Cannabis has transformed dramatically over the past 40 years. Advances in genetics and processing have led to products that are nearly unrecognizable from the plant itself. Among these innovations are concentrates—one of the most popular forms of post-harvest cannabis. If you’ve ever wondered what all that pricey goo at the dispensary is, this guide is for you! Below, we’ll break down how concentrates are made, their various forms, and the best ways to enjoy them. Consider this your pocket guide!
Kief 
- Description: A powder-like collection of trichomes from cannabis flowers.
- Production: Separated using fine sieves (screens), grinders with kief catchers (also screens), or by freezing flowers and shaking them over a screen.
- Uses: Sprinkled on joints, bowls, or pressed into hash.
- Pro-tip: When adding to bowls or a joint, the kief will continue to burn unlike plain flower, so make sure it’s completely out before walking away after a sesh.
Hash
- Description: Pressed kief or trichomes, available as dry sift, bubble hash or rosin.
- Production: Made by pressing kief or using ice water to extract and filter trichomes.
- Uses: Smoked or vaporized.
- Pro-top: Hash comes as pressed or unpressed. Experiment with both to see what gives you the most relief.
Shatter 
- Description: Brittle, glass-like concentrate.
- Production: Extracted using solvents like butane and purged at controlled temperatures.
- Uses: Dabbed or vaporized.
- Pro-tip: Shatter is generally more low quality and removes most of the terpenes, flavonoids and other compounds that provide medicinal relief.
Crumble 
- Description: Crumble is drier and more brittle, and easy to break apart, hence the name.
- Production: Similar to shatter but whipped or purged at lower temperatures to achieve desired textures.
- Uses: Dabbed or added to joints.
- Pro-tip: The texture of a crumble is ideal for ruling into joints and adding to a bowl. It can be handled without sticking to your fingers and everything in site !
Budder & Badder 
- Description: Creamy, whipped concentrate.
- Production: Whipping the extract during cooling to preserve terpenes and achieve a butter-like texture.
- Uses: Dabbed or vaporized.
- Pro-tip: The term “budder” can be used interchangeably with “badder”, but the process is generally the same, with the slight texture difference and focus on terpene preservation.
Live Resin 
- Description: Concentrate with high terpene content, retaining fresh plant flavor.
- Production: Made from flash-frozen plants using solvent-based extraction at low temperatures.
- Uses: Dabbed or used in cartridges.
- Pro-tip: Make sure to ask your budtender for live resin WITHOUT added terpenes. This is not something that is required to be declared on packaging and may pose health risks.
Rosin
- Description: Solvent-free concentrate with a golden, sticky texture.
- Production: Extracted using heat and pressure from cannabis flowers or kief.
- Uses: Smoked, dabbed, or vaporized.
- Pro-tip: Hash rosin and Live rosin are both solventless; the difference is hash rosin is cured before processing, whereas live rosin is not.
CO2 Oil
- Description: Liquid concentrate often used in vape pens.
- Production: Extracted using supercritical CO2 for a solvent-free product.
- Uses: Vape cartridges or oral consumption.
Sauce and Diamonds
- Description: Terpene-rich liquid with crystalline THC (diamonds).
- Production: Separated into terp sauce and THCa crystals through gradual solvent evaporation.
- Uses: Dabbed.
- Pro-tip: This can also be called “Jelly”, and is much better dabbed straight then mixed in with flower due to its runny consistency.
FECO (Full Spectrum Cannabis Extract) + Rick Simpson Oil (RSO) 
- Description: Dark, viscous oil used for medicinal purposes.
- Production: Extracted with ethanol or hydrocarbons, leaving a full spectrum of cannabinoids.
- Uses: Ingested or applied topically.
- Pro-tip: Start slow! Cannabis is NOT like alcohol, everyone is different. Dosing with the end of a toothpick is a good way to not overdo it.
Distillate
- Description: Odorless, flavorless concentrate with high cannabinoid purity.
- Production: Extracted and refined through fractional distillation.
- Uses: Edibles, vaping, or topical products.
- Pro-tip: Distillate is the Keystone Light of cannabis. It is generally made from plants that are very low quality, or cannot pass testing for a variety of reasons, so be mindful if you already have allergies, as it may exacerbate them.
Hooray! You made it to the end!
Things to consider:
- Solvent-Based vs. Solvent-Free: Solvent-based concentrates can have residual solvent traces but offer high potency. Solvent-free options, like rosin and hash, prioritize safety and purity.
- Safety and Skill: Solvent-based extractions require expertise and equipment due to potential hazards. Non-solvent methods are safer and accessible for DIY enthusiasts.
Now off you go to explore the world of concentrates! If you’re looking for a device specifically for dabbing, check out our 2024 Holiday Guide here.