Kratom extracts are popular due to their higher potency and concentration. They come in many forms, from powder to tincture to resin, each with unique composition and effectiveness. Find out what separates these extracts and how to make kratom extract yourself at home.
What are Kratom Extracts?
Kratom’s active ingredients include alkaloids, mitragynine, and 7-hydroxy mitragynine. Extracting the kratom alkaloids gives you extract; a concentrated form of the herb, higher in potency, thus giving you more usage out of the product.
Kratom alkaloids can be extracted either from kratom leaf or raw kratom powder. Expect to pay higher prices for the extract as it’s a labor-intensive process, and most vendors will tag this onto the total cost.
Kratom Extract Types
1. Extract Powder
Kratom extract powders are a more substantial variety of regular kratom powder. Many consumers like powders since it allows them to customize their kratom experience by reconstituting it as capsules, tinctures, or tea.
2. Extract Tincture
Tinctures are a liquid form of extract, often created by combining the powdered form of the plant with alcohol. A smaller dose of a tincture can have the same, or more significant impact than a larger dose of a powder or pill, due to the tincture’s higher concentration.
Adding preservatives like Citric acid can help with shelf life. The combination is placed in a jar, shaken, and then kept in a cold, dark environment for a few weeks to allow the alcohol to soak in the kratom.
3. Extract Resin
Kratom resin is a thick, paste-like extract that is extremely sticky. This product is highly concentrated, just like the tincture. It has the appearance of tar or hardened honey.
Kratom resin is frequently easier to consume than other popular delivery methods. Kratom resin comes in hard chunks that dissolve quickly in hot liquids like coffee, milk, or herbal teas.
However, since there aren’t many shops selling resin, most users produce their own.
3 Methods to Make Kratom Extract at Home
There are several methods to make kratom extract at home. First things first: If you want a quality kratom extract, you need high-quality kratom powder; therefore, be sure to source yours from a trusted supplier.
How to Make a Kratom Tincture
Making a tincture concoction takes less than an hour for most people. However, it takes time for the tincture to draw out all the alkaloids. Before you have the finished product, the concoction will need to sit for around a week.
Ingredients:
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- Kratom powder
- Scale to measure
- 80–100 proof ethanol or ethanol (or 40-50% alcohol)
- Mason jar or sealable glass container
- Citric acid as a preservative (optional)
- pH strips
- Cheesecloth or mesh strainer
- Dark dropper bottles
- A funnel
Directions
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- Measure your kratom and alcohol using the scale. The optimal ratio of kratom to alcohol is 1:4.
- Fill the mason jar with kratom, then alcohol, and stir. Ensure all the kratom powder is dissolved by stirring gently and scraping any extra off the jar’s sides.
- If you want to use citric acid, give your solution enough time to attain a pH of four or below. Test the mixture’s acidity using your pH strip. Citric acid aids in converting alkaloids into salt forms, which facilitates the extraction.
Allow the tincture to be steep. Seal the jar well, then give it a good shake. Store it in a dark area for a week or two, giving it a shake every so often. This step lets the tincture thoroughly extract the alkaloids. - After a week, strain the mixture through a cheesecloth or mesh strainer into another container.
- Rinse the original jar and then pour the extract back into it.
- To boost tincture potency, allow the liquid to evaporate. Cover the pot with cheesecloth and leave it somewhere warm. The longer you evaporate the liquid, the stronger it becomes. Warm the jar to speed evaporation, but avoid direct heat over 220°F to preserve the alkaloids.
Water-Based Extract
Some users may prefer not to consume alcohol, making a water-based extract more appealing. However, because there are no preservatives, these tinctures won’t last as long as alcohol-based ones.
Ingredients:
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- Kratom leaves
- Lime juice
Directions:
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- Simmer kratom leaves for around 30 minutes with a squeeze of lime juice.
- Strain the finished product.
How to Make Kratom Resin
Kratom resin is a semi-solid version of the herb that enables users to absorb relatively high doses of kratom without needing to consume large amounts of powder. Additionally, it takes less time to make than a tincture.
Ingredients:
-
- Kratom powder
- Water
- Lemon or lime juice
- Jar
- Saucepan
- Freezer-proof container
- Parchment paper
Directions:
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- Pour kratom powder into the jar, and add just enough water to submerge it. The final product should be a thick, sludgy paste.
- Add some lemon or lime juice and stir. Let it rest for the night.
- Place in the freezer.
- Once frozen, boil a liter of water in a saucepan and then add your frozen mixture.
- Add a few more squeezes of lemon or lime juice, then allow it to simmer for at least an hour or until a quarter of the water has evaporated.
- Let the mixture cool, then strain the liquid into a different saucepan. Continue simmering to allow more water to evaporate.
- Take the rest of the powder and repeat step 5. Simmer and filter it again.
- Simmer the water on low heat, evaporating it until the mixture thickens.
- Transfer to a baking pan, preferably with a large surface area.
- Set the oven to 150–212°F (never above 220°F) and place the pan inside. Leave the oven door slightly open, and check every 30 minutes.
- Once the resin has reached the correct consistency, scrape it onto parchment paper.
- Enjoy. Kratom resin can be added to coffee or dissolved in hot water to produce tea. The flavor is strong; adding some sugar can help tone it down. Some users like taking it straight for maximum impact.
Best Practices for Making Kratom Extract Like a Pro
Here are some things to remember when you make your kratom extracts:
1. Make Sure Your Kratom is Fresh
It is important to remember that kratom ages over time. Old herbs don’t expire the same way as other foods but can lose their potency or flavor. So if yours has been sitting around for several months or more, it may not produce the same results as fresh leaves would give.
2. Get Your Kratom Powder From a Trusted Source
Sadly, not all Kratom suppliers are prepared to make the investment necessary to guarantee that their goods are free of contaminants.
Without sufficient testing and sanitation requirements, kratom extracts can be contaminated with harmful contaminants like mildew, bacteria, and toxic metals, posing several risks.
3. Know Your Concentration
Not every Kratom extract has the same components. There are full-spectrum kratom extracts containing mitragynine and other alkaloids. There are also kratom extracts that only contain mitragynine, called isolates.
Mitragynine is often enough for most users, but many reports have the most satisfying effects with a full-spectrum kratom extract. These extracts contain a concentration that matches the mitragynine percentage. In most cases, first-time users should avoid Kratom extracts until they have experienced the effects of the standard powdered form.
DISCLAIMER: This content has not been reviewed by a medical professional. The content on this page is for entertainment purposes only. The FDA has stated warnings about kratom. Please visit the fda.gov site for more information.
