerin? However, would glycerin necessarily be safer because could consuming drops of everclear necessarily be unhealthy for you with occasional use (because its hard liquor)?

Everclear is more effective than glycerine because it strips all the material from the plant, including the chlorophyls. In regards to safety, you would not take the everclear straight. You would dilute the master tincture into weaker tinctures with water, at least to 50% alcohol. Then you would put drops of that alcohol into water for consumption. Cannabis tinctured with Everclear is very strong and should not be underestimated.

2) What is the ratio of alcohol to buds you should use so that the conccentrate will be concentrated enough to reveal its potency through drops, rather than whole entire shots?

Freshly harvested bud would be better because alcohol and water have a mutual affinity. If it's fresh bud you would do 1:2 alcohol:bud. If it's dried bud you would do 1:6 alcohol:bud. At least, this is my experience for my medicinal needs. You may need to experiment with different ratios in order to figure out what concentration works best for your needs. Just make sure that the bud is always under the liquid. If it rises above it then it won't tincture and may even rot.

Make sure the bud is broken up into smaller pieces because increased surface area increases the effectiveness of the maceration.

3) As well, what would that ratio for this "drops" (instead of "shots") concentration be for using kief (Rather than buds)?

How much kief do you intend to use?

4) Also, how exactly do you want to go about heating the kief/ buds over an oven before soaking them? Will cooking them make the green dragon more potent and concentrated? Why or why not?

It doesn't really matter if you use fresh or dried bud. The only thing that changes is the ratio of alcohol to bud you will use. Personally I would not bother with heating it because heat will destroy some of the properties, however marginally.

I suppose if you used cured bud, there would be less chlorophyl present in the end tincture.

5) As well, can you efficiently consume the alcohol-based tincture sublingually as you can with the glycerin-based tincture?

Yes, but not with the same efficacy. Glycerine is fat soluble so it will easily pass through the cell membranes under the tongue, whereas alcohol does not have the same affinity (but the THC in it does).

I wouldn't nitpick over sublingual effectiveness. Cannabis tinctures are strong and fast acting. Alcohol permeates the stomach lining and it will carry some of the drug with it, and once it gets the small intestine the absoption will be rapid.