Photo credit: Laura Notini
Flower has always been the best-selling category in the cannabis industry, but concentrates are gaining popularity.
For example, vape pens are dominating young adult markets in California, while edible products are becoming increasingly popular in both Canada and the U.S. According to Headset, vape cartridges are the second most popular item sold in American dispensaries, representing nearly a quarter of products sold.
Concentrates go by many names (extracts, wax, etc.) and come in different varieties. As the category grows in size and popularity, it is worth learning more about.
Concentrates are made by extracting trichomes, the tiny mushroom-like projections on cannabis flowers. These are where oils like cannabinoids and terpenes are produced. After extraction, consumers can dab them or they can be put in other products such as vape cartridges, joints, and edibles.
Understanding differences in concentrates and their uses in other products can help consumers decide what’s right for them.
Concentrates Can Vary…
Concentrates have been stigmatized with heavy use, according to a report from MJBizDaily. But they are becoming more popular because they are convenient for users and produce little to no smell compared to flower. They can vary in appearance, flavor, and potency. As the concentrate market expands, so do the types of products. Starting material, extraction method, and processing can drastically change the properties of cannabis concentrates.
Some concentrates are considered live, like bubble hash, live resin, and live rosin while others are considered cured. When flower is freshly frozen after harvest it is considered live. According to the extraction tool kit company, Low Temp Industries, live products are often more flavorful because it helps preserve terpenes.
Terpenes are responsible for the aroma of many plants including cannabis. Some operators add terpenes to their products due to their synergistic effects with cannabinoids. According to Cannacon, terpenes can be extracted from cannabis plants or synthetically produced.
Cured products are made from dried flower. Ken Morrow of Cannabis Business Times, has stated the importance of properly dried cannabis as well as the lack of flavor that can occur without careful methods.
In addition to whether it is live or cured, texture also helps give a concentrate its character. Forms like shatter, honeycomb, and crumble break apart easily while budder, badder, and sugar wax are easier to scoop. There are even combinations like diamonds and sauce which use a combination of textures and extraction types.
Full Spectrum vs. Distillate vs. Isolate
Concentrates can also be categorized by their variety of compounds. Full-spectrum cannabis products like resin, rosin, and hash contain the plant’s entire variety of naturally-occurring compounds. This includes cannabinoids and terpenes. While each has its own effects, they work synergistically together, a process known as the entourage effect. The entourage effect suggests that the medical benefits of these compounds are greater when used in combination rather than on their own. Once a full-spectrum oil is extracted, it can be further processed into other concentrates.
Distillate is a more purified form of cannabis extract that separates the cannabinoids from the terpenes and other plant materials, according to Oaksterdam University. This results in a more concentrated, but less pungent and flavorful extract, with a cannabinoid concentration between 80-95%. Isolate is further purified to nearly 100% of one cannabinoid. In this state, the THC or CBD present as a crystalline substance.
Distillate is common in a lot of edible products. It can be a good option for someone looking to avoid the flavor of cannabis. Distillates are useful towards achieving a specific ratio of THC to CBD. Many brands will blend distillate and resin to create an affordable vape.
Cured resin cartridges are a great balance of quality and cost. They will taste much more like cannabis compared to distillate, but won’t be as concentrated. Live resin cartridges may be more flavorful but are usually a little more expensive.
The highest end cartridges are usually rosin. Rosin extraction can be difficult to scale up because it is quite labor intensive in comparison to other types of extractions. Due to the lack of chemicals used in this extraction, it is seen as a cleaner and more pure product.
Solvent vs Solventless
Another factor that distinguishes concentrates is use of a solvent. Resin uses a chemical solvent like ethanol, butane, propane or supercritical CO2 to extract the cannabis oils. These chemical solvents are removed via evaporation before the end result is achieved. Resin can be dabbed on its own or added into edibles or joins.
Products like rosin and hash are extracted without the use of any chemical solvents. Many consumers are starting to favor solventless cannabis products since it is more pure and is seen as a higher end product.
Rosin is produced by combining heat and pressure in order to extract cannabis oils. Rosin can be made from flower or from hash. The starting material is added to a micron bag before pressing. Micron bags have small pores that allow the oils to pass through while leaving behind the plant material. A smaller micron bag may be used for hash while a larger micron bag may be used for flower. Generally, the smaller the micron size, the cleaner the final product.
Hash has many different forms. Bubble hash or ice water hash is a common way to extract from a fresh-frozen plant. The process involves mixing cannabis in an ice water bath. The cold temperature allows the trichomes to break off from the plant. The mixture is filtered through fine micron bags or screens and then it is allowed to dry in a freeze drier. Other types of hash involve dry sifting through the micron screens. This results in a sand like texture that can be left as is or compacted into a ball or coin shape. Consumers can add to bowls or joints, or enjoy it on its own in its different forms.
Edibles
Edibles are another great way to enjoy cannabis extracts. The type of extraction will vary between products and brands. An edible company, Happy Valley, describes hash rosin gummies to be a top-tier experience with many nuances in flavors and effects, while distillate gummies offer a more standard, steady high. In addition to the type of extraction, the method of infusion is just as important.
Operators are using a relatively new method to make fast-acting cannabis edibles and beverages. According to Bevnet, the key to cannabis beverages is emulsification. This process results in water soluble cannabis oil, leading to an even distribution within the edible.
Leafly explains that water soluble cannabis is absorbed quicker than traditional edibles, which means that cannabis beverages are fast acting. When seeking other fast-acting edible products, consumers should look for the term “nano-infused.”
Edibles, bowl toppers, dabs, infused joints there are so many different concentrated products available on the market. It can be tough knowing how one type of product is different from another, but once understood it can lead to better cannabis experiences.
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