What is QWISO extract and how do you make it?

Smoking bud is all well and good, but cannabis concentrates up the ante with increased potency and flavour. You might think concentrates are reserved for those with access to weed dispensaries, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Using just a few pieces of equipment and taking very little time to perform, the QWISO extraction process is a superb way to create your own high-quality hash oil, which can then be vaped, dabbed, or otherwise consumed to your heart's content.

We'll break down everything you need to know to craft, consume, and store QWISO, so you can get the very most out of your home extraction process.

What Is QWISO Hash?

QWISO stands for quick-wash isopropyl—a method of solvent extraction used to remove the cannabinoid-rich trichomes from cannabis flowers in order to render a potent concentrate. Why “quick-wash”? Unlike some extraction methods, the solvent and the cannabis are only in contact for around 30 seconds, which should be enough to return a good-quality extract. Moreover, despite the speed of the extraction, the overall yield can be pretty respectable.

Making QWISO extract is very simple, and can easily be done at home. It’s perfect for those who want to enjoy everything cannabinoids have to offer, without the need to smoke or eat them. Given its waxy nature, the final product from QWISO is most often vaped or dabbed.

How To Make QWISO

As promised, the QWISO extraction process is pretty straightforward. Although, that’s not to say you don’t need to pay attention or have a little patience.

Equipment to make QWISO hash

• 10–20 grams of weed
• Grinder
• Coffee filters (unbleached)
• Elastic bands
• 99% isopropyl alcohol: 100–200ml per 10g of bud
• Sieve
• 1l Pyrex dish
• 0.5l jar
• 1l jar
• Small razor blade/scraper
• Simple standing fan
• Sealable container (for storing your QWISO extract)

Instructions

There are three distinct stages to the QWISO method, although there are multiple steps in each. As always, following this guide with precision will result in the highest-quality extraction. Laziness here can mean disappointing results.

Part 1: before extraction

1. Clean and dry all of your equipment, especially the jars and Pyrex dishes. In order for the isopropyl alcohol to evaporate effectively at room temperature later on, it’s important that everything is totally dry. If not, you might run into issues.
2. Grind your bud to enhance its surface area, making it more efficient the extraction process. Place your ground herb in the smaller jar.
3. Place both the ground herb and isopropyl alcohol in the freezer, separately. Leave them for a good few hours (or overnight) so they get properly cold. This will allow the trichomes to detach much more easily from the plant.
4. While you wait, prepare the larger jar for a later step. Place a coffee filter over the mouth, and fold the edges over the outer rim. Ensure it makes a concave dip into the jar. Secure this with elastic bands. If you’re using more than 10g of bud, place a sieve on top.

Part 2: extraction

1. Choose a well-ventilated environment. Isopropyl alcohol is flammable and slightly toxic, so a supply of fresh air is very good.
2. Take the jar of bud and the alcohol from the freezer. Fill the small jar with the alcohol until all the bud is covered, then secure the lid onto the jar.
3. Vigorously shake it for 30 seconds. Less, and you’ll have a smaller final yield. More, and you risk extracting more chlorophyll, which is harsh and will taint the final product.
4. Pour the mixture through the sieve and coffee filter into the larger jar. Now, leave it to sit until all the liquid has passed through. This could take up to an hour.
5. Discard the bud, or repeat the process to try to get more trichomes. If you do this, separate each wash, as each subsequent one will be of increasingly poor quality, and mixing them will spoil the earlier ones. With later washes, be more gentle each time. No vigorous shaking!

Part 3: evaporation

1. Pour your green-brown liquid into your Pyrex dish.
2. Pour a little extra alcohol into the smaller jar, swirl it, and add this to the Pyrex too. This way you’ll get every last trichome.
3. Leave the dish somewhere where the alcohol can safely evaporate. As the fumes can be slightly toxic, it's best to choose a location that you don't need to visit often, and one that has access to fresh air. A fan on a low setting can help to speed up the process.
4. Evaporation is complete only when there is no trace of liquid on the dish. Don’t be hasty; it could take anywhere between 12 and 24 hours. You’ll thank yourself later for being patient.
5. Using the razor or scraper, remove all of your sticky concentrate from the Pyrex dish and put it into the storage container.

All going well, you should now be finished after a little tidy-up. If you conducted the extraction well, the product should be a wonderful, inviting golden colour; psychoactive nectar!

Storing QWISO extract

To store your QWISO, just wrap it in baking parchment and put it in an airtight container. Then, store it in a cool, dry place where it won’t be exposed to sunlight. It will be waiting for you when you fancy a hit!

How Much QWISO Can You Make From An Ounce (28g) Of Flower?

It’s impossible to give an exact figure. However, you can expect to see a reduction of about 90% in terms of weight. So a decent extraction of 10g of flower should result in around 1g of extract. That being said, results will often be lower than this, especially for those with little experience. So from an ounce (28g), you should get around 2.8g of concentrate.

Performing multiple washes will get you more of the final product, so if you want all the cannabinoids you can get (and who doesn’t?), this is a great way to increase your yield.

Making And Using QWISO: FAQ

So you’ve got your QWISO. But how do you actually use it? Concentrates aren’t like raw flower, and lend themselves more to vaping than smoking. Below we’ll explain several ways you can use QWISO, and answer a few other essential questions too.

Why is my QWISO black?

Simply put, you’ve got plant matter in your extract.

This can happen for a number of reasons. First, if you shake too much, or do subsequent washes, you will pull more chlorophyll and plant material out of the flower, resulting in a darker extract. To avoid this, shake for no more than 30 seconds—maybe even less. And certainly don’t mix washes!

Second, if you push the solution through the coffee filter to speed it up, you’ll likely push plant matter through too. So for the best results, sit back and let gravity do its thing. Likewise, don’t squeeze it too much at the end, as this will also push impurities through.

Can you smoke QWISO?

Yes, some people “twax” with their QWISO. Twaxing involves heating a concentrate up slightly so it becomes soft and sticky, then painting it on the outside of a rolled joint. Then, when you smoke, you get to enjoy your dried herb with an extra bit of potency.

Though this can be cool, it can also be a waste of good-quality concentrate. Purity and strong flavours are one of the best things about extracts, and burning them with a joint makes this redundant. So if you’re going to twax, perhaps do it with your later, less-pure washes.

Can you vape QWISO?

Absolutely—vaping is one of the best ways to enjoy QWISO. However, you’ll need a vape that can handle concentrates. There are many specifically designed for this, as well as hybrid devices that work with both flower and extracts.

As vaping heats extracts to a high-enough temperature for the cannabinoids and terpenes to vaporize but not combust, you get the very most out of your material. Both in terms of potency and flavour, this is a fantastic way to enjoy your QWISO. If you’ve managed to make it pure and golden, then you’re really in for a treat with this method!

Can you dab QWISO?

Dabbing is a form of vaping, and so you can certainly dab QWISO. Alongside using a vaporizer, it’s probably the best way to enjoy your homemade isopropyl hash oil.

Dab rigs can be cheap and simple, but still offer a great experience if the concentrate being used is of a high quality. And as you’ll have followed the above guide with precision, yours undoubtedly will be!

Can you eat QWISO?

You can add QWISO to butter to create your own high-potency cannabutter. While some may choose to use their first wash for the purest, tastiest results, others use subsequent washes in order to save the first for vaping or dabbing.

Can you press QWISO?

There’s no need to press QWISO, as the final product you’re left with should already have a viscous, sticky consistency—ready to dab or vape.

QWISO: Easy Home-Made Concentrates

And there you have it! QWISO is an effective and easy to make concentrate at home, allowing you to make the most of your stash—especially when you have to much. For those wanting to experiment with concentrates, its an excellent starting point.