Resin Extractions

When you think of cannabis, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) may be the first cannabinoid that comes to mind. But there are other popular cannabinoids that you should be aware of, such as cannabidiol (CBD). While much of the research on CBD is new or ongoing, it can have many health benefits. And because of these potential benefits, CBD products of all kinds have flooded the market. With so much variety available, it can be difficult for consumers to separate the great products from the not-so-great ones; and much more understand the terminology of each of them.

Cannabis extracts: what makes them different?

Cannabinoids are most abundantly produced in the trichomes, the resin glands of cannabis plants. To be used in commercial products as oils or topicals, these glands must first be concentrated and then their oils separated from vegetable waxes and other non-useful materials. There are two main categories of processes to do this (solvent or solventless) and also various levels of technological sophistication within each category, although most extractions employ elements of both, such as the use of pressure or temperature.

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Cannabis concentrates and resin extractions are going through something of a golden age within the current cannabis scene at the moment. In addition to the productsexported fromthe traditional hashish-producing countries like Morocco, Lebanon, Afghanistan and Nepal, a new wave of “next-generation concentrates" has nowhit dispensaries, clubs and smokersin much of the western world, extracts with a quality and purity quite unlike anything seen before. The spread of legalisation haspermitted much more advanced investigation of the best methods and genetics to produce the different types of concentrates that have now become so familiar to us.

Fresh-frozenbubblehash, static dry sift, BHO and Rosin are just a few of these new types of high-purity extracts which have a much greater concentration of cannabinoids and terpenes than those producedusing traditional cannabis varieties and techniques. What, then, are the keys to achievingextractions ofthis quality? Is it simply the extraction method and conditions, or is it also related to the variety being processed? In this article we answer these questions and present some genetics that will captivate any lover of resin concentrates.

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Over the last years, cannabis concentrates have skyrocketed in popularity amoung the marijuana community, particularly in Europe and the USA. The high quality achieved with modern extraction techniques, along with the appearance of new cannabis strains especially developed for making concentrates, have lead to a boom of extracts, either for medical or recreational use. But, where do resin concentrates come from? Which was the first one ever made? Which are the latest developments in regard with the different extraction techniques?

Cannabis resin extracts have been used for centuries, either as medicine or recreational drug. Despite not having an accurate source to date the exact origin of concentrates, we do have some testimonies that allow us to digress about the origins of this cannabis derivative, which may date back 1.000 years and is likely to come from Central Asia or Middle East.

We invite you now to an amazing trip that will take us from ancient Persia to the very latest techniques used around the world. Hope you'll enjoy it!

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It is no secret that cannabis concentrates are becoming more and more popular during the last years. Thanks to the legal status of the plant in some places, the evolution of cannabis extracts has been amazing for the past decade. After some years in which BHO was the most popular extract, soon a new solventless technique was discovered and became favourite for many connoisseurs, especially those who don't like solvents.

This new technique was named Rosin Hash or Rosin Tech, and was based on a simple principle: apply heat and very high pressure on the plant material to extract its resin. As happens often, this technique ws soon improved, achieving awesome results and captivating plenty of cannabis aficionados. Today there is a whole industry dedicated to this type od extract, with stunning presses that have improved both yields and quality. Furthermore, there are several ways to use this technique no matter the cannabis strain we grow, mainly depending on the starting material.

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What is hashish?

Hashish is one of the most consumed cannabis concentrates in the world. The easiness of the method to produce it and the quality of the final product make it a true favourite among cannabis users, especially for those who don’t want to use chemical solvents or complicated extraction and purging systems.

Hashish is a substance composed of trichomes from the cannabis plant. During the manufacturing process, some other substances can contaminate the resin (plant debris, insects, dust, etc.) which highly determines the quality of the final product. The more contaminants we find in our hash, the darker and less malleable it will be. Logically, the quality of the concentrate is determined by both the quality of the resin and the presence of contaminants.

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The separation with ice and water or water/bubble hash consists of separating the resin glands from the plant’s vegetable matter. You can use both buds and trim , although you should use only those leafs with resin on them, removing all fan leaves which have no resin glands to separate. The more selective you are with the vegetable matter you are using, the greater the final quality and yield.

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With this first post about the famous and dangerous BHO, we introduce a new category in our blog, Resin Extractions. In this post we will propose a few safety rules for making this cannabis oil safely, avoiding any risk.

What is BHO?

BHO is a marijuana extraction known not only for its high cannabinoid and terpene concentration, but also for its dangerous method of extraction, which uses N-Butane, a highly flammable gas. Its name, Butane Honey Oil, comes precisely for the use of this type of gas as solvent. If we make an extraction of this kind with dry and frozen green matter, the result will have a rocky texture, while if we use dry matter without freezing it the final product will be an oleoresin. Either if we choose one method or the other, we can eliminate any trace of waxes, fats and  lipids later on, achieving the renowned Absolut or Shatter. We are working on more posts about advanced extractions of our marijuana strains , but we consider that firstly we should know how to make this kind of extraction safely.

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