Ethanol extraction

Ethanol extraction dissolves cannabinoids and other compounds out of hemp using ethanol, the same alcohol found in beverages, as the solvent.

Plant material is soaked or washed in ethanol, often chilled to reduce the pickup of waxes and chlorophyll, and the liquid is then filtered and the ethanol evaporated off. The method is fast, scales well and is widely used for full-spectrum and broad-spectrum extracts. Cold ethanol is fairly selective, but warm ethanol pulls out more unwanted material that must be removed later.

Because a solvent is involved, the key quality question is how much remains in the finished extract, which is why residual solvent testing appears on a certificate of analysis. Ethanol has a relatively high permitted residual limit compared with more hazardous solvents, but a result should still be present and within limits. The extraction method is a processing choice; it does not on its own indicate a better or worse product, and the finished composition is what the certificate shows.