What is a Cannabis THC Concentrate?
This refers to a concentrated form of THC made by extracting cannabis flowers. Extraction can be done with hydrocarbons like butane or by mechanical means like water to knock off trichome heads.
The first type of THC concentrate is THC crude (aka BHO crude). It’s called Live Resin when made with fresh frozen wet cannabis flowers. THC crude is a thick brown syrup of oil. It contains cannabinoids, terpenes, and other impurity compounds. The plant cellulose is left behind in the spent biomass.
THC crude gets post processed through purging or distillation. This makes other THC concentrates such as distillate oil, wax, and shatter.
What is a THC Concentrate Dab?
THC concentrates are sold as is as ‘dabs’ or can be infused into other products like gummy edibles. The most popular types of dabs in California 2022 are Live Resin, Live Rosin, and Diamonds.
Legacy dabs are still popular in certain parts of America such as wax, shatter, and hash. Advancements in cannabis technology and biomass processing has increased in recent years.
What is Delta 8 THC Concentrate?
Delta-8 THC (or D8-THC) is the sister compound to normal THC (D9-THC). Both are ‘activated’ forms of THC meaning they have been decarboxylated. D8-THC and D9-THC have the same molecular structure except the double bond is shifted one carbon atom. Delta 8 THC gives a milder high than Delta 9, but it still does give a psychoactive high.
What Are Weed Concentrates?
Other types of concentrate can be made at home such as Rick Sampson Oil. This is made with THC crude from ethanol. Making Rick Sampson Oil at home involves soaking cannabis in ethanol. Done in a glass mason jar over time. The alcohol extracts the oils. Next you filter the alcohol extract. Then you boil off the alcohol. This leaves a viscous, black, gooey weed concentrate called Rick Sampson Oil.
Hash is another popular weed concentrate. Hash is also called kief (or keef). It’s the trichome heads on the plants. They look like mini mushrooms. The trichomes are the part of the plant that contain the cannabinoids and terpenes. Keef tests around 50% THC compared to flower testing at 35% THC.
How To Use THC Concentrate
THC concentrates are used by dabbing. This involves scooping the concentrate onto a surface that heats up. The temperature is enough to vaporize the oil, but not burn (combust) it. The user then inhales the cannabis oil vapors. Dab rigs are contraptions to vaporize THC concentrates. The most popular dab rig in 2022 is the Puffco Peak Pro.
If your THC concentrate is ‘activated’ then you can eat it or infuse it into food. Activated THC concentrates are distillates and decarbed crudes / live resin. Activated THC contains D9-THC compare to the unactivated version, D9-THCA.
Another way to enjoy THC concentrates is to drop a glob into your ground flower before rolling into a joint. Adding dabs to your joints increases the potency and flavor. Try it out next time. This is great to get the last THC concentrate out the dab jar. Add some ground flower to the jar and mix it around. The THC concentrate dabs will stick to the flower.
How To Make THC Concentrate
Marijuana concentrates are made by two main methods: solventless or solvent extraction. Solventless means no solvents were used in the process. Some consumers prefer this. California requires no solvents to be present in the final products. So, even solvent based extracts do not contain solvents.
Chemical solvents are used in food processing. Many cooking oils are made with hexane extraction.
Solventless-extractions include CO2 extraction, water hashing, liquid nitrogen hashing, dry sift hashing, and rosin pressing. Solvent-extractions are done with solvents such as butane, pentane, propane, hexane, ethanol, and isopropyl alcohol.
What Is The Best THC Concentrate
The two best concentrates in California are Live Resin and Live Rosin. Diamonds are also a popular THC concentrate dab but are more expensive and less available.
Live Resin is made by butane extraction of fresh frozen cannabis flowers. It makes a pale yellow extract that is full of flavor with minimal impurities. It’s one of the most scalable processes, so the prices are affordable and worthwhile.
Live Rosin is made by creating hash (keef) through water washing. Then you dry the wet hash and press the oils out with hot pressure plates. Live Rosin has more impurities than Live Resin and is less potent. However Live Rosin has deeper flavor like the plant itself. Live Rosin also gives a high closer to smoke the actual flower than a Live Resin extract.
FAQ
What is considered high THC?
Above 80%. Concentrates above that are nearly pure THC. Dabs contain D9-THCA versus vaping oils (like distillate) contain D9-THC.
Which is stronger extract or concentrate?
Cannabis extracts and cannabis concentrates refer to the same things.