With Qwiso and Qwet the main objective is to have everything cold as possible. When I do an alcohol run I make sure to freeze the leaves and alcohol overnight. This is the attempt to keep all the chlorophyll and other water soluble nasties in frozen form. So after you have both frozen then put the frozen jar of herb in a tub with ice water and salt. Pour in the frozen alcohol and start mixing. Agitate for 15 seconds and let sit 30. Repeat several times before pouring off through a filter. You can go several minutes because the chlorophyll will take longer than usual to get into the alcohol. A second wash will give more yield at less quality.
Wow! Pages and pages on QWISO! You guys are spoiling me. I hadn't thought of the ice and salt arrangement to keep everything colder during the wash. That's brilliant Shiggity. And thank you as well for the details on swirling and resting. I'll incorporate these steps into my next batch. You're a dear.
I got into big trouble on the oil threads suggesting that one could use ISO to make CCO. It pretty much led to my being banished from all the threads but mine and Cajun's. They weren't happy with me at all, but I can only get Everclear 151, and that was a disappointment to me. I'm glad to find intrepid oil makers after my own heart. I purchased a distiller and I'll be sending my Everclear through that next time to see if I can improve the proof much.
I only ask cause I usually prefer to do littler runs myself reason being it seems easier to control so i don't get too much chlorophyll. I usually don't do more then 1/4 a pint mason jar and I put just enough alcohol in there to put the liquid 1/4-1/2 a inch above the material. I usually ended up with powder when i either A had a crap filter and little stuff got through B used isopropyl alcohol lower then 91% or C used too high of heat when double boiling. I went through a lot of trial and error when I started making qwiso because I could never find just one way to do it so i took bits from all methods i read and watched and also learned from my mistakes and made sure not to do them again lol. A small batch of qwiso usually takes me about an hour to an hour and a half to do the washand strain and double boiler and purge. I actually like doing batches using anywhere from 1-4 grams of bud i know it seems small but it seems easier to not make it turn green lol.
I can appreciate the reasoning, but with winterizing you can overcome this and make bigger batches. I'm always considering making a small batch though. This stuff is the best, and I can see myself wanting to make small batches just to see how different they taste.
By the way, I really like the idea of straining it from the wash jar through the layers of cheesecloth. Wouldn't pouring it through a fine mesh coffee filter do the job? I ask because I can see potential to lose lots of oil into the cheesecloth.
Ya just swish in a circle motion, i make mine swirl around the mason jar in a circle and it seems to provide the right amount of agitation. As soon as your liquid is nice and yellow strain it lol.
Good point. Watch for the color change.
I let it evap enough to be collected in a glass pan ( I don't use heat) then redissolve in ethanol. Takes longer but is worth it. Lessens yield of course since you are removing plant waxes. But the end product is more like shatter. Still not shatter but nice.
I think I am going to do dry ice hash with my trimmings this time and dissolve in cold ethanol. Never tried it before but sounds like it would be nice.
You will be documenting this? Like I need to ask.
SkunkPharms lets their plant material dry out in between washes and then repeat the winterizing from the beginning. I like your idea of the ice and salt bath. That'd keep everything nice and frosty.
Well, you gentlemen have given me much to think about.
Tead, this is one of my favorite stops. I've noticed that although I have this long list of neglected subscriptions, I always manage to find my way here. You run a comfortable yard my friend.
I'm going to bed now. Goodnight.