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With cannabis consumption on the rise nationally, both recreationally and as medication. Decarboxylation is a word you may have been hearing more frequently these days, especially if you have any interest in the cannabis plant. So what is decarboxylation, you ask? Decarboxylation is a chemical reaction by which a carboxyl molecule is freed from an acid to form a new compound. For our interest this would refer to THC and CBD being present in fresh flowers of the cannabis plant as THCA and CBDA .

Today's commonly used solvent-based extraction techniques fall into two general categories; hydrocarbon and CO2. This article is intended to provide details about both extraction technologies as well as a comparison of the techniques and technologies used in the extractions to help people understand key differences. Extractions falling into the hydrocarbon category are most popularly conducted using either butane or propane as a solvent. Here I will describe butane extractions, however, the details of hydrocarbon extraction using propane are quite similar.

Hops are a diverse and useful botanical extract, and the oils from hops have been used by humans for centuries to serve a variety of medical purposes before they were introduced into beer in the 9th century.

In addition to being a source of pain relief for headaches and other issues, improving the appearance of hair and skin, and serving as an aid to reduce anxiety, buying hop oil s popular among craft beer enthusiasts and homebrewers alike.

Humans have been extracting essential oils from plants for centuries, but only with modern technology are we finally beginning to hone the distillation process into one which is fast, effective, and which produces the highest-quality essential oils.

Until recently, the most popular method of extraction was steam extraction, which involved using carefully temperature-controlled steam to capture the essential oils. Now, a new and more modern technique, CO2 extraction, has begun to replace it as a newer and more modern extraction method.

What Is CO2 Extraction?

Traditionally, essential oils have been extracted by using steam, hydro distillation, or techniques which involve chemical solvents such as ethanol, hexane, or heptane. However, in instances where preserving the natural aromatic quality of the plant is a top priority, many distilleries are turning to a more modern technique: CO2 extraction.

The Top 4 Benefits of Orange Oil

Orange oil is an essential oil derived from the rind of the orange fruit.

Compared to most essential oils, orange oil is extracted as one of the by-products of making orange juice, which results in a cold-pressed oil that is pre-distilled and ready for you to use.

In addition to being a terrific additive to any homebrew beer or recipe, orange oil also has a variety of positive uses.

Keep reading to learn more about this fascinating essential oil:

This is a great recipe to use hop oils with an extra bonus cocktail recipe at the end. The Ginger Beer recipe is a hopped up variation of a recipe I found in the book "Sacred and Herbal Healing Beers" by Stephen Buhner. An excellent book and well worth the read if you are even slightly interested in beer. 

It is a very basic and easy to brew recipe. The result is a crisp, dry, and slightly alcoholic beverage with a nice hint of ginger up front and light lingering flavor of cider and ginger. Very nice and I liked the amount of ginger. Though some prefer a more pronounced ginger presence and maybe some bite. The recipe is a good skeleton to hang whatever additional flavors you may like on.  

Originally the recipe does not call for steeping grains or hops extract, those were my additions. Having brewed the original version a few times, I wanted to try to add a more beer like taste and mouth feel.  Here is what I came up with. I happen to be sipping one right now and it is quite tasty.

• Steep 150g of 20L Crystal malt in 1.5 quarts of spring water at 150-155F for 30 minutes
• Strain
• To your strained liquid add 
• 1.5 ounces of fresh ginger root, crushed
• 12 ounces Light Brown Sugar
• 1 Tbsp. Cream of Tartar
• Add enough water to bring volume to 1 gallon
• Be certain all sugar is completely dissolved. Bring to a boil.
• Boil for 10 minutes
• Turn off the flame and add 1ml of Citra varietal hops extract and stir to incorporate
• Cool to 80F 
• Strain and pour into gallon fermentation vessel
• Add yeast and airlock

Ferment at temps between 75 and 80F for 7 to 10 days and bottle. 

For bottling, a simple syrup of 2/3 cup cane sugar was boiled in 1 cup spring water for 10 minutes. Bottle condition for 7 to 10 days. Refrigerate and enjoy at your leisure. 

The resulting beverage is lightly carbonated, golden in color and very tasty. A slight head forms and dissipates quickly. This isn't too gingery a ginger beer either, but there's just enough ginger to know it's there. There's an excellent balance provided by the hops that brings a good hoppy nose with a little grapefruit flavor after the sweet ginger. All that with a back drop of a slightly cidery, dry malt beer flavor making for a crisp and refreshing, easy drinker. This is an instant favorite. 

If you're looking to take it to the next level, then look no further than a Dark and Stormy. Pour your ginger beer over ice with a squeez of lime and shot of rum.