Tobacco Extraction Using Heated Ethanol

Continuing the discussion from N.E.T Creations and Reviews (Naturally Extracted Tobaccos or Teas):

Today I started my second attempt at creating N.E.T. flavors. I’m strictly in an experimental phase, but if the results are positive, I’ll be at it full bore. I purchased a very good slow cooker today, which is vital for this type of extraction.

This particular slow cooker comes with a probe for temperature accuracy.

This is what’s needed for the first part of the extraction:
PGA 190 Proof (95% alcohol)
Tobacco
Heat resistant glass container
lid or in my case rubber stoppers
Preheated slow cooker or a thermostatically controlled hot plate.

I first gathered and weighed my tobacco. I’m trying to run identical test on both tobacco brands. I used 11 grams each.

I then loaded the tobacco in my flasks and filled with PGA until slightly past submersion. They both were 100 mls.

Now I capped/plugged the flasks lightly to avoid any pressure buildup, (but not too lightly to avoid PGA evaporation). I put both flask in the preheated slow cooker @ 160 degrees for twelve hours maintaining a water level equivalent to the PGA level in the flask.

After the 12 hr. heated extraction there was little to no loss of liquid and my water level was even with the extraction level through the entire process.

My next step is to strain this mixture through coffee filters.

I also squeezed the leftover tobacco and filter to get the last of my mixture.

I bottled and labelled my extractions and placed them in the freezer for 2 days. The waxes and oils pulled from the tobacco will stratify at the bottom of the container.

This was filtered after the freeze portion of this process. If you only use coffee filters for your NET and skip this stage, this is what your are vaping. This may be the most important step of the entire process.

Filtered through 1 micron filter paper.

I will continue this step until nothing is retained in the filter.

After 2 frozen filter cycles though a 1 micron filter, nothing is left to filter. It’s now ready for the final stage…reduction and transfer to pg.

This stage is accomplished by mixing the extraction 2 to 1 with pg and heating to evaporate the pga.

I have approximately 60 mls of extracted tobacco flavor in pga. I pour 30 mls pg into a beaker.

Then I pour the remaining extraction into the pg and stir for the heated evaporation/reduction cycle. I’ll heat this mixture until it’s reduced to approximately 30 mls. This step has a two-fold purpose… concentrating the final product and eliminating the pga.

I completed the tranfer and reduction stage this morning. I have a final NET of 40 to 50 mils each product. I did one final filtering before bottling my final NET. I’m gonna let these steep for a week before testing to let the flavors bond with pg. They both smell awesome and much stronger than the vendor tobacco flavors. I will report my finding once I make a mix.

12 Likes

This was filtered after the freeze portion of this process. If you only use coffee filters for your NET and skip this stage, this is what you are vaping. This may be the most important step of the entire process.

Filtered through 1 micron filter paper.

I will continue this step until nothing is retained in the filter.

1 Like

Finished Heated Ethanol NET flavors… approximately 100mls.

4 Likes

Is this your project @Pro_vapes?

By chance do you have aimless to a cheap source of filter paper?
I’ have pounds of aged pipe tobacco I’ve saved & stored from when I smoked pipes regularly.

Very cool process & I’m glad it got posted , I’d love to hear the tasting notes.

1 Like

I got mine from work, but there are several types on Amazon. You can can also google it for more results. From my findings 2 microns or less is good for ultra fine filtering.
1 micron filter paper

2 Likes

After 18 days these NETs formed even more waxes which I strained again yesterday. They are looking pretty clean, but I’m gonna let them steep in pg for a full month before I mix them. I uncapped them and let them breathe in a warm water bath to further reduce the pga also. They should reduce to 30 mls. So I’ll have to let them breathe in a warm bath again until they are fully reduced. I’m experimenting with the one on the far right. It had a 72hr heated extraction.

I started 5 more earlier today from the leaves I purchased. I’m doing a 12hr heated extraction on these.

2 Likes

Why yes they are! Nice work!:wink:

It’s a very satisfying feeling to produce your own tobacco flavoring. The real tobacco nuances in your future mixes will astound you! I’m looking forward to my future NET batches. :blush:

3 Likes

Did you do another freeze, to coagulate or gell the waxes, or was that just after 18 days at room temp?

Pro, what an awesome process write up, and pictures. Very much appreciated. I can’t wait to hear about the final results.

3 Likes

I wanted to give it a couple weeks to bound with the pg. It just happen to form at room temp. It just make me wonder what some people are vaping after only a two filters with coffee filters. I’m learning as I go.

4 Likes

My hot/cold hybrid ethanol/VG maceration process, thus far, has gone something like this:

I say “thus far”, because the process is not quite over, but I had time to sit and jot down my process before I got busy again.

Combined 15g of tobacco (Peter Stokkebye London Export, purchased at the local tobacco shop) with 75ml of PGA (151 proof was available to me) and 75ml of VG (wanted a bit of a sweeter end product).

This mixture went into a crock pot at a constant water temperature of 125 degrees for 6 hours. Then the mixture was steeped in a cool dark closet for 2 weeks.

Now some pictures of the process. (I did the same process with my Cold PGA NET maceration, but I forgot to take pics!)

Here are a few things I used for the process:

Jars w/lids, funnel, coffee filters, scissors, graduated cylinders, paper plates, cloth or paper towels and a potato ricer (my favorite tool for the extraction process; you can do the straining without it, but it’s a slow process). Here’s a string of pics; I’m sure you can figure out the steps without too much exposition…as we say in the theatre “Nothing can kill a show like too much expostion!”.

This mixture now has gone back into the freezer for the winterization process of the inpurities falling to the bottom of the jar. Six days from now, the NET will be strained again through a few coffee filters. Then the evaporative process will be allowed to take place for a couple of days to rid the NET of as much PGA as possible.

All for now folks! :wink: See ya in a week or so with updates!

6 Likes

I’m impressed with the Hybrid Method @Jimk is using. I’m adapting part of his process. I’ve done a 12hr heated extraction.Now I’m going to let these soak for two weeks before I do my 1st filter.

4 Likes

It’s kind of a pain, but if you can use as little coffee filter as possible, it’s a good thing. I found that much of the product can disappear with the filter in the garbage can, depending on how many times you go through the filtering process. Guess this is why some avid NET-ers use the Büchner funnel system. I’m sure better filters, specifically designed for processes such as this, means less product goes in the garbage can.

2 Likes

I took a look at similar filtration system when I was researching NETs. I noticed some of those are very expensive.

I only use coffee filter on my first filter cycle to remove the heavy solids. All subsequent filtrations I use 1 micron filters. I was concerned that 1 micron filters may be too fine for filtering pg without suction. Luckily gravity works as suction for these filters. That system may be needed for a vg based NET since vg is much more viscous than pg.

This set up works well for me. It filter at a slow rate but I recover most of my net with minimal waste.

3 Likes

A coffee filter that may be useful for you guys are made by Chemex, a method and filter originally designed by a chemist…it’s a great way to make coffee too. The bleached filters seem to be a little finer than unbleached based on my observations with both.

I roast coffee and can’t stand stale coffee smell or flavor, so I think I’m going to try this on both coffee and tobaccoo. Thanks to all for the writeup!

2 Likes

sorry for the question, as is the time it takes evaporarce the pga diluted pg delay much since I do not know if I’m doing the process correctly. because I stay is quite bitter in comparison before the reduction in hot alcohol.

I don’t know what would turn it bitter. It’s basically transferring from pga to pg. It’s also should be more concentrated. You should test various percentages to see if that helps.

It’s been 30 days since I started the PG bonding/transfer/reduction phase of this process. The NETs are all smelling really good in the bottles. No noticeable PGA smell. I did my 1st mixes at 12% and 20% NET flavor. I’ll test them in 2 weeks. I hoping after a 30 day steep I’ll have a good vapeable NET.
Wish me look!

5 Likes

NET is definitely for folks with patience, huh? But, it’s worth it in my opinion!:+1:

2 Likes

If it come out good it will definitely be worth it. Things look promising so far.

1 Like

They all look crystal clear! Nice filtering! :wink:

2 Likes