If you’re an experienced user, cannabis concentrates are a great option. They provide increased cannabinoid potency and improved terpene profiles while offering a clean, convenient way to consume cannabis. They also deliver a much stronger and longer-lasting high than cannabis flowers.
Wax, shatter, hash, kief, rosin, live resin, and crumble are a few concentrates available today. Before sampling them, learn about the extraction methods used to bring them to life below.
Solvent-Based Extraction Using Chemicals
Solvent-based extraction is the first method for creating cannabis concentrates. It involves adding solvents, such as butane, propane, or alcohol, to cannabis plants and letting them dissolve resin. This is the portion of cannabis plants containing high levels of cannabinoids and terpenes.
Manufacturers remove the solvents once they dissolve resin to leave behind dab concentrates like wax or shatter. Here are several extraction methods popular for producing solvent-based concentrates.
Hydrocarbon Extraction
This extraction method places the leaves from cannabis plants into tubes and flushes them with solvents like butane or propane. The resulting mixture is then subjected to low temperatures to remove hydrocarbons.
This method has become popular thanks to its cost-effectiveness. It also preserves cannabis concentrates’ terpene profiles effectively.
However, this method can be dangerous. Hydrocarbons are highly flammable, so it’s best to use closed-loop extraction systems.
Supercritical CO2 Extraction
This extraction method subjects carbon dioxide to supercritical conditions created by heat and pressure and passes it through cannabis plants within closed-loop systems. This process removes the compounds from these plants before the carbon dioxide evaporates.
This method doesn’t preserve terpene profiles as efficiently as hydrocarbon extraction. However, manufacturers can sidestep this problem by taking additional steps to capture and keep terpenes intact.
Supercritical CO2 extraction is typically a cleaner and safer option than hydrocarbon extraction.
Ethanol Extraction
This extraction method drips ethanol over cannabis plants’ flowers and buds to dissolve them. Manufacturers then remove the ethanol, leaving only the compounds from these plants behind. This method can make the extra-concentrated Rick Simpson Oil (RSO).
This method may lead to the extraction of impurities like chlorophyll that can impact the quality of cannabis concentrates. At the same time, it’s one of the most straightforward methods for making concentrates with solvents.
Separating Cannabinoids and Terpenes From the Plant Using Solventless Extraction
The second extraction method for creating cannabis concentrates is solventless extraction. As the name implies, it allows for the creation of concentrates without relying on solvents.
Solventless extraction is the preferred option of manufacturers making concentrates for medicinal purposes because many consider it a safer method. The following are the more common forms of this extraction method:
- Dry sifting extraction: This method consists of repeatedly rubbing cannabis plants against mesh screens to create a concentrate called kief. It’s an easy extraction method that can produce potent cannabis concentrates quickly.
- Ice water extraction: This extraction method places cannabis into jars with ice water and agitates it. Manufacturers use mechanical force to separate resin and create cannabis concentrates with little to no impurities. This method is one of the cleanest ways to create pure hash.
- High pressure and heat extraction: This extraction method utilizes a rosin press to create enough heat and pressure to extract rosin from cannabis plants, which is a viscous sap that allows cannabis concentrate users to try different consumption methods. You can use rosin as-is once it’s extracted, and it makes an excellent base for edibles that use cannabis concentrates.
Visit Our Dispensary To Purchase Cannabis Concentrates
Would you like to try cannabis concentrates? Cannabis & Glass has a vast selection of concentrates alongside many other fantastic cannabis products.
Stop by our dispensaries in Spokane, Spokane Valley, or Liberty Lake, Washington, to purchase our cannabis products, or contact us with any questions!