Decarbing in Ethanol

A few months ago I tried decarbing in the toaster oven and it didn’t feel like the temperature was very consistent. Since I have a heating mantle and such I figured that would be an easier way to decarb.

Can you decarb an ethanol oil when it boils below the temperature for decarboxylation?

It seems like if you heat it up enough it should yet I know the temperature for a liquid shouldn’t exceed the boiling point of the liquid. I heated it up to 250deg F in a boiling flask for about 40 minutes using a mag stir and such. It took a little bit to get up to temp because I like to bring it up slowly. It seemed to make the finished extract less waxy and more transparent and ‘sappier?’ I think.

Is your oil still mixed with etoh? If so you should evaporate the etoh off before decarb, if not you will be trying to reflux your solution with condensers for a loooooong time to get it to decarb.

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After the etoh evaporates I’m left with a water/extract solution and the extract typically falls out and separates and I vacuum the water off. Usually I will remove a large portion of extract from the reaction chamber and then put some more etoh in to consolidate the rest and then pull that off with the vacuum. I use a vigreux column to collect a higher proof etoh when evaporating it off which is why I’m left with more water I’m guessing.

So you are saying I should decarb during the water step? Or possibly in between the etoh/water stage?

I wonder if next cycle I should try to decarb the jars of broken up material before freezing them (say put the jars in a double boiler?). The toaster oven had giant temp swings and made me nervous.

Is this oil destined for edibles?

Yeah, that’s the idea. This is my 3rd wash + extras and stuff so I planned on using it for edibles.

Sounds solid, I sent you some info on decarb.

Can you also send this info over please? Looking to switch from flower toaster oven decarb to decarbing coconut/mct oil extract solution.

hate to bring up a dead thread. but if I make RSO in a soxhlet will it decarb? reflux time is like 8-12hrs. etoh only refluxes at 80-85c

You’ll get some degree of decarb at that temp for sure. How much depends on time and content.

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Probably depends on the volume.

You’ll certainly see some, you might see complete.

Once upon a time I was seeing complete decarb in my recovery still on over night runs (15gal) but not on shorter runs (10gal or less).

That’s a long extraction, how much are you extracting at once? Into how much solvent?

Have you looked at other time points to assess when you’re actually done?

I’d expect 99% extraction efficiency (at least for the cannabinoids) in under 60min, probably WELL under when using this extraction style (constant flow of fresh solvent near its bp).

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with the sox, I’m letting my father play around with it to make some RSO. he just asked the question and had to forward it because I was on the fence about the decarb as well.

The runtime is long, I admit. but I gave him the basic rules of “it’s done when it starts cycling colorless or near to”

the amount was nothing crazy 50g ground and packed into a glass thimble and dropped into a 1000ml sox.

going to finish the process with a freeze and vacuum filter then over to the roto

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Did your pops grow the material himself?

If there’s any pesticides present you’ll certainly be extracting all of them with this procedure so you gotta know if the materials been sprayed.

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he did. parents like to garden and keep it near organic as possible. no different for his herbs.

on his outdoor: Neem only in veg or BT, but no sprays the last 2-3 weeks. both are an “if needed” basis.

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