What's new
  • Happy Birthday ICMag! Been 20 years since Gypsy Nirvana created the forum! We are celebrating with a 4/20 Giveaway and by launching a new Patreon tier called "420club". You can read more here.
  • Important notice: ICMag's T.O.U. has been updated. Please review it here. For your convenience, it is also available in the main forum menu, under 'Quick Links"!

Terpene addition causing cloudiness in Distillate

B

BlackestofOps

Member
We mixed 6 1 gram sample batches of 950mg high quality distillate and 50mg of various terpene mixes from True Terps, and one sample made at the same ratio with our own terpenes. They mixed easily with a little heat and stirring, and we filled them into cartridges and syringes. Today when I came in to the lab, all the samples had clouded up rather severely. The one test batch that was made with our own co2 extracted terpenes did not cloud, only the True Terps.

Anyone have any insight to the cause or resolution of this cloudiness?
 
T

Thomas@LRL

Member
I would suspect water. Have formulated several liters worth of distillate with True Terpenes strain profiles with zero separation or cloudiness issues. What temp did you mix at and how long did you allow it to homogenize? I also don't allow my formula to sit, I formulate per batch and package immediately after homogenization.
 
B

BlackestofOps

Member
I suspected water as well, but humidity is rather low here, and the batches were open to atmosphere for less than 2 hours. Also, why would my extracted terpenes not cloud up, but the true terpene blends did?
 
T

Thomas@LRL

Member
BlackestofOps said:
I suspected water as well, but humidity is rather low here, and the batches were open to atmosphere for less than 2 hours. Also, why would my extracted terpenes not cloud up, but the true terpene blends did?
Click to expand...

I couldn't begin to speculate without knowing the constituent components of both formula, I'm wondering if it's homogenization? You would have homogenized both batches the same way though... Were they all from the sample kits or from larger bottles?
 
B

BlackestofOps

Member
Sample kits for the True Terps. My terpenes are co2 extracted and winterized, so they are not "pure", but very potent in terpene content. I am awaiting test results, but a 5% addition to very clean distillate is on the strong side, for some idea/reference.

I appreciate your speculation, regardless.
 
F

frazierk

Member
Have you contacted True Terpenes? I have spoken with Ben many times and he has always provided great customer service.

The only thing I can think of is water (or possibly other contaminants) in the samples that you received or they were not mixed correctly.
 
T

Thomas@LRL

Member
I would suspect water, I had some issues last november when I was trying to mix very small volume. Lately I mix 100mL at a time as it's a manageable batch size for one person formulating, filling and putting caps on in about 45 minutes beginning to end (200 cartridges).
 
mobin

mobin

Member
BlackestofOps said:
Sample kits for the True Terps. My terpenes are co2 extracted and winterized, so they are not "pure", but very potent in terpene content. I am awaiting test results, but a 5% addition to very clean distillate is on the strong side, for some idea/reference.

I appreciate your speculation, regardless.
Click to expand...

do your co2 terpenes come out with a bit of color to them?
 
B

BlackestofOps

Member
Yes, my terpenes are amber in color. Still light (for a winterized sub-critical extract), but definitely more color than the true terps.

Thomas@LRL said:
I would suspect water, I had some issues last november when I was trying to mix very small volume. Lately I mix 100mL at a time as it's a manageable batch size for one person formulating, filling and putting caps on in about 45 minutes beginning to end (200 cartridges).
Click to expand...

Thomas, I am thinking the micro-batch is the reason, as well. A little heat and some vigorous hand stirring may be enough to expose the whole 1 gram batch to plenty of atmospheric moisture. Humidity was only around 20% the day I mixed them, so a bit of a head scratcher. Makes me nervous to try a larger batch.
 
T

Thomas@LRL

Member
BlackestofOps said:
Yes, my terpenes are amber in color. Still light (for a winterized sub-critical extract), but definitely more color than the true terps.



Thomas, I am thinking the micro-batch is the reason, as well. A little heat and some vigorous hand stirring may be enough to expose the whole 1 gram batch to plenty of atmospheric moisture. Humidity was only around 20% the day I mixed them, so a bit of a head scratcher. Makes me nervous to try a larger batch.
Click to expand...

If its any consolation I am halfway through 3- 4oz bottles and haven't had any issues with the terpenes themselves, I mix on a hot plate with stir bar but I also intentionally keep my batch size below 250mL in an effort to prevent unnecessary heat exposure/oxidation from long residence time on the hot plate.
 
B

BlackestofOps

Member
Thomas@LRL said:
If its any consolation I am halfway through 3- 4oz bottles and haven't had any issues with the terpenes themselves, I mix on a hot plate with stir bar but I also intentionally keep my batch size below 250mL in an effort to prevent unnecessary heat exposure/oxidation from long residence time on the hot plate.
Click to expand...

I think it is moisture, somehow. True Terpenes has been really helpful, and I had the same result with 6 different strains, so contamination is pretty unlikely.
 
mobin

mobin

Member
BlackestofOps said:
Yes, my terpenes are amber in color. Still light (for a winterized sub-critical extract), but definitely more color than the true terps.
Click to expand...

increased tocopherols from co2 extraction would give the yellow hint and add some antioxidant properties. if it continues to be something you encounter, that may be something to look into.
 
WaterFarmFan

WaterFarmFan

Active member
Veteran
I have never used True Terpenes only Holy Terp. The HT Pure always dissolves into shatter creating a perfectly clear extract. I have been experimenting with collecting cannabis terpenes without solvent using a vacuum oven. My first tests of adding my cannabis terpenes to shatter created a very cloudy extract, but it was fucking strong and the most potent dab that I have ever taken (I used .15ml cannabis terps per gram to test and it was waaaayyyy too strong). I finally dissolved shatter in .3ml HT Pure Flavorless per gram at 120F for 20 mintues, and when fully mixed, I add .05ml of my cannabis terps.

I know that places that sell commercial terpenes are likely using proprietary processes to clarify, filter and purify terpene isolates and blends, but in reality for cannabis is that these are unprocessed. I am not a chemist, but I suspect that are some additional organics remain in terpenes that have not been distilled or dissolved into a solvent.

"The main difference between terpenes and terpenoids is that terpenes are hydrocarbons (meaning the only elements present are carbon and hydrogen); whereas, terpenoids have been denatured by oxidation (drying and curing the flowers) or chemically modified."

So, back the OPs question, maybe True Terpenes accidentally sent you a batch that had not been fully processed?

WFF
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Latest posts

Top