This is probably not news for some, but I feel I should share this.

I’ve been testing ideas from multiple TEK’s and I have to say that a lye free extraction was quite impressive; So much so, that I will never go back to using a caustic solution again.

What was so impressive to me was:

- No dangerous caustic solution making it much easier, safer, and faster to work with

- No caustic solution to dispose of, much better for the environment.

- extremely clean on the first pull

The first pull was very white and fluffy. It looked so good; I tested it without washing it. Results were it was not harsh at all, it was just what I like and better than any extraction I’ve done using a caustic solution with multiple washes.

Later I will wash a test batch for a comparison but as it stands, it is the best results I have ever had in all my experiments with less work and far less risk from prepping to ingestion.

I used pickling lime and vinegar.

As I've mentioned repeatedly over the years, it's possible to make an effective lye if you really need to by mixing sodium carbonate with your lime. This works well enough for an A/B with MHRB.

Caustic waste is easily disposed of by mixing it with more vinegar.

Still, it's great to hear that lime alone has worked out so well for you.

I believe the concerns of using lye are more towards food safety, then environmenal safety.

Once diluted, sodium hydroxide will form various more or less harmless sodium salts. Of course, one can neutralize it with muriatic acid to sodium chloride, i.e. table salt. Although salt being pollutant by itself, a dozen grams or so are not an issue.

But I am so glad to see people doing the food safe green teks Keep up the good job!

By using food grade lime with food grade sodium carbonate (from heating the bicarbonate), the resulting sodium hydroxide solution can be reasonably assumed to be food grade as well. Or with a little effort, one can purchase food grade lye (E524).

Thank you for your input Blue! I should have thought a bit more prior to writing and posting my statement on environmental safely as lye can be neutralized as you and downwardsfromzero state.

Anyway, thanks again both of you for your input.

Thank you for your input downwards

Also I'm not sure if this had a bearing on my results, but after I added my lime, I let it sit for about 5 days prior to the first pull.

Again, thanks!