How to Make Oil or Extract from Northern Lights?
Alright, so you’ve got your hands on some Northern Lights — sticky, piney, that deep earthy sweetness that hits the back of your throat like a memory you didn’t know you had. You want to make oil or extract from it? Cool. Let’s not overcomplicate this.
First thing: quality in, quality out. If your buds are dry and sad, your oil’s gonna taste like burnt hay and regret. Use fresh, well-cured flower. Not wet. Not dusty. Somewhere in that sweet spot where it breaks apart with a little resistance and smells like a forest floor after rain.
Now, methods. There are a bunch. Some are sketchy—like, “don’t blow up your kitchen” sketchy. Others are slow but safe. I’ll walk you through a couple. You pick your poison.
1. The Old-School Ethanol Tincture (aka Green Dragon)
Grab some high-proof alcohol. Everclear if you can get it. Vodka if you’re desperate. Don’t use rubbing alcohol unless you hate your liver.
Grind your Northern Lights—not powder, just broken up. Decarb it. That means bake it at around 240°F (115°C) for 30-40 minutes. Your house will smell like a reggae concert. That’s normal.
Throw the decarbed bud into a mason jar. Pour in the alcohol until it’s just covered. Shake it like you’re mad at it. Let it sit. Some folks do a quick wash—3 minutes max. Others leave it for days. Depends how green and bitter you want it. Strain it through cheesecloth or a coffee filter. Boom. Tincture. You can reduce it down over low heat if you want it thicker—just don’t torch it. Alcohol fumes + open flame = Darwin Award.
2. Coconut Oil Infusion (for the edible heads)
This one’s cozy. Melt coconut oil in a slow cooker or double boiler. Add your decarbed Northern Lights. Keep it low—like 160-200°F (70-93°C). Stir now and then. Let it simmer for a few hours. Strain. Done. You’ve got a mellow, body-heavy oil that’ll knock you sideways if you’re not careful. Use it in brownies, coffee, whatever. Just don’t forget it’s psychoactive and eat a whole spoonful before work. Learned that the hard way.
3. Rosin Press (if you’re fancy or just impatient)
No solvents. Just heat and pressure. You’ll need a press—or a hair straightener if you’re broke and brave. Wrap your bud in parchment paper, squeeze it between the plates, apply heat (around 200°F), and press down hard. Goo will ooze out. That’s your rosin. Scrape it up with a dab tool. It’s potent. Tastes like the soul of the plant. Northern Lights rosin hits like a warm blanket and a punch in the face at the same time.
Tips? Maybe. Warnings? Definitely.
Don’t skip decarbing unless you want a non-psychoactive oil. Don’t use butane unless you know what the hell you’re doing. Seriously. People have blown up their garages trying to make BHO. It’s not worth it unless you’ve got a lab setup and a death wish.
Also—label your stuff. I once made a batch of infused olive oil and forgot. Poured it on a salad. Ate it with my mom. She watched cartoons for four hours and cried during a dog food commercial. Don’t be me.
Anyway, Northern Lights is a dream strain for extracts. It’s resinous, forgiving, and the high is like sinking into warm sand at dusk. Whether you’re making tincture, oil, or rosin, just respect the plant. It’s been around longer than you. And it knows things.
Good luck. Don’t burn your eyebrows off.