Concentrates are cannabis products known for their hard-hitting potency and intense flavors. Today, they are some of the most popular cannabis products on the market, but concentrates have actually existed in one form or another for hundreds of years. Why do people love these cannabis concoctions so much?
What Are Cannabis Concentrates?
Concentrates, also called extracts, are cannabis products that contain much higher levels of cannabinoids and terpenes than simple flower or hash. Because of this, concentrates tend to hit hard and fast, boasting mouthwatering flavor with every toke.
They are made using extraction processes that work to maintain as much potency and flavor as possible while leaving behind unnecessary plant matter and other impurities. Some processes use solvents to strip source material, these products are more appropriately called extracts. Others use physical means to collect trichomes and resin, these are more appropriately called concentrates. So next time you step into your favorite Venice Beach cannabis dispensary, remember that while all extracts are concentrates, not all concentrates are extracts!
The World of Concentrates
There are many different kinds of concentrates that can be pulled from the cannabis plant. Not all concentrates are the same and they each have their own advantages. Here are some of the most common cannabis concentrates that you’re likely to come across.
Hash: The oldest cannabis concentrate with use dating back to before 900 BC. Often squeezed into tiny brown or amber bricks but can also be made as powdery dry sift hash. Can range in potency anywhere from 20% to 60% but is considered to be one of the weakest concentrates. Most commonly smoked, not vaped.
Kief: Kief is a powdery solventless concentrate that is made by collecting the tiny crystals that cover cannabis buds. Great for adding to joints and bowls but is one of the weaker concentrates, typically maxing at no more than 50-60% THC.
Live Resin: A concentrate that is made using flower or hash that were frozen immediately after harvest. This process usually results in live resin having more terpenes and being more flavorful than most other concentrates. Live resin THC levels tend to range between 50% and 80%.
Rosin: A solventless cannabis concentrate made using only heat and pressure. Prized for its purity and impressive terpene content. Safer to make and safer to consume than solvent-based extracts yet just as potent, rosin is definitely one of the most popular concentrates at any Venice Beach cannabis dispensary!
Distillate: Distillate is made using a complex extraction process that isolates individual chemical compounds like cannabinoids. The result is distillate oil that can sometimes reach up to 99% potency and purity. Distillate is considered to be one of the purest cannabis extracts, but can sometimes produce a short-lived buzz due to a lack of terpenes or other plant compounds.
Shatter: A dry thin sheet of concentrated oil that gets its name from its fragile form that shatters into many pieces when handled. Shatter is extracted using BHO or ethanol extraction and can range in color from dark brown to translucent. High-quality shatter can usually reach over 80% THC levels.
CO2 Oil: Sometimes called honey oil, this concentrate is extracted using a liquid carbon dioxide extraction process that is considered by many to be safer and cleaner than most other solvent-based extractions.
Wax Crumble: A solid waxy concentrate sometimes also known as ‘honeycomb wax’. Thanks to its dry and thick consistency, crumble is much easier to handle than most other concentrates, making it more appropriate for adding to joints, blunts, and bowls.
Topicals: Topical cannabis products are not intended for smoking or vaping. Instead, they are applied directly to the skin in order to provide localized relief for muscles, joints, and skin. Comes in the form of infused salves, balms, and lotions.
Rather than using strains to fight your pain or insomnia, you can use concentrates instead!
How Are Concentrates Made?
There are many different types of concentrates and many different ways to make them. But at the end of the day, concentrate extraction is ultimately the process of stripping the original plant material of its trichomes and collecting them. Because trichomes contain naturally high levels of cannabinoids and terpenes, the final product ends up being super potent and super tasty.
Some concentrates (like shatter and live resin) are made using hydrocarbon (BHO) extraction. This process involves blasting source material with liquid butane before using heat to evaporate that butane. Ethanol extraction follows the same principles, using ethanol to strip plant material of its trichomes, before evaporating the ethanol out of the mixture. While these methods are effective, they can sometimes result in residual solvent particles being left over in the final product.
Other concentrates can be made using solventless extraction methods, possibly making them cleaner and safer to use. For example, rosin is made by simply applying heat and pressure to flower or hash in order to squeeze out its terpy resin.
How To Use Concentrates from a Venice Beach Cannabis Dispensary
The most common way to use concentrates is by vaping them. Cartridges that are filled with concentrated oils like distillate or CO2 oil can easily be attached to 510 thread batteries for quick and convenient vaping. For other concentrates, you should always make sure that your vaporizer is compatible with extracts before trying to vape them. A specialty wax pen vaporizer can be a great option for easy concentrate consumption.
Concentrates can also be dabbed. Dabbing is a way of vaping concentrates that uses a glass water pipe called a dab rig to produce vapor and direct it. Dabbing through a glass rig really brings out the flavors in a concentrate, making it one of the tastier ways to enjoy them. Next time you grab a concentrate from your favorite Venice Beach cannabis dispensary, try vaping it out of a dab rig instead of your usual vape.
Concentrates can also be smoked, although it can be tricky with the oily and less solid extracts like distillate or live resin. However, hash, kief, crumble, and even shatter can all be broken down and sprinkled on top of your bowl or inside of your joint to give it that extra kick.