Cannabis concentrates are all the rage these days. But what are they, exactly? And what do they do? This blog post will discuss everything you need to know about cannabis concentrates.
We’ll cover what they are, how they’re made, and the various available types. Plus, we’ll give you some tips on how to choose the right one for you. So whether you’re a first-time cannabis consumer or just looking to learn more about concentrates, read on!
What exactly is a cannabis concentrate?
A cannabis concentrate is a type of cannabis product made by extracting cannabinoids from the plant material. This results in a much more potent product than traditional cannabis products, such as flowers or essential oils.
Like all cannabis products, concentrates can be made from Indica and Sativa strains. It’s essential to note that each strain has its unique effects and benefits when consumed individually (instead of being blended). For example, some people prefer the energetic high they get from a Sativa-dominant concentrate, while others like the more relaxed feeling of an Indica-dominant concentrate.
It’s also worth mentioning that not all cannabis concentrates are created equal. Some products may contain additives or impurities (like full-extract cannabis oil), affecting their quality and effects when consumed by users. Some people have reported adverse reactions after consuming certain types of plant waxes or other contaminants found in some concentrates.
So what types of cannabis concentrates are there?
There’re many different types of concentrated products on the market today, including:
- Shatter A brittle, glass-like concentrate made by extracting cannabinoids using a solvent.
- BHO (Butane Hash Oil)/Budder/Wax: A type of extract made by dissolving cannabis in butane. This produces a sticky oil that can make various concentrates, including waxes and shatter.
- CO² Oil: An oil made by extracting cannabinoids with carbon dioxide. This produces a high-quality oil that is often used in vape pens.
- Rick Simpson Oil (RSO): A marijuana concentrate made from whole-plant extracts. It is named after the Canadian man who first created it.
- Live Resin Sauce: A cannabis concentrate made from fresh frozen plant material. Its name comes from the fact that it contains higher levels of terpenes than other concentrates do.
- Kief: Finely ground cannabis that has been separated from the plant material. Kief is used to make hash or other concentrates, such as BHO.
- Crumble Another solvent-based concentrate with a crumbly texture similar in consistency to honeycomb or beeswax.
- Bubble hash: A type of extract made by separating trichomes (the tiny hairs on a cannabis plant) from the rest of the plant material using sieves and filters. Hash is traditionally smoked in pipes or rolled into joints.
- Rosin Press Hash Oil: These all come from plants that have been extracted using Butane Hash Oil (BHO) extraction, CO² extraction, or Rick Simpson oil.
- Terp sauce: This is a sauce made from live resin and has been mixed with terpenes.
- Cannabis wax: A cannabis concentrate with a unique, waxy texture. It packs a punch while also providing users with great versatility when using the product.
- Diamonds: A relatively new cannabis product with a crystalline shape. It is made through a complex process that involves putting BHO into a closed-loop system to create fine, gem-like concentrates.
In this section, we’ll get into the nitty and gritty of each type of concentrate. Each has its unique cannabis perks, as well as nifty features. Keep reading to find out which cannabis concentrate is best suited for your weed needs.
Shatter
Shatter is a type of cannabis concentrate made by extracting cannabinoids from the plant material using Butane Hash Oil (BHO) extraction. The name comes from its glass-like brittleness.
Shatter is one of the most popular types of marijuana that concentrates today because of its potency and clean taste. It is also relatively easy to use, making it a good choice for first-time users. However, it is essential to note that shatter can be pretty potent, so start with a small dose if you are new to this type of product.
Budder/wax
Budder/Wax is another concentrate commonly made through Butane Hash Oil (BHO) extraction. BHO is sometimes synonymous with budder/wax itself (and vice-versa). Just like shatter, Budder is highly potent and can induce strong highs.
Budder is often thought of as the “creamier” counterpart to shatter. It has a more butter-like texture and is typically less brittle than shatter. This makes it easier to handle and consume, making it a popular choice for new concentrates.
CO2 oil
CO² Oil is a type of cannabis concentrate made by extracting cannabinoids using carbon dioxide. This produces a high-quality oil that is often used in vape pens.
CO² oil is a popular choice for looking for a discreet and convenient way to consume cannabis. It’s also one of the most potent types of concentrates available, making it a good choice for those looking for a strong high.
Rick Simpson Oil
Rick Simpson oil is a cannabis concentrate made from the whole plant. The oil is made by extracting the cannabinoids from the cannabis plant using solvents such as ethanol or butane. The oil is then heated to remove the solvent and turn into a thick, black paste containing many different cannabinoids.
Rick Simpson created Rick Simpson Oil in 2003 after curing his skin cancer. Since then, RSO has gained popularity to treat cancer and other medical conditions such as glaucoma, pain, nausea, and vomiting.
Live resin sauce
Live resin sauce is one of the newer concentrates on the market and can be hard to find in some areas. It is a viscous product made by extracting the resin from fresh cannabis plants. This results in a product that contains more terpenes and cannabinoids than traditional concentrates, which gives it a unique “saucy” texture and flavor.
Live resin sauce is often considered one of the most potent and flavorful types of concentrates available on the market today. It has a higher terpene content than many other concentrates, giving it its unique flavor profile and effects.
Kief
Kief is a powder made up of trichomes that have been shaken or brushed from the cannabis flower. It’s one of the oldest and simplest forms of cannabis concentrates and can be made with just a few simple tools. Kief can be smoked, vaporized, or used in edibles.
You can make your kief by putting cannabis flowers into a three-chamber grinder. The teeth of the grinder break off and separate the trichomes from the flower, which will fall through a screen at the bottom of the first chamber. Collected regularly, this powder can eventually be used to make hash.
Crumble
Crumble is a wax concentrate that has been purged of all solvents and set into a dry, crumbly texture. It’s great for dabbing at low temperatures (around 300-350°F). Crumble can also be mixed with flowers and smoked.
Hash
Hash is a concentrated form of cannabis made by pressing kief or resin. The resulting product has a higher THC content than flowers and can be smoked, vaporized, or used in edibles.
There’re many different ways to make hash, but the most common is press kief or resin with heat and pressure. This can be done with various tools, including your hands, a mortar and pestle, or a hash press.
A good quality hash will be made using fresh, dried cannabis flowers. Bad quality hash is often made with trichomes scraped off of stems and leaves instead of the flower itself. Appearance-wise, a high-quality hash will usually be dark brown, while a lower quality hash may appear yellow or green.
Rosin press hash oil
Rosin press hash oil is a cannabis concentrate made by pressing extracted resin from cannabis flowers. It’s one of the few solventless cannabis concentrates out there.
This type of hash oil is often produced using a rosin press, which uses two heated plates to heat and squeezes the resin from dried cannabis flowers. The process can also be done without a rosin press by simply using hair straighteners or any other heating device that produces enough pressure. The finished product looks similar to thick oil or sap, and it can be used in a variety of ways.
Unlike most concentrates, this type of product does not use any solvent (nor does it need to). The resin is extracted through a heated and pressurized process, making it more of an industrial concentrate than the others. As such, it’s become a cheap alternative to the pricier cannabis-packed products out there.
Terp Sauce
Terp sauce is a cannabis concentrate made by combining live resin and terpenes. It is a very potent and flavorful concentrate that can provide users with an intense high.
The name “terp sauce” comes from the fact that this concentrate contains a very high concentration of terpenes. It often has a thick consistency similar to maple syrup but can also have a watery consistency like this video.
The flavor of terp sauce varies depending on which strain it was made with. However, some common flavors include citrus and pine. Some people even report tasting chocolate or coffee notes from certain strains! This concentrate is usually smoked by placing small amounts onto hot nails for dabbing.
Wax
Wax is a cannabis concentrate that has been purged of all solvents and set into a sticky, waxy texture. It’s excellent for dabbing at high temperatures (above 350°F). Wax can also be smoked or used in edibles.
This type of concentrate is often made using butane, propane, or CO. It can be made in various ways, but the most common is to extract the resin using solvents and then purge them using heat. This leaves behind a sticky wax that can be smoked, vaporized, or used in edibles.
Appearance-wise, wax usually has a yellow or tan color. It can also be a variety of colors, depending on the strain and method of extraction used. Wax is a popular concentrate because it’s easy to use and provides an intense high. It’s also one of the most affordable concentrates on the market.
Cannabis diamonds/diamond wax
Diamond wax is a form of cannabis concentrate that contains the cannabinoid THCA. These concentrates are generally made with top-grade buds and have more THC than other cannabis products like shatter or bud. Diamond wax has powerful highs — ones like you’ve never experienced previously.
Cannabis diamonds are also known as THCA diamonds since they contain the unusual cannabinoid. The acidic precursor to THC, which is known as THCA, stands for tetrahydrocannabinol acid. As a result, the crystalline product is also referred to as THC acid.
All cannabis plants contain THCA, which is non-psychoactive until heated or dried. This implies that if you consume diamond wax without first cooking or drying it, you will not experience any of the effects. When diamond wax is warmed or dabbed, the THCA is changed to pure THC, and you will be able to experience all of its
Shatter versus Budder: Similarities and Differences
Shatter, and Budder are two of the most popular types of cannabis concentrates. What are the similarities and differences between these two products?
Shatter is a type of concentrate that is made from cannabis extract. It is usually golden in color and has a brittle texture. On the other hand, Budder is made from ground-up cannabis buds that have been whipped into a creamy consistency.
Both shatter and Budder are potent products, but shatter typically contains more THC. For example, the average cannabis bud contains THC between 15 and 20 percent. On the other hand, shatter can contain up to 90 percent THC!
Shatter and Budder are popular choices among cannabis users, but each product has its unique benefits and drawbacks. So which one is right for you? That depends on your personal preferences.
If you’re looking for a potent, high-THC concentrate that has a hard consistency, then shatter may be the best option for you. If you prefer a smoother, more malleable concentrate that is easier to work with, then Budder might be better suited to your needs.
How are cannabis concentrates made?
Cannabis concentrates are made through various methods, but all involve extracting the active ingredients from cannabis. This can be done through various methods, including solvent-based extraction (using things like butane or ethanol), CO2 extraction, or even using heat and pressure to extract the oils from the plant.
Butane extraction: The most common way to make cannabis concentrates is through butane extraction. This process involves filling a tube with cannabis and running pressurized liquid butane through the plant material, which strips away its active ingredients.
Butane is then evaporated, leaving behind a sticky oil containing all of the cannabinoids and terpenes found in cannabis — known as wax, shatter, BHO (butane hash oil), and more.
CO² extraction: Another popular way to make concentrates is through CO² extraction. This process uses pressurized carbon dioxide to strip away the active ingredients from cannabis. The resulting oil is high in cannabinoids and terpenes and is often used to make vape cartridges and edibles.
Solventless extraction: Methods that do without common solvents are on the rise, and for a good reason. They produce purer and cleaner-tasting than those made using solvents like butane or CO².
The most popular solventless extraction method is rosin, which involves pressing cannabis buds with heat and pressure to squeeze out their active ingredients. Other solventless methods include water hash (ice-water extraction) and finger hash, which is made by manually separating the trichomes from buds using a screen.
How much THC does a concentrate contain?
The amount of THC found in cannabis concentrates can vary significantly depending on how they were produced and what cannabis was used. However, in general, concentrates contain a much higher concentration of THC than the buds from which they are made. Some extracts can contain up to 90% THC!
Do CBD concentrates exist?
Yes, CBD concentrates do exist. CBD (cannabidiol) is a cannabinoid found in cannabis and is known for its therapeutic properties. Unlike THC, CBD does not cause psychoactive effects, making it a popular choice among those looking for relief from medical conditions.
CBD concentrates are made through various extraction methods, but most (if not all) involve extracting the CBD from the hemp plant. For starters, hemp refers to the non-psychoactive variety of cannabis plants high in CBD and low in THC.
How do you use cannabis concentrates?
Concentrates can be consumed through various methods — including smoking or vaping them using a dab rig or vape pen, eating them in edibles, or using them to make tinctures and topicals.
Smoking or vaping
Smoking concentrates one of the most popular ways to consume them. This can be done by using a dab rig, a specialized smoking device used to vaporize concentrates, or by using a vape pen, which is a more portable option.
Dab rigs consist of a glass water pipe with a metal nail (or “dabber”) heated with a blowtorch. The concentrate is then placed on the nail and vaporized. This can be a quick and efficient way to consume concentrates, but it can also be quite potent.
Vape pens work similarly but use an atomizer to heat the concentrate and turn it into vapor. They are often more portable than dab rigs but can also be less potent.
Eating concentrates
Concentrates can be added to food products as well. This is done by dissolving the concentrate in fat or oil and then cooking it into different recipes like brownies or pasta sauces.
Making tinctures and topicals
Concentrates can also be used to make tinctures, which are concentrated liquid forms of cannabis taken sublingually (under the tongue), or topicals applied directly to the skin.
In both cases, a solvent like alcohol is used to extract the cannabinoids and terpenes from cannabis, resulting in a concentrate applied to food or used medicinally.
What are the benefits of cannabis concentrates?
There’s a reason why many cannabis users have made the switch from good ‘ol nugs to concentrates. Whether it’s because of potency or cost-efficiency, there’s no reason not to try these powerhouse products even just once. Unless, of course, your tolerance is pretty low.
Greater potency and more potent highs
There are several reasons why concentrates are becoming increasingly popular among cannabis users. Firstly, they contain a much higher concentration of THC than the buds from which they are made, resulting in a stronger and more potent high.
The ability to consume larger doses of THC in a single sitting can be helpful for those with chronic pain or other conditions that require high doses of cannabinoids. For medical marijuana users, this can also make concentrates a great choice.
More convenient and easy to use
Concentrates are much easier to handle than buds, as they often come in small containers that can be easily transported. This makes them an ideal choice for those on the go or looking for a discreet way of consuming cannabis products. Additionally, some concentrates can be consumed without the need for a smoking device, making them an excellent choice for those who don’t want to smoke.
Reduced intake of harmful toxins
Another benefit of concentrates is that they produce far fewer harmful toxins when smoked or vaped than flowers. This is because the cannabis plant produces cannabinoids and terpenes in different ratios depending on the part of the used plant.
For example, the flowers (buds) from which concentrates are made contain high levels of THC but also produce large amounts of harmful toxins like tar and carcinogens. In contrast, the leaves and stems from which concentrates are made contain lower THC levels but much fewer toxins.
Highly versatile products
Concentrates are also highly versatile. They can be smoked, vaped, eaten, or even applied topically to the skin. This makes them an excellent choice for those who want more options than what’s available with flowers alone.
For example, it is possible to use concentrates in place of the flower when making edibles or tinctures. It is also possible to apply them topically, which can help treat specific conditions like muscle pain and arthritis.
There is a wider variety of concentrates available than cannabis buds. This is because concentrated production is a relatively new phenomenon, and manufacturers are still experimenting with different extraction methods and ingredients.
As a result, there is a greater variety of concentrates available than cannabis buds, and users can choose from products that range in potency, flavor, and texture.
A more efficient way to consume cannabis
Concentrates are a much more efficient way of consuming cannabis than flowers alone because they contain higher concentrations of THC and other cannabinoids. The potential for higher yields and lower costs when producing concentrates from cannabis plants.
What are the risks of using cannabis concentrates?
As with anything, there are risks involved when using cannabis concentrates. Some of these include:
- If you’re a newbie to cannabis use, it’s best to start low and go slow. It may be tempting to try the most concentrated option available, but this could lead you into some uncomfortable territory if your tolerance isn’t developed yet.
- Possibly consuming too much THC can cause anxiety, paranoia, and other adverse side effects.
- The use of solvents in the extraction process may produce harmful byproducts if not done correctly.
- Concentrates are often more expensive than flowers, so be sure to factor this into your budget.
Is it safe to make cannabis concentrates at home?
It depends. If you’re using a solvent like butane or CO², it’s best left up to the professionals as this can be dangerous if done incorrectly. On the other hand, concentrating with heat and pressure is much safer because no solvents are involved. So if you’re looking to make concentrates at home, solventless methods are the way to go.
What’s the future of cannabis concentrates?
Cannabis concentrates are becoming more and more popular every day, and it’s easy to see why. They offer a cleaner, more potent experience than smoking or vaping flowers. As more and more states legalize cannabis, we can see even more innovation in the concentrated market. So whatever your preferred method of consumption, there’s sure to be a concentrate out there that’s perfect for you.
What to look for when purchasing concentrates?
Not all concentrates are made the same. Since these products are quite an investment, it helps to know some trade secrets to differentiate the mediocre concentrates from the great ones.
- The type of cannabis strain used: Make sure you know what kind of cannabis the concentrate was made from. This will give you an idea of its potency and flavor.
- The extraction method: Various methods are used to make concentrates, each with its advantages and disadvantages. Make sure you know which method was used to concentrate you’re buying.
- The ingredients: Some concentrates are made with added ingredients like terpenes or hash oil. Be sure to know what these are and what their effects will be.
- The potency: Concentrates come in various potencies, so it’s essential to choose one that’s right for you.
- The flavor: Not all concentrates taste the same. Some are earthy and pungent, while others are more floral or fruity. Try a few different concentrates to see which one you like best.
The texture: Concentrates come in various textures, from gooey to waxy too crumbly. Again, try a few different ones to find the one that’s right for you.
Final Thoughts
Cannabis concentrates are a quickly-growing industry, and there’s something out there for everyone. Whether you’re a newbie or an experienced cannabis user, concentrates offer a cleaner, more potent experience than smoking or vaping flowers.
So if you’re looking to try the different types of concentrates, why not give Concentr8 a try? We offer exclusive deals on the highest quality cannabinoid sauces available. Sample our exclusive product line with Concentr8 Bundles, and experience a high like never before!
