What does winterization remove and how does it work?

Winterization removes fats, waxes, and lipids from crude extract. The crude is dissolved in ethanol at roughly a 10:1 ratio, frozen at -40°C for 24–48 hours, filtered, and the ethanol recovered by rotary evaporation — with colder temperatures and multiple passes yielding a cleaner product.

What vacuum level does short-path distillation need?

A vacuum of 50–200 microns, pulled by a two-stage rotary vane pump and verified with a digital manometer. Deep, stable vacuum is what allows cannabinoids to distill at manageable temperatures.

Why does distillation take multiple passes?

The first pass removes terpenes and other volatiles; the second collects the cannabinoid fraction. A slow, steady feed rate on each pass gives the best separation.

What are the main crystallization methods?

Closed-loop crystallization offers controlled temperature and pressure, jar tech is simple but less consistent, and crash crystallization forces fast nucleation through rapid cooling. The right method depends on how much consistency your product line requires.

What quality control testing should follow post-processing?

Every post-processing step should be followed by potency testing (HPLC), residual solvent analysis, heavy metal screening, and microbial testing. QC after each step catches problems before they compound downstream.

Post-Processing & Distillation: Maximizing Extract Quality

From winterization to thin-film distillation — learn the post-processing steps that turn crude extract into high-purity distillate and finished products.