Live resin is definitely one of the concentrates to watch out for in the cannabis industry, and for good reason too. With all of the different extracts appearing in the industry it’s a wonder how any of us can keep up. From THC diamonds, CBD isolate to wax, rosin, terp sauce and so on, it seems like new cannabis concentrates are consistently entering the market. Each has their pros, cons and benefits for different types of effects, flavours and potencies.
So what’s live resin like? Is it really a living concentrate? What differentiates this concentrate from the various others available for purchase? Let’s do a deep-dive into the live resin concentrate and find out if this novel concentrate is right for you.
What is Live Resin?
Compared to other cannabis concentrates, live resin undergoes through a more unorthodox manufacturing process. If you’re familiar with the likes of shatter, wax and budder, then you’ll also know that in order to properly make these concentrates, you’ll need to dry and cure the cannabis flower first before it can be used.
This is because in it’s “fresh” state, the flower’s desirable cannabinoids, namely THC, are not present in high enough concentrations to be felt. Fresh cannabis flower also has a high moisture content which makes it difficult to be smoked conventionally in a joint, bong or pipe. The drying and curing process removes excess moisture from the plant as well as making the plant’s THC more “available” for absorption from our bodies.
How does Live Resin differ? Unlike other concentrates, the cannabis flower used in the production of live resin is not dried nor is it cured. Instead, cannabis flowers at the point of harvest are flash-frozen and kept frozen throughout the entire manufacturing process.
Why is this special? While drying and curing the cannabis makes it more bioavailable for our bodies and allows the flower to be smoked/vaped, it also causes some degradation to the plant’s beneficial compounds. Some of the plant’s original compounds and terpenes will be lost as the plant slowly dries out.
By freezing the plant and keeping temperatures at a consistent freezing temperature throughout the manufacturing process, cultivators are able to preserve the plant’s original flavour, effects and cannabinoids as best as possible. This concentrate is regarded as “live” because it’s the closest you’ll ever get to experiencing and tasting what freshly harvested, still “alive” cannabis flower is like.
Here are some of your typical and easily accessible extracts and how they compare. The advantage you have with live resin is a sweeter, more “fresh” taste. The plant’s trichomes and terpenes maintain their pre-cured state and you benefit from higher concentrations of the plant’s original compounds and cannabinoids.
| Type of Extract | Processing | Consistency |
| KIEF | flash freezing or agitation removes trichomes from cannabis flower | fluffy, sticky crystals with a green tinge |
| HASH | pressurized kief, pressed into small bricks or discs | dense, dry, bricks/discs of kief |
| BUDDER WAX | extraction machines whip butane hash oil into a soft and creamy consistency | Whipped butter |
| TINCTURE | cannabis oil processed down to a liquid usually made with an alcohol based solvent | Dark and opaque green liquid |
| ROSIN | cured cannabis bud or kief pressed with minor heat and massive pressure | Viscous caramel |
| CANNABIS OIL | soak cannabis buds in olive or fractionated coconut oil | Slightly more viscous oil |
| LIVE RESIN | fresh cannabis is flash-frozen and processed in freezing temperatures | Light and jelly-like |
Live Resin vs. Resin
To understand the difference between live resin and resin, we’ll first have to understand what resin is to begin with. When talking about resin, there can be confusion as to what the word actually refers to.
Resin can either refer to black tar that accumulates on your smoking tools after a bowl is cleared. This kind of resin will be extremely sticky and pungent and black in appearance. As a full disclosure, resin will still get you high because there will be some residual THC trapped within the substance. However, because resin is usually the tar that collects after fresh cannabis is consumed, the taste is extremely unpleasant and is also hazardous to your health.
The second definition of resin is one that you’re likely to be familiar with. On the surface of high quality cannabis, you’ll be able to find a fine dusting of crystals. These are known as the plant’s trichomes and they’re responsible for the plant’s psychoactive effect as well as its flavour. Also known as kief, this kind of resin can be safely consumed for a positive, psychoactive effect.
Preserving this second definition of resin is one of the objectives of live resin. During the curing process, a lot of the trichomes are either lost or degraded in the process. By flash-freezing cannabis at the point of harvest, these trichomes can be more effectively preserved thus enhancing the final flavour, smell and effect of the final live resin product.
Distillate vs Live Resin
Distillate is a cannabis concentrate that’s made by filtering and removing the majority of the cannabis plant’s lipids, fats, terpenes and other undesirable compounds in order to create a substance that’s nearly 70-90% THC. Because of its high potency, distillate tends to exclusively have THC without any terpenes, CBD or any other cannabis compounds within it. It’s a great option for those who are just looking for a heavy-hitting, exclusively THC effect.
On the other hand, live resin is the complete opposite. While it lacks the same potency as distillate does, the plant’s terpenes, compounds and cannabinoids are all preserved to a much higher degree. What this means is that you’ll be getting a “full-spectrum” effect as everything about the plant is preserved in the process.
How is it Made?
Live resin is put through a heavy extraction process that can be dangerous, only individuals with proper lab-grade equipment should attempt making concentrates like live resin. For those curious, here’s the professional, industrial process of live resin production.
- Flash freeze freshly harvested and trimmed cannabis buds over-night
- Using a lab-grade extractor, chamber one is filled with a solvent, usually butane.
- Frozen buds are saturated with solvent in order to extract the plant’s active compounds
- Once saturated, the solvent is drained
- The remaining substance is then purged completely of the solvent and collected
Live Resin – Should You Try It?
If you’re looking for a tastier cannabis concentrate that comes as close as possible to the taste of fresh cannabis flower, then you definitely have to give live resin a chance.
As with any other cannabis concentrate, the recommended method of consumption is through vaporization or dabbing. Dabbing uses extremely high heat to melt the concentrate which creates tasty vapor.
There are many different kinds of dab straws and rigs and equipment to use that can control the exact temperature for lower heat dabbing which can provide a smoother experience on the throat if you’re a novice.
Regardless of your consumption method, we have a feeling that live resin will be the tastiest and smoothest concentrate experience you will have the pleasure of experiencing.
Try our Hooti Live Resin to experience a more flavorful and high-quality dabbing experience. Our live resin is fresh, fragrant and full of delicious terpenes and cannabinoids that supply an instant body high coupled with a numbing couch lock and the giggles.
Each order includes 1 gram of live resin that packs a punch with every hit. Enjoy!
Concluding Thoughts
Because of the expensive and large lab equipment needed to create live resin and other types of extracts, live resin can be difficult to find, and pricey. Don’t let it discourage you! Live resin should last you a decent while considering how small the yield may look to you at first. A little goes a long way.
The high cost and lower availability in comparison to cannabis flower can be discouraging to some people, but for medical patients it can be well worth their patience. Extracts and concentrates are much more effective in treating symptoms of chronic illness and conditions due to their increased potency.
Find a reputable source and give live resin a try. The flavour of fresh cannabis will blow you away and the full-spectrum experience is so much more refined and certainly less damaging than smoking your everyday joint.
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