About Bassani Extracts

Bassani Extracts is a personal, evolving practice focused on understanding herbal extraction through hands-on experimentation, phytochemistry, and transparency. What follows is the story of how this work began—and how it continues to evolve.

How I Work

My work with herbal extraction has developed gradually, through study, experimentation, and repeated practice rather than formal institutional training. I approach extraction as both a craft and a technical discipline, combining traditional herbal knowledge with careful measurement, observation, and modern tools where appropriate.

I am particularly interested in understanding how variables such as solvent choice, ratios, temperature, particle size, and processing methods affect the final extract. Much of what is shared here comes from running multiple versions of the same extraction and comparing outcomes.

The Journey

My path into herbal extracts began in a somewhat unconventional way.

While living in Colorado, I learned of a local Longmont company that manufactured alcohol-recovery equipment. I pre-ordered ExtractCraft’s EtOH Pro, a device being marketed primarily to the emerging community of cannabis extraction enthusiasts. Although I was not a cannabis user, I quickly realized that the apparatus could be adapted for extracting other medicinal herbs.

At the time, my understanding of traditional herbal tincturing was limited, though I actively sought out information wherever I could find it. Because the equipment I purchased only worked efficiently with very high-proof alcohol, I initially relied exclusively on 95% ethanol for all of my extractions. I soon discovered—through some less-than-ideal results—that this was not an appropriate universal approach.

I turned to the traditional herbal literature. I read widely, and while these books were informative, they often called for a range of hydro-ethanolic solvent ratios. Unfortunately, my equipment could not reclaim ethanol from these lower-proof mixtures. Over time, I began avoiding herbs that were primarily water-extracted, which eliminated far too many valuable botanicals from consideration.

A major turning point came when I discovered Herbal Constituents, 2nd Edition: Foundations of Phytochemistry by Lisa Ganora. This book put me on the right path. I began to understand herbal constituents and how their chemical nature determines the most effective extraction methods. I also took several of Lisa Ganora’s online courses, which proved invaluable. (More about her work can be found at https://www.herbalconstituents.com/.)

As my understanding deepened, so did my toolkit. Over time, I acquired equipment that allowed me to explore extraction methods well beyond traditional herbal techniques, including a Hielscher UP200St sonicator and a 2-liter rotary evaporator. To date, I’ve extracted—or attempted to extract—over sixty different botanicals, ranging from Astragalus to Yarrow.

While ExtractCraft was still in business, I shared many of my experiences within their Facebook groups. I quickly realized that others were navigating similar challenges. To document my experiments and share what I was learning, I created my own Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bassaniextracts. This website is a natural extension of that effort.

Over the past several years, I have also explored the use of artificial intelligence as a learning and refinement tool. In the last year especially, AI has become far more capable. Integrating it with my accumulated hands-on experience has meaningfully sharpened my extraction processes and decision-making.

This website represents the next chapter of that journey. I am more focused, more intentional, and more grounded in both theory and practice—and I’m enjoying the work more than ever.

Why This Site Exists

Many herbal resources describe what to do but not why, and often omit the practical details that determine success or failure. This site exists to document what actually happens during extraction — including missteps, limitations, and adjustments — so others can learn from real-world experience rather than idealized instructions.

Scope and Philosophy

The focus of this site is extraction methodology rather than clinical claims. While herbs are traditionally used for a wide range of purposes, the emphasis here is on how extracts are made, how methods differ, and how those methods can be improved through careful practice.

Modern tools such as ultrasonic processors, controlled-temperature reduction, and solvent recovery are discussed not as replacements for tradition, but as extensions of it — ways to improve consistency, efficiency, and understanding while remaining grounded in herbal principles.

A Note on Responsibility

The information shared on this site is educational and reflects personal experience and study. It is not medical advice. Anyone choosing to work with herbs is responsible for understanding safety considerations, contraindications, and applicable regulations.

Looking Ahead

Over time, the material on this site will expand to include additional extraction logs, method-focused articles, and and, in time, short books that explore specific techniques and herbs in greater depth. The goal is to build a clear, practical body of work that others can learn from and build upon.