The history of cannabis concentrates dates back at least a thousand years to tales of ancient Arabian nights but, as with most things these days, our understanding of cannabis extraction and the resulting abundance of options seems to be growing rapidly in recent years.
Holy smokes! There are so many forms of cannabis concentrates, cannabis extracts, and hash these days, it can be incredibly confusing for a new consumer or someone curious about concentrates to even know where to begin.
The names given to the many subcategories that might fall under the header of Concentrates can denote anything from the method used to process the product (think Live Rosin, Distillate, etc.), to how the product is intended to react to heat (ie. Bubble Hash or Full Melt), to the type of solvent used in the extraction (BHO, for example), so those titles might as well be written in Martian for many customers.
Dabbing cannabis concentrates used to be generally considered a “next-level” form of consumption, a rite of passage of sorts once someone had provn themselves on the pipe, bong, or joint. These days, though, anyone 21 and older in a state with a regulated recreational cannabis market has access to some of the best hash humans have ever seen.
So let’s take a closer look at some of the most popular subcategories.
Solventless Cannabis Concentrates
As the titel implies, solventless cannabis concentrates do not use common solvents like butane or alcohol to separate the trichomes from the plant matter to create clean extracts. Instead, a term called mechanical separation is utilized.
Common forms of mechanical separation include sifting, like the Kief that falls through the screen in your grinder, or agitation with ice and water to create… wait for it… Ice Water Hash.
The highest grades of ice water hash will completely melt when heat is applied to them and that high grade is commonly referred to as… wait for it… Full Melt Hash.
In recent years, though, cannabis extract artists have unlocked the technique of pressing full melt, ice water hash, or even frosty buds between temperature controlled metal plates to squeeze out one of the hottest products on the martkt today – Rosin.
To add to the mix, Rosin can come in two different forms – Live Rosin or Cured Rosin.
Live Rosin refers to Rosin that was made with Ice Water Hash or Full Melt Hash that was extracted from cannabis flowers that were flash frozen at the time of harvest up until the time of extraction. It is generally more expensive than Cured Rosin or other forms of solventless hash.
Cured Rosin refers to Rosin that was made with Ice Water Hash or Full Melt Hash that was extracted from cannabis flowers that were traditionally harvested and dried and cured up until the time of extraction.
Which is better? Drop that question at a hash sesh and watch the war unfold. It truly is a matter of personal preference, all things considered. The real populairty of both forms of Rosin is that, unlike most hash or kief, you can dab Rosin on a banger and experience amazing flavors and effects.
Of course, for those not interested in dabbing, all of the above can be used as a potent topper on a bowl of weed or a boost in a blunt or joint as well.
Hydrocarbon Cannabis Concentrates
The rapid rise of California’s medical marijuana market in the early 2000’s was fueled in large part by the spread of solvent-based extraction tech to the point where pretty much every Prop215-era dispensary had some form of BHO – or Butane Hash Oil – on the shelf.
What began with stoners repurposing household items like turkey basters and coffee filters soon evolved into a multimillion dollar sector of the cannabis industry with upstart companies conceptualizing and fabricating large volume, safety inspected, purpose-built extraction systems capable of flooding markets with clean, potent hydrocarbon cannabis concentrates.
These golden, terpene-packed products stood head and shoulders over more crudely extracted alternatives that used solvents like isopropyl alcohol to achieve their chemical separation.
BHO was never a very sexy term and so the new preferred nomenclature is Resin, and much like you read already, you can find both Live Resin and Cured Resin on today’s dispensary menus.
Another way to shake up a dab party is to ask which is better – Resin or Rosin.
Again, iit is a matter of taste as long as you are getting either product from a reputable source. For every Rosin-lover warning you about residual solvents, you’ll get a Resin fan raising red flags about lipids or mold. Again, though, if you are buying lab tested products from reputable brands none of those warnings apply.
Of course, not all hydrocarbon cannabis concntrates and extracts come out at the quality that the market demands these days, and that is where Distillate has found its niche.
Without introducing additional solvents, the distillation process can take dark, undesirable hash oil and strip it of all of its impurities. What remains is usually a golden clear goo devoid of any aroma or flavor whatsoever. Potency-wise, all that’s left is the targeted cannabinoid. So, when you see a product advertising CBD or THC in the 90-99% range, you are almost certainly looking at a Distillate-based product.
The lack of flavor or aroma, and the monoterpene profile makes Distillate pretty much the opposite of a Full Spectrum cannabis concentrate, and you’ll be hard pressed to find fools dabbing disty.
While it was once the staple ingredient in cannabis vaporizer cartridges, today’s tech allows brands to fill that vape cart with Live or Cured Rosin or Resin at affordable prices rendering Distillate carts or dabs almost pointless in a regulated recreational cannabis market.
At most regulated cannabis dispensaries, the options above are what you will find on the menu.
Find a brand you can trust and support them and their products. This is how we build a better marketplace from the grassroots on up.
Keep updated on all the latest news and updates in the Cannabis industry here at Beard Bros Pharms by signing up for our Friday Sesh Newsletter here. Always Dank and Never Spam!
