Modern Extracts

Article was published by Bay Area Cannabis

Yeah, this is NOT your grandpa’s hashish.

As marijuana’s acceptance and popularity in the U.S. continues to cultivate true believers from coast-to-coast, connoisseurs of today’s strains have been blessed with a wide spectrum of ingenious consumption techniques. As the legal sale of marijuana is anticipated to hit the $6.7 billion mark this year, few in the 420-community were dazed at the rapid technological advancements devoted to perfecting the modern extraction process.

This visual guide of today’s more popular extracts/concentrates (a.k.a. Budder, Shatter, Crumble, and Oil) is intended to provide a little insight and some guidance during the upcoming hash holiday of 710.

Falling within the spectrum of marijuana concentrates are those 420 products created via the extraction process. Utilizing both solvent and solventless techniques, such as butane, ethanol, and Co2, the active cannabinoids are stripped from the plants flowers and trim — and are ultimately used for creating a product with some seriously concentrated cannabinoids. Not all are created equal – while some extracts test at well over 75% for THC, other forms of extract/concentrates are high in marijuana’s non-psychoactive CBD cannabinoid, known for its therapeutic “no-high” experience.

Concentrates (extracted cannabinoids)

Vague, confusing, and loaded with slang terminology, “Concentrates” are rapidly becoming an important term to grasp in today’s marijuana industry. Representing the high THC shatter you dab, the medicinally laced CBD oil you vaporize, and the homeopathic tinctures placed under your tongue, the current attitude on medical marijuana has pivoted globally this decade. Healthier than burning the plant to access its many cannabinoids, the marijuana industry appreciates these heady forms of concentrated cannabinoids, particularly as the therapeutic potential of these “smokeless” techniques are discovered by our pill-popping masses.

BHO, a.k.a. Butane Hash Oil

Butane hash oil is a particularly powerful form of concentrate. Gaining incredible popularity after 1996, these concentrates are most often associated with dabbing, oil rigs, and other forms of vaporization. During the BHO extraction process, cannabinoids are stripped from the plant material, leaving a residue of marijuana wax behind. Based on the strain and heat used during the purging process, some byproducts provide a glue-like consistency, while others solidify, becoming either “Shatter” or “Honeycomb.” Popular for its high THC content, BHO is believed to be one of the more potent forms available on the market today. Hitting the high double digits with it’s psychoactive cannabinoid, it’s absolutely critical that when buying your next gram of BHO, it’s tested by a qualified lab – making sure that no trace of butane’s hydrocarbons remains.

Shatter

Shatter resembles that of polished amber; clear, glossy and a highly potent form of BHO. Good Shatter is rendered clear as it’s been stripped of any unwanted molecules, fats or plant waxes that can sometimes be dredged up from of the plant’s extracted, but unwanted material, during the volatile process. Otherwise known as lipids, these impurities are usually discarded during the dewaxing process, also referred to as “winterizing.” Utilizing cryogenic temperatures and a closed-loop system, the active compounds are extracted from the cannabis, and the residual residue is then properly purged in a precisely heated vacuum oven for hours at a time.

Wax

Wax on, Wax off. ‘Wax’ is a popular nomenclature for BHO that has not been winterized/dewaxed. A butane-based extract, Wax has its lipids in full effect. Because of that anomaly, when the butane has been fully purged, the consistency of the remaining product is thought to resemble that of earwax. Thus, the name, ‘Wax.’ Ever-popular thanks to its elevated potency; Wax remains a fiscally responsible option compared to other forms of concentrates. Used interchangeably, the “Wax” moniker is often used ubiquitously for all forms of concentrates. Hoping to correct this vast misconception, Marijuana.com believes ‘Wax’ would be best categorized under the BHO column.

Budder

Whipped like an angry horse, Budder is yet another form of BHO that’s undergone a specific process. During the purging process, concentrates intended to become Budder are whipped as a means of integrating oxygen and expelling any unwanted butane. Terpene rich and tasty as sin, a well made Budder is worth a handful of  mild-mannered vape pens and costs about as much on a per gram basis. Providing a tasty dab and a stoney high, a couple grams of good Budder will be a guaranteed hit at any 710-event you may happen to stumble upon over the next few days.

Crumble

Crumble is also derived from the BHO extraction process. Once the extraction procedure is complete, the puddle of THC residue is then placed into a preheated vacuum oven, allowing the remaining butane to be completely purged. After the purge is completed, the remaining product hardens into a large cookie shaped pile of tasty ‘Crumble‘ concentrates.

Rosin

Praised as a solventless extract, Rosin is one of the newest contenders on the concentrated block of 420 products. Ostensibly, Rosin is nearly indistinguishable from its slightly more difficult to create cousin, Shatter. Minus any of those pesky and unhealthy hydrocarbons, the difference between these two amber beauties is that Rosin requires no volatile solvents. Repudiating things that go boom in the night, with a few basic household implements, anyone can make Rosin at home provided they have the time, stash, and inclination.

Live Resin

till firmly entrenched in the BHO category, Live Resin is considered one of the tastier forms of concentrates available for today’s aficionados. At approximately $50 a gram in So Cal’s dispensaries, the chief difference between the many other forms of concentrates and Live Resin, is the material they choose to extract. Utilizing flash-frozen and freshly harvested cannabis rather than cured flowers, Live Resin extracts capture the full spectrum of terpenes and cannabinoids for your smoking pleasure.