We’ve been working on perfecting our product and still have some issues keeping it from being just right.
A summary of our flow:
Supercritical CO2 extraction for crude material
Mix crude with ethanol
Winterize 48-72 hrs
Filter out fats and lipids
2 cycles of color remediation and filtered
Rotovap to remove ethanol
Insert in oven for 24-48 hrs to remove any remaining ethanol (under full vacuum)
Fill carts (not cutting the oil with anything)
The main problem is we are getting a dark / redish layer on the top. Attached is a photo.
In reading the forum it seem to be oxidation but most topics refer to BHO processes. Color remediation includes carbon and activated aluminum. We are going to try a batch without the activated aluminum.
The other issue we’re running into is with flavor. Our first batches were a bit sweeter and smoother. The last two batches have a bit more acidic taste but are lighter in color.
I’ve actually run across the same exact thing being sold up here in AK. One option might be to look into a “gas lens”. Check out Breaking Dabs (@breaking.dabs) • Instagram photos and videos He’s got a couple of posts showing him using the gas lens to fill some jars, but he said he also has one that he uses for carts. I’m pretty sure he got them from @Soxhlet at Indofab Solutions
are you reusing the ethanol you’re using for filtration? are you testing the pH and proof of the ethanol after you recover it? you can start developing acids in your ethanol that won’t come out under rotovap. that can also cause some of that color shift you’re seeing. are you separating terps during your extraction process, or collecting everything together? is your material decarbed before extraction? I’m assuming yes because you don’t mention a decarb step and you don’t seem to be having any crystallization in your carts
But you should collect your terps first. Then collect your crude, winterize, filter, clean up, recover ethanol. And then reintroduce your terps. Youre most likely burning off or degrading alot of terps in the ethanol recovery process.
agree with @yoshi that you should be collecting your terpenes seperately. have all your runs been different material, or are you getting off flavors from the same starting material? how are you filtering after you do your adsorbent step, and where does decarb come into your process? I’m not sure why you’re using AA, I’ve seen some stuff on here talking about its efficacy with crude in methanol, but conflicting results with ethanol. some people have seen decent removal of the “red” compounds using multiple passes through T5. finally, how are you filling. what kind of temps are you filling at and what implement are you filling with
I guess it’s a matter of taste, but would you mix “all” the terps that you collected back in?
That’s a good question. Will give it a try and report back.
It’s a mix of two different strains. The exact mix of those two strains in each batch definitely differs.
We’re going to try a batch without and see what happens.
Great to know!
Currently we’re using a hand filler gun, it has the sleeve that goes around the outside of the tube to warm / heat the material. Definitely plan to upgrade this part of the process in the not to distant future.
We had this issue with our CO2 extracted oil and the most likely culprit is fats/waxes. Are you freezing for 2-3 days then filtering once? CO2 crude has excessive amounts of fats and waxes depending on how high your extraction pressure is. Try several freezing and filtering cycles basically until your freeze it overnight and see nothing in the extract the next day. This is usually between 3 and 4 winterization cycles.
Wanted to follow up on this thread as we have made some efforts to try and isolate the issue but continue to see the red ring of death.
Here are some of the things we’re trying:
Running strains separately (haven’t finalized these yet, but should know in a week or two)
Using all ceramic cartridges (doesn’t matter what type of cart, metal, ceramic, seeing the same in all)
Keeping product under vacuum until ready to fill and send out (this will just delay the issue)
Attempted color remediation without activated alumina (we are seeing this happen with AC)
Multiple winterizations (still need to wait a week or two for results)
The hand held gun we used to fill the carts has a heating sleeve that goes over the tube. It’s not heat though because we see redish color floating in the trays and in the tube before we add the heating sleeve. The first pic is what it looks like out of the rotovap.
