When it comes to cannabis concentrates, cannabis consumers today have more choices than ever. While hash is a classic, the cannabis community has made plenty of progress since the time of charas.
Advanced, innovative technologies can extract the exact cannabinoids, terpenes and cannabinoids we want out of the cannabis plant and leave out the rest.
As a result, we have seen the rise of concentrates such as shatter, rosin, distillate, wax, and hash.
With that being said, is there really a difference between types of cannabis concentrates? ? How can you tell if a cannabis product is right for you? To find out, keep on reading!
What is a Cannabis Concentrate? How Are They Made?
Cannabis concentrates are exactly what their name implies: concentrated forms of cannabis products.
In other words, by extracting cannabinoids and terpenes from cannabis plant matter, cannabis cultivators and producers can create a more focused, concentrated cannabis product.
By removing the excess plant material, they’re able to produce a rich and potent extract. These extracts are then transformed into various different cannabis concentrates through additional processing.
The quality of extracts depends on the quality of cannabis used. Any concentrate can be highly potent, but extracts may differ in terms of terpene amount and overall potency.
Chemically extracted cannabis concentrates such as shatter and wax will have a purer, more refined flavour. Conversely, mechanically extracted concentrates such as rosin and hash will have a more robust, full-bodied flavour and experience.
How to Consume Cannabis Concentrates
Cannabis concentrates can be consumed in a variety of ways. They can be smoked or vaped, combined with dried flower or dabbed with a dab rig.
Dabbing is the most popular and efficient way to consume cannabis concentrates. Appearance-wise, they closely resemble a bong with a modified bowl. The cannabis concentrate or dab is placed in the bowl, allowing the user to use a heated nail to vaporize the extract and inhale heat vapour.
Types of Cannabis Concentrates
Depending on the extraction method and additional processing, different cannabis concentrates can be created from the same starting material. Each type of concentrate has its own benefits and appeal benefits that make it unique and enjoyable to consume.
By nature, cannabis concentrates will contain a large amount of THC. No matter what type of cannabis concentrate you want to consume, remember to start low and go slow to enjoy responsibly.
Shatter
Shatter is a translucent glass-like concentrate that will break or shatter when put under pressure. This brittle concentrate has a glass appearance and ranges from bright amber to dark yellow shades.
Shatter was a significant driver of dab rigs, and when you give it a try, you’ll understand why. While you can break shatter apart to use in bongs, bowls, and joints, it is best consumed using a dab rig.
The potency of this concentrate comes from its advanced manufacturing process. Using specialized equipment, producers make shatter by using pressurized solvents – most often butane.
You can find shatter with 80-90% THC or more. Variations of shatter can be found with more viscous or runnier consistencies. Examples of shatter-based concentrates include budder and crumble.
Rosin
Rosin is made using a solventless extraction method (rosin and hash are the only two solventless options described today).
Unlike other concentrates we are learning today, this one has a very easy-to-understand extraction method.
Dried cannabis flower is placed between two hot plates and compressed. This rosin press causes the trichomes and resin to melt away and create a liquid that is collected later. After that, the rosin is spread out thinly and allowed to cool. The result is an extremely viscous product that has a resin-like appearance to it.
This simple yet efficient process also makes rosin a favourite of homemade cannabis concentrates.
There are far fewer risks associated with the process and the product’s safety since this concentrate is made without the use of any solvent.
Rosin comes in various colours depending on the cannabis flower used, but this concentrate is often found in darker shades of amber, red, and orange. You can smoke or vape rosin, but it is also best consumed using a dab rig.
Distillate
Distillate is a potent and versatile weed extract that can be dabbed, vaped, or used in edibles and topicals.
Extensive distillation is used to extract a single cannabinoid from plant matter, leaving everything else behind. The result is a cannabis concentrate made using a single cannabinoid, often THC or CBD.
Distillates are made in safely controlled environments and are performed by professionals with proper equipment. The process is extremely dangerous and is advised not to be performed at home.
First, producers separate cannabinoids from the cannabis plant material by using chemicals. Once separated, the next major step in producing distillates is winterization, which means separating the distillate from byproducts such as waxes, fats and lipids.
In order to perform winterization, the extract is mixed with ethanol and placed in a cold environment for 24 to 48 hours. Once done, producers will filter the extract to remove ethanol and perform decarboxylation to activate cannabinoids.
Finally, the last step is the actual distillation process. Producers apply vacuum pressure and heat to the decarboxylated extract to separate individual cannabinoids and terpenes. The result is a purified product with specific compounds in the most distilled form.
This purity also makes it a perfect ingredient to be used in various cannabis oils, topicals, and edibles.
Distillate does not have a noticeable smell or taste, and the appearance is often bland. But don’t let these looks fool you, as this concentrate is potent! When using distillate in a dab rig or vaping device, exercise caution to avoid consuming too much.
Finally, you can often also find distillate pens, which are vape pens filled with a specific distillate.
Wax
Wax is a sticky and viscous substance that ranges in colour from dark brown to bright golden-yellow. Its THC potency can range from 70-90%, capable of producing an intense high.
Wax is best consumed using a dab rig, although it can also be added sparingly to bowls, joints, and pipes.
One such example would be a twax joint, which is made by combining wax and flower together in order to increase weed potency.
Hash / Hashish
Hash is made by physically separating trichomes from cannabis buds. These resin-filled glands are packed full of cannabinoids and tasty terpenes. In order to create hashish, producers heat and compress trichomes to form bricks of hash.
This concentrate has the longest history of any described here today. Hash comes in different colours and sizes, but they all contain plenty of THC and burn slowly. You can crumble hashish into joints, bowls, and pipes combined with dried flower or alone.
HTFSE
High-terpene full-spectrum extract, HTFSE for short, is a full spectrum cannabis concentrate that contains a diverse range of terpenes in high concentrations. This concentrate is one of the most flavourful and aromatic products you can find on the market.
To make this terpene-packed product, producers separate terpenes as well as cannabinoids from cannabis flower in a lab setting. By introducing the solvent such as CO2, producers first create hash oil which is later winterized to separate the terpenes and cannabinoids from waxes and other plant material.
The result is a complex mixture of THC diamonds and terp sauce, which can be sold as it is or separated further.
One of the Best Ways to Consume Cannabis?
Congratulations, you can now say that you have a grasp of the wide world of cannabis concentrates!
While it seems like there are new varieties created each year, the ones described here are staples. They are unlikely to disappear anytime soon.
Knowing the significant features of each will help you buy the right products for you and consume them correctly. Now you know that shatter, rosin, and wax are best consumed using a dab rig, while hash can easily be smoked.
Besides, distillates can be used to create many of the secondary cannabis products such as oils and edibles.
All cannabis concentrates are made by extracting the valuable compounds from the cannabis plant and leaving behind the plant matter. These extracts are then processed to produce the familiar appearances and consistencies that consumers enjoy.
Hash and rosin are made without using a solvent and can easily be made at home. Alternatively, wax, distillate, and shatter require solvents, complicated technologies, and advanced skills – they are best left to the professionals.
If you want to give these concentrates a try, Hooti has got you covered. We offer a great selection of rosin, shatter and distillate. Check us out here, and be sure to leave us a review!
Enjoy responsibly!
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