On the modern cannabis market, consumers are awash with products to choose from. However, one prized quality still stands out for customers when making their purchase: potency. Cannabis concentrates offer the ultimate encounter with potent cannabis. These products are well-known for their extraordinarily high THC content. If you’re interested in exploring cannabis concentrates, here’s everything you need to know.
What Are Cannabis Concentrates?
Concentrates are manufactured products that distill cannabis into its essence, resulting in substances that are far more powerful than their flower counterparts. Concentrates come in many forms, with the most common being known as “wax”. Other common types of concentrates include “shatter”, “budder”, and “crumble”.
Unlike other forms of cannabis, concentrates can require unique equipment to use effectively. Many consumers employ a “dabbing rig” during their experiences with concentrates, a type of complex pipe that is specially designed for use with products like wax or shatter. While dabbing rigs can possess a learning curve at first, they also unlock the true potency of cannabis concentrates, resulting in highs that are capable of giving pause to even experienced consumers.
Different Types of Concentrates
As mentioned, the most common type of concentrate is arguably wax. Wax is a thin, glassy cannabis-based substance often sold at dispensaries in small quantities, applied to a tiny sheet of paper. While wax is ubiquitous on the cannabis market, it isn’t hard to find crumble, shatter, or budder either.
The most important distinction between concentrates involves their texture and consistency. All cannabis concentrates are potent, but some, such as hash or budder, may be well-suited to specific applications. For example, while wax might be considered the go-to concentrate for use with a dabbing rig, those who purchase crumble or budder may find that they serve as excellent, powerful additions to complement a bowl full of flower.
How Are Cannabis Concentrates Made?
Concentrates are created using a somewhat complex process involving cannabis and a solvent, such as butane, which is intended to strip the plant down to its essential components. Cannabinoids may also be distilled without the use of a solvent, but most concentrates available for purchase employ solvents in their manufacturing process.
There are many different methods involving solvents that may be used to create concentrates, each possessing their own distinctive advantages and tradeoffs. The distillation method greatly affects the final product of the concentrate. For this reason, hydrocarbon extracts (also known as BHO) are the type typically found at many dispensaries, as the extraction process in question is renowned as the best for maintaining the distinct character and quality of the cannabis being distilled.
Concentrates are best for people who have experience using cannabis because they’re so potent. If you’d like to get started, our budtenders will help you decide which concentrate may be best for your goals and they’ll fill you in on the tools you’ll need to enjoy your new resin, shatter, or budder.