Why Make a Rosin Puck Tincture?
If you press rosin regularly, you’re sitting on a goldmine of leftover cannabinoids. Rosin pucks still contain roughly 10–20% of the original potency, depending on how efficient your press was. Instead of tossing them, you can extract what remains and turn it into a powerful rosin puck tincture.
One of the best ways to do this is the QWET extraction (Quick Wash Ethanol Technique). The goal is simple:
- Pull cannabinoids quickly
- Avoid chlorophyll
- Preserve flavor
- Create a clean tincture
This guide walks you through the exact process from decarb to filtration.
Step 1 — Grind & Decarb the Rosin Pucks
Start with about 200 g of rosin pucks.
Grind First
Use a coffee grinder and turn the pucks into a powder.
Grinding increases surface area and improves extraction efficiency.
Decarb Settings
Place the material into a mason jar and decarb:
Temperature: 230–240°F (110–115°C)
Time: 45 minutes
Keep the jar loosely closed during heating, then tighten once removed and cooled slightly.
Decarboxylation activates THCA → THC so the tincture becomes psychoactive.
Step 2 — Freeze Everything (Critical Step)
This is the most important part of a clean rosin puck tincture.
You must freeze BOTH:
- Decarbed cannabis material
- Ethanol alcohol
Freeze time: Minimum 24 hours
Why?
Cold temperatures dramatically reduce chlorophyll extraction and keep your tincture lighter in taste and color.
Step 3 — Choose the Right Alcohol
The ideal solvent is:
190 proof (95%) ethanol
You can use weaker alcohols, but here’s what happens:
| Proof | Result |
|---|---|
| 190 | Best cannabinoid extraction, least chlorophyll |
| 150 | Works, slightly less efficient |
| 80 | Much greener, more plant taste |
Water content pulls unwanted compounds — so higher proof = cleaner tincture.
Step 4 — The QWET Wash
Take the frozen jar and frozen alcohol out of the freezer.
Pour just enough ethanol to fully cover the material.
Seal tightly and shake gently for a few seconds.
Then follow the timing cycle:
- Freeze 5 minutes
- Shake briefly
- Freeze 5 minutes
- Shake again
- Freeze 5 minutes
Total wash time: ~15 minutes
Do NOT continuously shake — grinding damaged cell walls and aggressive agitation releases chlorophyll.
Step 5 — Filtration (Do NOT Rush This)
Set up:
- Cheesecloth
- Bottle or jar
- Funnel
Pour the mixture through the cheesecloth and let gravity do the work.
⚠️ Important:
Do NOT squeeze or press the material.
Because the pucks were ground finely, forcing filtration pushes plant particles and chlorophyll into the tincture, ruining flavor and color.
Patience here equals quality.
What Color Should It Be?
Your finished rosin puck tincture will likely appear green — that’s normal with reused material.
A darker green usually means:
- More plant compounds extracted
- Possibly higher potency
- Slightly harsher taste
Potency Expectations
Rosin pucks vary wildly, but typical ranges:
- Mild press leftovers: ~10 mg/ml
- Average: 20–50 mg/ml
- Strong batches: 75+ mg/ml
Light-based testers can struggle reading tinctures with heavy chlorophyll because the particles interfere with optical measurement.
In other words — if it won’t register, it may actually be very strong.
Tips for Cleaner Results
Use shorter washes
Longer = greener
Keep everything frozen
Temperature controls extraction selectivity
Don’t over-agitate
Shaking pulls plant waxes and pigments
Never press the cheesecloth
Biggest quality killer
Can You Use Regular Flower Instead?
Yes — the same process works perfectly with standard cannabis.
The only difference:
Flower usually produces a lighter, better-tasting tincture than rosin pucks.
How to Use the Finished Tincture
Start low and slow.
Suggested beginner dose:
0.25 ml – 0.5 ml
Hold under tongue for 30–60 seconds before swallowing.
Onset time:
15–45 minutes (sublingual)
1–2 hours (swallowed)
Final Thoughts
Making a rosin puck tincture is one of the best ways to recycle pressing leftovers and recover valuable cannabinoids you already paid for. With proper freezing, short wash times, and gentle filtration, the QWET method produces a surprisingly potent and usable extract.
If you’re pressing regularly, you should never throw pucks away again — they’re basically edibles waiting to happen.
For more extraction walkthroughs and experiments: Edibles
References
Cannabinoid decarboxylation temperature research
QWET ethanol extraction principles
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