The revitalization of technology and research in the way that cannabis is used and enjoyed has helped drive much of the mainstream understanding and acceptance of the industry. However, with some of the newer technology, understanding still doesn’t come easy. When first reviewing all the methods, both traditional and modern, the amount of information that is circulating can be overwhelming to both new and experienced users. With so many various cannabis concentrate products on the market, how does a curious consumer differentiate what to try or engage with? Let’s first gain an understanding of cannabis concentrates and the wide variety of product types available.
What Is A Cannabis Concentrate
Cannabis flowers are rich with cannabinoid compounds and terpenes. The process of extraction to produce a concentrate can be done using various methods, each extracting all of part of the plant’s compounds to result in a highly-concentrated product full of only the active ingredients in the plant’s genetic makeup. The two main processes to produce a concentrate are Solvent and Non-Solvent, with each producing its own variants of concentrate.
Cannabis concentrates have become widely available in many forms. Visit your local dispensary and you will encounter a vast variety of product. The use of concentrates also varies, and can be vaporized and inhaled or infused into edible and topical products. Studies show that pure concentrates are considered healthier as they strip out much of the unnecessary plant matter such as fats and lipids. Don’t be fooled though, not all concentrates are created and sourced equally. In the search for quality products, the only guaranteed way to determine quality is through lab tests that measure residual solvents, contaminants, and cannabinoid content.
We recommend that you research and ask questions about the products you might be interested in trying. A high-level, reputable dispensary will employ individuals that are just as passionate about the product as you are and can discuss the product with you in detail. We encourage you to purchase your concentrate from a licensed distributor to ensure high standards of quality.
Types of Concentrates
There are numerous extraction methods that produces different types of concentrates & extracts, with new ones being developed all the time. Kief, hash, rosin, shatter, pull and snap, wax, oils and tinctures, are the mostly widely used concentrates we will review.
Kief
Kief is the most basic variety of concentrated cannabis. It is made from the trichomes of the plant (the resin glands), and collects into powder-like substance that lives on cannabis flowers and leaves. Many people collect kief in flower grinders with a small reservoir at the bottom, known as a kief catch. Kief is usually added to usable marijuana flower or vaporized.
Hash
Hash is pressed kief or resin that has been heated and compressed. The various forms of hash are finger hash, bubble hash, dry sift.
Rosin
Rosin is a sticky substance created whenthe cannabis flower is heated and compressed. Unlike hash which is made with just trichomes, rosin is made with the entire cannabis flower.
Shatter
Shatter is a more solid form of concentrate, which resembles a sticky, honey-colored glass shards and are made in large ‘slabs’ of poured concentrate that are finished on sheets in an oven. When tapped with a dab tool, it breaks into pieces. Shatter breaks into pieces with dab tools, making it an easier form of concentrate to handle than other varieties of extract.
Pull and Snap
Pull and snap looks very similar to shatter but has a more taffy-like consistency, and can be pulled and snapped off.
Wax
As the name would indicate, wax concentrates have the texture of candle wax. Depending on the overall consistency, it can called budder, crumble, or honeycomb wax. Budder is a thicker, more viscous wax. Crumble and Honeycomb wax have the same consistency but vary in form. Crumble is already broken up. Honeycomb is solid and resembles a honeycomb with the traditional pockets.
Crystalline/Isolate
This method of extraction isolates the cannabinoids into their pure crystal structure. This can be done with cannabis or hemp flower, resulting in THC-A or CBD isolated crystals, often called isolate.
Extracts
There are several different types of cannabis extract. The most widely available extracts are CO2, BHO, and Full-Spectrum Extract. These are produced with various types of solvents, which can range from carbon dioxide, butane, to ethanol and then burned off to produce the residual cannabinoid compounds. Extracts can be vaporized and inhaled, or inserted into a pre-filled vape pen for cartridge use.
DabTabs
DabTabs dablets are the newest type of cannabis extract delivery system available on the market. DabTabs dablets are naturally-occuring, mineral-based ceramic tablet that are used to absorb and contain cannabis extracts. The material is completely inert and has been certified to NSF/ASTM 61 as a media pure enough to be used in drinking water filtration. Dablets stay dry to the touch in any environment, while holding exactly 50 milligrams of liquid extract inside their sponge-like matrix. Dablets can be used with a variety of devices, such as dab rigs, enails, and portable vaporizer devices.
What is dabbing?
Dabbing is the flash vaporization of cannabis concentrates once placed on a heated surface and inhaled. Generally, this is done with a water pipe attached to a ‘nail’, a quartz, titanium or ceramic surface on which the concentrate is placed and heated to vaporization temperature with a torch or electric coil. In order to properly vaporize without combustion, the concentrate must not go under or over the range 400-700 degrees Fahrenheit.
DabTabs dablets have taken a lot of the guesswork out of vaporization and dabbing. They are cleaner, easier and more convenient way to vaporize extracts while retaining the full-flavor, full-spectrum of the plant. Dablets help keep the extract from reaching combustive temps when used as recommended and with approved devices.
If you’re thinking about trying dablets, please review our How-to Guide and F.A.Q. for information. You can also check out our instagram page at the handle @dab.tabs.
