Post Processing Problems & Solutions: Distillate Guide

Post-processing is key to refining cannabis extracts into high-quality distillates. But what happens when things go wrong? Cloudy distillate, dark colors, and poor yields can be frustrating roadblocks. This guide provides practical solutions to common post-processing problems, helping you optimize your cannabis extraction process.

Troubleshooting Cloudy Distillate: Waxes

Cloudy distillate is a common issue, and the primary culprit is usually waxes. When using ethanol, especially warm ethanol, waxes can be extracted from the plant material. These waxes co-distill with cannabinoids, resulting in a hazy appearance.

The solution? Colder ethanol during extraction and improved winterization techniques. Waxes co-distill with cannabinoids, so effective winterization is crucial. If your distillate tests well and has a good color but appears hazy, waxes are likely the cause.

This isn’t a distillation problem, but an extraction one. You need to use colder ethanol during extraction or improve your post-extraction winterization process. Distillation alone can’t remove these waxes.

Addressing Dark Distillate: Pigments and Material Quality

Dark distillate often indicates older or lower-quality starting material. While cannabinoid molecules are clear, trace amounts of pigment compounds can co-distill, darkening the final product. Older material tends to have more of these pigments, making the distillate appear darker.

To address this, adjust your distillation process. Running the distillation colder or faster can mitigate the issue, though it may reduce yield. By sacrificing some cannabinoids and leaving more behind in the residue, you can minimize the co-distillation of pigments.

Redistillation often improves color, but excessive heat exposure can worsen the problem with heat-sensitive pigments. Aim for a lighter cut during distillation to leave behind more of the unwanted compounds.

Identifying the Cause of Dark Distillate

How can you differentiate between dark distillate caused by pigments versus terpenes? While rare, dark medium-weight terpenes have been observed and remediated with a modified terpene stripping procedure. In most cases, the problem stems from the quality of the starting material, but modifying distillation parameters and/or redistilling can help. In particular, redistillation at a lower temperature can improve the color. Distilling faster at the same temperature also has the same effect of taking a lighter cut.

Maximizing Yield: Tracking Losses Throughout the Process

Low yields can be a significant concern. You should aim to recover around 90% of the cannabinoids from your starting material. For example, if your plant material tests at 10% cannabinoids, your crude extract should yield around 14%, indicating about 70% cannabinoids. After post-processing, you should recover close to 90% of the expected cannabinoids in your final product.

If your yield is significantly lower, you need to identify where the losses are occurring. This involves a comprehensive review of your entire process. Are you leaving too much behind in the residue or losing cannabinoids in other waste streams?

Start by assessing each stage of the process. There are four primary waste streams: biomass, terpenes, residue, and containers/equipment residue. Check if you’re fully extracting cannabinoids from the biomass, and evaluate your distilled terpenes, your residue after cannabinoid distillation and how much cannabinoids are still missing. Losses can occur in various places, dishes and containers should be the smallest loss and should feel reasonable to blame for any mass that cannot be accounted for by measurement of the other product and waste streams

Common Causes of Low Yields

Here are some common areas to investigate if you’re experiencing low yields:

Residue: Are you leaving too many cannabinoids behind in the distillation residue?
Terpenes: Are you accidentally distilling a significant portion of your final product into your terpenes?
Biomass: Are you achieving full extraction, or are cannabinoids remaining in the biomass?
Waste: Are you losing product in cleaning processes or transfers between containers?

To pinpoint the problem, track everything meticulously. Measure the weight of your input materials and compare it to the weight of your output. Conservation of mass is key: what goes in must come out, either as desired product or as waste.

It’s often a distillation issue, usually leaving product in the residue. To increase yield from the residue, adjust your wiped film to run hotter and/or slower, ensuring you’re maximizing cannabinoid recovery without sacrificing color. Also, consider the possibility of over-distilling into the terpenes, although this is less common.

Decarboxylation Best Practices

Decarboxylation, while seemingly straightforward, is often a source of errors in cannabis processing. It’s crucial to decarboxylate your material fully to ensure optimal results in subsequent processes like distillation.

The most common mistake? Incomplete decarboxylation. Many operators underestimate the time and conditions required for full conversion.

For safe and effective decarboxylation, use a reactor capable of pulling a vacuum. Avoid decarboxylating in open containers, this will not only save you from the fumes, but the vacuum gauge is the ideal tool to track the process.

Optimizing Your Decarboxylation Process

Here are some key recommendations for decarboxylation:

Use a Reactor: Always use a reactor that can pull a vacuum to contain fumes and improve the process.
Monitor Vacuum Levels: Note the base vacuum level of your empty reactor. During decarboxylation, the vacuum level should approach this base level as gases are released.
Digital Gauges: Use digital gauges for accurate vacuum readings. Dial gauges are less precise and do not have the resolution required to determine if the process is done.
Temperature and Time: A common recommendation is 140 degrees Celsius for two hours, but adjust based on your equipment and material.
Vacuum Quality: Employ the weakest vacuum pump, this will make the gauge more sensitive to gas load. The goal is to measure gas load and roughly degas the material, not achieve the deepest vacuum.

People often get decarboxylation wrong by using inefficient methods like rotor evaporators for insufficient time. For example, trying to decarb in a Rotovap for four hours when it is at 80 Celsius, it would take approximately two days! Low temperatures take exponentially longer and are simply not practical.

Final Thoughts

Mastering post-processing techniques is essential for producing high-quality cannabis distillates. By understanding the common problems and implementing the solutions outlined in this guide, you can improve your product quality, increase yields, and streamline your operations. From identifying the causes of cloudy and dark distillates to optimizing your decarboxylation process, each step contributes to a better final product.