80 proof vs 151.

[fiarrhea]

Has anyone ever used a regular 80 proof liqour for tinctures? Seems to me it would work the same. Insight appreciated.

 

[AGBeer]

I think it will matter as far as how long it takes it to evap (if thats what you are doing)

I know in some recipes, it calls for a much 'weaker' proof alcohol (based on flavoring etc)
But that isnt really evapped too much either.

 

[LivingInSpin]

I guess it works, but I would never use it if Golden Grain or Everclear were available.

 

[Vicki]

I'm doing an 80 proof batch of tincture right now. I don't have any grain alcohol at the moment, so I decided to use our 80 proof Bong Spirit Vodka. Seems kinda appropriate. This particular vodka is extremely smooth too.

I have always used grain alcohol in the past, so I am just going to let it sit for two weeks instead of one week. I already planned to evaporate the final product as well.

 

[vapirtoo]

I just made and consumed a small batch of swamp water using overproof rum 163%( wray and nephew ).
The results were very powerful with the effects lasting almost 16 hrs. My body seems very sensitive
to this method of ingestion, so I plan ahead before imbibing just to keep eveything cool.

 

[Vicki]

I just made and consumed a small batch of swamp water using overproof rum 163%( wray and nephew ).
The results were very powerful with the effects lasting almost 16 hrs. My body seems very sensitive
to this method of ingestion, so I plan ahead before imbibing just to keep eveything cool.

How long did you let it sit before you strained it?

 

[vapirtoo]

It sat for 24hrs, and I did not strain anything.
I poured some from the top, mixed it with
lemonade and gulped it down. From 9:30 pm
till 1:00 pm the next day, I was still feeling it
so strong that there was no need to vape
anything till late that night.
I put more rum back in the batch,
and will wait 48hrs and try just a little.
The high is too encompassing to drive
eventhough a bike ride might be interesting.

 

[Vicki]

Oh, ok. I always let my tincture sit fpor longer than that. This new batch is going to go two weeks.

 

[vapirtoo]

God, that stuff should kick like a mule!

 

[Vicki]

God, that stuff should kick like a mule!

I hope so!

 

[Vicki]

I strained my tincture this morning, after 8 days soaking. I decided to try a dropperful, and I started to feel it almost immediately. It's pretty potent, and I am happy with the results.

 

[Vicki]

I did an evaporation reduction to half. It's very potent tincture for ABV, but it tastes god awful nasty. I prefer using fresh herbs in my tinctures.

I am beginning to wonder is decarboxylation is even necessary. Opinions? My fresh herb tincture has always been potent.

 

[VWFringe]

I've made limoncello both with 80-proof (40% alcohol) and also with 96% alcohol,
after 2 weeks the lemon peels in the 96% had lost all color, oils and wax, they were crispy and had no color left, it was all in solution, so that's what i'd want

but if you only have 151 (still 25% water) you may do the extraction with another solvent, then reduce it out and re-disolve into the 151

the alternative would be drying the 151 with ceramic balls meant for this (think they only work with stuff nearer the azeotrope of 96%, not sure) EDIT: methods of drying ethanol - reading this and other sources on homedistiller.org show it's possible to use corn grits, or using molecular sieve material to remove water from alcohol, but takes 10 grams for each milliliter of water (can be re-used). haven't found anyone to use this method on such low alcohol as 80 proof however.
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Vicki,

Water cure ABV to get rid of the "freeze-dried bong-water" taste & smell. (2 day soak- 1 gallon of water)

i think you benefit from decarb'ing the fresh herb but think i read extraction causes decarboxylation...?