Green Dragon (drink)
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Green Dragon is an alcoholic beverage made by leaching the leaves of the cannabis plant in a high-proof alcohol, most commonly vodka. The THC dissolves into the alcohol resulting in a dark green or brown liquid. Sugar is often also dissolved in the alcohol to mask the extremely bitter taste of the dissolved cannabinoids.
[edit] Preparation
Green Dragon is a method for extracting the active ingredients found in cannabis buds. These chemicals, mainly tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, are not very soluble in water, but much more soluble in organic solvents such as alcohol. In addition, the chemicals responsible for the bitter and "grassy" taste of cannabis buds are insoluble in alcohol, but more soluble in water. (Chlorophyll is soluble in alcohol, which is why it is best to use already extracted trichome heads separated from the plant material. This will result in a yellow colored drink rather than green.) The best results are obtained by using an extremely concentrated alcohol, if available, a near-pure grain alcohol such as 190-proof Everclear should be used.
There are two methods for extracting the cannabinoids from the buds. The first involves heating the alcohol to improve its power as a solvent. The cannabis buds are stewed in about 250ml of spirit, preferably heated in a water bath to reduce the likelihood of ignition of the alcohol vapours. The temperature of the spirit should be maintained below the boiling point of ethanol (78.4º C)(173ºF) to prevent the buildup of fumes. The majority of the soluble cannabinoids will be extracted by this method after about 20 minutes of heating.
The second method, which is best described as "low-tech," involves leaving cannabis buds, leaves, and stems in the alcohol for several weeks or months. Over time the cannabinoids will leach from the plant matter in much the same way as in the heating method. It is common to simply open a new bottle of spirit, poke several cannabis buds into the bottle (it may be necessary to pour off or drink some of the spirit first) and reseal. The bottle must be kept tightly sealed to prevent the alcohol evaporating from the bottle. The bottle must be kept in a dark place because tetrahydrocannabinol decomposes under the influence of light.
There is some evidence to suggest that baking (as in "drying") the dry buds and leaves prior to adding them to the alcohol in either method increases the potency of the resulting preparation[1][2]. This is because the baking process converts insoluble tetrahydrocannabinol acids into soluble THC (see decarboxylation).
[edit] Uses
Although Green Dragon can be consumed by itself, it is more often served mixed with other drinks, such as soft drinks, flavored waters and vanilla extract. A popular[3][4] recipe involves mixing 3 parts lemon-lime soda, 1 part Green Dragon and a dash of honey or sugar.
Another preparation, known colloquially as Green Monster, is prepared from two parts Mountain Dew, two parts Green Squall Powerade, and one part Everclear Green Dragon. Assuming a proof of 190 on the spirits, the resulting beverage is still 40 proof, so caution should be exercised.
[edit] References
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