Getting Started with Concentrates

What is cannabis concentrate?

Concentrates are the purest distillation of the plant’s cannabinoid compounds — they can be a highly positive experience for beginners and seasoned consumers alike. In short, cannabis concentrates are potent. 

What are the different types of cannabis concentrate?

There are two major different types of concentrates that are created through their extraction process. Solvent and non-solvent extraction methods produce dozens of different types of cannabis concentrate. Solvent processes involve a chemical solvent such as alcohol, propane, butane or carbon dioxide (CO2) to strip the cannabinoids from the plant material. A non-solvent method typically uses temperature, water, and pressure to extract the cannabinoid profile. 

These two methods produce completely different end products that vary in consistency, potency, taste, and consumer use. As you explore different types of concentrates you can find the ones that work best with your preferred methods of consumption and dosing.  

Solvent Extraction Concentrates

CO2 and Ethanol Oil

• Oil is primarily used in vaporizer cartridges for efficient and discreet delivery. For the more experimental (and culinary-inclined), they can also be used in recipes for edibles (just be sure to decarb your oil first)! For the more advanced users, they can also be inhaled through dabbing. 

Shatter

• Shatter is one of the most potent concentrates available, and it gets its name from its translucent glass-like appearance. Shatters can be used in specialized vaporizers, dabbed, or even smoked as a mix with your flower. Because it is so high in THC, it is important that you only use a small piece to begin before you know your preferred dosing.

Wax/Budder/Batter

• Wax, budder, and batter are a thicker form of oil. Made by blasting plant material with a chemical solvent using a closed-loop extraction system. It is then heated at low temperatures and whipped by hand to remove all residual solvent. These concentrates are commonly dabbed due to its malleable but non-liquid form, but it can also be used in a specialized vaporizer or with flower.

Live Resin

• Live Resin is made using the same closed-loop extraction method explained above except that the plant material used is frozen beforehand.  The freezing of the flower helps keep the freshness of a recently harvested flower that is still uncured, then immediately processed into concentrate. Live resin is mostly known for its high flavor profile and can be consumed just like wax.   

Non-solvent Extraction Concentrates 

Bubble Hash

• Kief's fancy cousin, Hash is a pressed collection of Kief that can be harvested by stripping the plant flower of the trichomes and pressing that solution into your hash product. Just like Kief, this is a combination of concentrated cannabinoids and terpenes that can add great potency and flavor to any flower. It can also be smoked on its own, but for the best effects, we recommend mixing it in with your flower. This is NOT recommended for dabbing. 

Rosin 

• Rosin is the process in which we use high heat and high pressure to isolate the resinous oils from the plant's trichomes to create resin. Also popularly known as the "hair straightener" method as this is one of the most simple forms of extraction out there given how accessible it is to do it at home. This product is a consistency similar to wax and is often dabbed or infused with flowers.