Stay Concentrated

Indulge yourself with some of the strongest forms of cannabis. Concentrates cannot be judged by purity alone—the presence of terpenes and the choice of the extraction process can produce a cornucopia of results. Some of the wax, shatter, crumble, errl and honeycomb that consumers purchase began as Butane Hash Oil (BHO) and are formed using different techniques. Many concentrates are made by blasting (or washing) the cannabis plant with pressurized butane (which is removed afterword). C02-based extracts, on the other hand, are made by pressurizing C02 until it becomes a “supercritical fluid,” which is able to strip the cannabis clean of essential oils. Other trending techniques include Rosin, which can be made using household products, or Live Resin, which involves ice in the preparation process. Since the cannabis community is celebrating the unofficial 710 concentrate holiday, here are nine common types of concentrates that new and returning consumers should be familiar with.

Hash

Hashish comes from the Middle East and was introduced to westerners by European exploration in Northern Africa hundreds of years ago. Hash is made by applying varying amounts of pressure and sometimes heat to kief or sifted trichomes. Currently, hash is much more popular in Europe than in North America. Breaking off pieces of hash usually requires some applied heat before it’s soft enough to break up. Hash has been historically combined with tobacco in a spliff or consumed alone.

Kief

Kief is the Arabic word for “pleasure” or “intoxication.” It is also known in the west as dry sift or “pollen.” Kief is what accumulates at the bottom of your grinder after a series of seshes. This type of concentrate is collected by letting the resinous trichomes fall through a sieve or mesh screen. It can be pressed into blond hash or into discs. Purists will say that kief contains too much plant matter—but at approximately 20 to 60 percent THC, it’s certainly strong enough for most consumers.

Wax

One of the most popular forms of concentrates is also the stickiest. Most dabbers begin with wax and work their way up to shatter and more expensive forms of concentrate. It feels like earwax to the touch. If wax comes into contact with anything other than metal or a silicone tool, it will get everywhere but inside your rig or bowl. An oilslick pad or parchment paper is often used to store this form of concentrate. Wax was first considered a “failed” form of budder—until dabbing came along.

Shatter

Shatter is a stable form of concentrate that is identifiable by its translucency and glass-like properties. It is one of the most refined versions of BHO. It resembles the same consistency that maple syrup has when it is completely crystalized. Unlike wax or budder, shatter is not malleable. At up to 90 percent THC, shatter is considered one of the purest forms of concentrate available. “Pull and Snap” shatter is a taffy-like shatter that is firm but slightly stretchy.

Crumble

Crumble is a dry form of concentrate that resembles crunchy brown sugar in appearance and consistency. It is made by purging cannabis for a longer time, but at a lower heat, which preserves terpenes. It is dry enough to touch with your fingers and break up into smaller bits. Crumble can also be sprinkled on top of cannabis in a pre-roll.

Budder

Budder is known for its thick, sticky consistency, similar to that of peanut butter. Halfway between wax and crumble, budder is made by whipping sap or shatter until it is broken down into budder. It’s packed with terpenes and therefore is one of the tastiest forms of concentrate. Budder also comes in “Honeycomb” form that resembles swiss cheese. Shatter eventually naturally breaks down to a budder-like substance over time.

Oil

Oil or sap is the smoothest and thinnest form of concentrate. It is also affectionately referred to as “errl,” which is common slang for oil. Nowadays, the inevitable messiness of oils can be abated with the use of plastic syringes. It is also commonly found in vape cartridges.

Tincture

Unlike cannabis-based oils, tinctures are alcohol-based. The often dark-green liquid is stored in droppers. Tinctures are typically consumed medicinally and are administered sublingually. The good thing about tinctures is that they can last many years as long as the bottles are stored in a cool and dark location. Tinctures are also easy to self-titrate.

Isolate

An isolate is a stabilized pure crystalline that looks clear or is an off-white powder or crystals. For cannabis, THC, CBD, THCv etc can be isolated using a complex process.  A true isolate is 100 percent THC or CBD, and is obviously the purest form, but many retailers sell “isolates” that are close to 100 percent purity. A distillate comes close, but is typically 85 to 95 percent THC or CBD.