Concentrates 101: Guide To Cannabis Concentrates

Whether you are new to, or even have been using concentrates. The world of concentrates are large and sometimes not easy to understand with all the different types of concentrates and there names and what exactly they are.

With Types of Concentrates like:

• Wax
• Live Resin
• Live Rosin
• Shatter
• Budder, Badder, Batter
• Hash/ Bubble Hash
• Distillate
• Sauce
• Crumble & Sugar
• Tincture

It can be hard to figure out what you are actually looking for. In this guide we will go over all the common concentrate types to help you make a informed decision when it comes to dabbing. We will also touch on which dabbing concentrates are Solvent and Solventless based, which can be a incredibly important factor for every dabbing aficionado

Wax

Wax is, just as you would expect, waxy. The consistency is dense, and sometimes a bit granular, and the color is typically golden and opaque. Wax may be added to flower for twaxing (wax and cannabis mixed), but it is most often smoked using a dab rig.

Live Resin and Live Rosin

Live resin falls on the consistency scale between sauce and wax. Live resin is sticky and potent. It’s chock-full of natural cannabis terpenes because it is harvested after freezing the cannabis plant – using a solvent to extract the good stuff. Hence, the term “live.” Resins are ideal for vaping with a dab pen, but can also be used on a general dabbing setup with an e-rig or standard dab rig. What’s resin vs rosin? Both have similar consistencies, usage methods, and profiles, but rosin is created without solvents.

Shatter

Shatter is a BHO concentrate and gets its name from the fact that it looks a lot like glass. The concentrate is like thin hard candy, and it has this telltale amber color when it is high quality.

Budder, Badder, and Batter

Budder, badder, and batter are all essentially the same type of concentrate, and all are extremely potent, but there can be small differences between them. Budder has this smooth, whipped consistency that’s a lot like… well, butter. Budder is known for its high potency, but may not always have a lot of aromatics due to extra heating used beyond the extraction point. Batter and badder are sometimes a bit less smooth; some can be more saucy and loose and some can even have a bumpier consistency.

Hash and Bubble Hash

Hash is created by pressing and manipulating the buds of cannabis to harvest the sticky trichomes. What you end up with is something with the consistency of pressed, sticky powder. Bubble hash, on the other hand, is created by using ice water to pull the sticky trichomes from the plant. The end result is a loose bunch of bubbly trichomes that resembles brown sugar. Both types of hash are usually smoked or vaped using a dab rig.

Distillate

Distillate is thick like honey, and is actually resin or rosin taken a step further for a more refined product. You may also see distillate referred to as THC oil. Distillate is highly potent; you may only need a fraction of a drop to get high with a quality product. Most distillates are used along with an e-rig or dab nail, but they can also be used in vape pens or added to a cartridge.

Sauce

Also known as terp sauce, THC sauce or even “diamonds,” sauce is a sticky, syrup-like cannabis extract created by combining each strain’s specific terpenes with its cannabinoids (THCA, in particular). Sauce can also contain crystalline structures (THCa) depending on the cannabinoid profile and extraction stage, earning its previously stated nickname, Diamonds.

Crumble and Sugar

Crumble looks a lot like tiny clumps of sugar, but it is pretty dry and easy to handle. In fact, crumble is perhaps the driest form of cannabis concentrate you can find, which makes it ideal for sprinkling on a rolled joint. Crumble can also be vaporized on a rig or dab setup as well. Cannabis sugar is similar to crumble, but is slightly wet, which means it is best used with a vaporizer.

Tinctures

Tinctures are created by mixed concentrated cannabis extracts and carrier solutions. Not to be confused with pure distillate or THC oil, tinctures tend to be less potent, but just as valuable and can be ingested or used sublingually.

Solvent vs Solventless

Solvent

Solvent-based extraction can be defined as any method that uses a volatile chemical to dissolve the cannabinoid-packed trichomes away from the plant material. Once collected, the solvent is then removed, typically by means of evaporation, leaving behind a trichome-rich concentrate.

Solventless

Solventless or non-solvent are two terms used to identify cannabis concentrates that were made without the use of chemical solvents. Solvent-free products have been purged of solvents used in manufacturing. While solvent-based extraction techniques have greatly increased the number and variety of concentrates available to cannabis consumers, solventless concentrates are often sought out by those who want to avoid chemical solvents altogether or want to attempt making relatively easy and safe concentrates for themselves at home.

With all this information now at hand we at Morden Cannabis hope you can make a well informed and educated buy the next time you go looking for concentrates.