An improved method for making cannabigerol (CBG) utilizing the following steps. CBG-containing material is contacted with an aqueous alkaline solution containing a hydroxide base and essentially no organic solvents, thereby extracting cannabinoids including carboxylic acids and salts and producing an alkaline extract. Non-soluble CBG-containing material is removed from the alkaline extract to produce a clarified alkaline extract. The extracted cannabinoids are decarboxylated and the resulting cannabigerol is crystallized/precipitated from the clarified alkaline extract at a pH greater than 7.