How to Make Cannabis Tincture

What a tincture is

A cannabis tincture is a liquid extract made by soaking cannabis in a solvent — traditionally high-proof ethanol — so that cannabinoids and terpenes dissolve into the liquid. The plant material is then strained out, leaving a concentrated, shelf-stable solution that can be dosed by the drop.

Ethanol is an effective solvent for both THC and CBD because cannabinoids are lipophilic and also soluble in high-proof alcohol Strong evidence^[1]. Glycerin and MCT oil are sometimes used as alternative bases, but they extract less efficiently than ethanol and are chemically different products — glycerites and infused oils, not true tinctures Weak / limited^[2].

Cannabis tinctures were a mainstream pharmaceutical in the U.S. and U.K. from the mid-1800s until cannabis was removed from the U.S. Pharmacopeia in 1942 Strong evidence^[3].

Why growers and users make it

Reasons people make tincture at home:

• Uses trim and shake. Tincture is a great destination for larf, sugar leaf, and lower-quality bud you wouldn't want to smoke.
• Long shelf life. In high-proof alcohol, stored cool and dark, cannabinoids remain stable for years. Degradation of THC to CBN accelerates with heat, light, and oxygen exposure Strong evidence^[4].
• Precise dosing. A dropper delivers roughly consistent volumes, making titration easier than eyeballing edibles.
• Fast onset (sublingual). Held under the tongue, some cannabinoids are absorbed through the oral mucosa, producing onset in roughly 15–45 minutes — faster than swallowed edibles, which must pass through the gut and liver Weak / limited^[5]. Swallowed tincture behaves like a regular edible.
• No smoke. Useful for people who can't or don't want to inhale.

When to make it

Any time after your flower is dried and cured. There is no seasonal window. Practically, most home growers make tincture:

• After trimming, using leftover sugar trim.
• When bud has been in long-term storage and is drying out or losing appeal for smoking.
• When they want a discreet, travel-friendly option.

Don't use freshly harvested wet material — the water content will dilute your alcohol and encourage microbial growth.

How to make it: step by step

What you need

• 7–14 g dried, cured cannabis flower or trim (scale up or down; ratios below)
• 250–500 mL food-grade ethanol, at least 40% ABV (Everclear 190-proof / 95% is ideal; 151-proof works; standard 80-proof vodka works but is weaker) Strong evidence^[1]
• Oven-safe dish, parchment paper
• Glass mason jar with tight lid
• Cheesecloth, coffee filter, or fine strainer
• Small dropper bottles (amber glass preferred)

Step 1: Decarboxylate. Break flower into pea-sized pieces, spread on parchment, and bake at 240°F / 115°C for 30–40 minutes. This converts THCA to THC (and CBDA to CBD). Skip this step and your tincture will be mostly non-intoxicating acidic cannabinoids Strong evidence^[6]. Lower temperatures reduce terpene loss but require longer times.

Step 2: Combine. Place decarbed cannabis in the mason jar. Pour alcohol over it until the plant material is fully submerged with about 1 cm of alcohol on top. A common ratio is 1 g cannabis per 15–30 mL alcohol.

Step 3: Extract. Two schools:

• Quick wash (Green Dragon style): Seal, shake vigorously for 3–5 minutes, then strain. This produces a lighter-colored, cleaner-tasting tincture with less chlorophyll.
• Long soak: Seal, store in a cool dark place for 1–4 weeks, shaking daily. Produces a darker, stronger-tasting, more potent extract.

Both work. Longer soaks extract more cannabinoids but also more chlorophyll and plant waxes, which taste bitter. The claim that freezing for weeks dramatically improves quality is common online but not well supported by controlled data Anecdote.

Step 4: Strain. Pour through cheesecloth into a clean jar, then through a coffee filter for a cleaner product. Press or squeeze the plant material to recover trapped liquid.

Step 5: Bottle. Transfer to amber dropper bottles. Label with date and, if you know your input potency, an estimated dose per mL.

Dosing: Start with 0.25–0.5 mL under the tongue, wait 90 minutes, and adjust. Potency varies widely with input material, so treat any first batch as unknown-strength.

Common mistakes

• Skipping decarb. The single most common mistake. Raw cannabis is mostly THCA, which is not intoxicating at typical doses Strong evidence^[6].
• Using low-proof alcohol. Below ~40% ABV, extraction is inefficient and the product is more prone to spoilage. Isopropyl alcohol is not food-safe — never use it.
• Using wet plant material. Water in your input dilutes the solvent and invites mold.
• Heating alcohol directly on a stove. Ethanol is flammable with a low flash point. If you want to reduce a tincture, use a water bath in a well-ventilated area, never an open flame Strong evidence^[7].
• Overestimating potency. Homemade tincture potency varies with flower strength, ratio, decarb efficiency, and soak time. Without lab testing, your only tool is start low, go slow.
• Storing in clear glass on a sunny shelf. UV and heat degrade cannabinoids Strong evidence^[4]. Amber glass, cool cupboard.

Related techniques

• Cannabis-infused oil: Uses MCT, olive, or coconut oil instead of ethanol. Longer shelf life issues, but food-friendly and no alcohol.
• Decarboxylation: The prerequisite step for any edible or tincture made from raw flower.
• RSO (Rick Simpson Oil): An ethanol extract that is then reduced by evaporation into a thick concentrate. Same starting process as tincture, different endpoint.
• Glycerin tincture: A non-alcoholic alternative. Weaker extraction and shorter shelf life than ethanol tincture Weak / limited^[2].

Sources

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