If you’re a dabber, chances are you’ve heard of Live Resin products.
But if not, don’t worry!
The cannabis extraction and concentrate market is evolving at such a fast rate that it can be difficult to keep up with all of the new and different products available.
Cannabis processors are constantly looking for new and improved ways to extract concentrated cannabinoids while maintaining the complex aroma, flavor, and terpene profiles of the plant. And consumers are constantly looking for new products to explore in search of that ultimate high. What a great time to be living that #StonerLife, right?!
Live Resin is the latest and one of the most highly advanced extraction products in today’s cannabis market. Why? In this blog, we’ll talk about what makes Live Resin unique and why it’s such a game changer for cannabis concentrates. If you haven’t tried Live Resin products yet, you’ll probably be planning a trip to your favorite canna store by the end of this post!
What is Live Resin?
Live Resin was first introduced to the cannabis world by a Colorado farmer, William “Kind Bill” Fenger, an extraction specialist who eventually became known as the “Godfather of Live Resin.” Live Resin extracts are unusual because the cannabis used for extraction is the fresh flower directly from the garden. The flower is frozen within 30 minutes of harvest, putting the plant into a stasis before the changes that begin during the typical drying and curing process can take place. It is then put into deep freeze storage until the extractor is ready to extract the material. As the fresh flower is frozen immediately following harvest and basic trimming, the Live Resin extraction process preserves the aromatic and flavor profiles of the plant at the peak of the plant’s life cycle. The fresh buds and sugar leaves are flash frozen and remain frozen during the entire extraction process. In order to use frozen flower, it is necessary to use specialized extraction equipment capable of maintaining a steady lower temperature during the extraction process.
How is Live Resin Different from Cured Plant Extraction?
Most cannabis concentrates use cannabis that has been dried or cured for extraction, rather than using the fresh plant. However, the drying and curing process often removes many of the flavorful and aromatic terpenes and may cause degradation of the plant material. This results in a cannabis concentrate that has fewer terpenes and less flavor than Live Resin. One of the major advantages of using the fresh frozen cannabis flowers is the intense terpene profile that is preserved, differentiating it from concentrates produced using traditional dried cannabis.
How Do You Make Live Resin?
Making any kind of cannabis concentrate is best left to professional processors and extractors using specialized machinery, and Live Resin is no exception. But to give a brief overview of the process –
During harvest, the major fan leaves and thick stems are trimmed, leaving only the flower buds and sugar leaves.
The flowers are frozen immediately to maintain the volatile terpene profiles that are easily lost during drying and curing.
Any plant material awaiting extraction is stored, typically in a commercial, industrial freezer at -10 degrees Fahrenheit or lower, and is extracted as soon as possible.
What Types of Products Can Be Made with Live Resin?
Depending on the extraction method used, the end result of Live Resin can have a wide range in consistency and viscosity. Due to the higher concentration of terpenes in Live Resin, the extract can have a lighter and less viscous appearance than the average cannabis concentrate made from dried or cured cannabis.
The most common types of Live Resin products are:
Gems & Juice/Sugar
Cake Icing/Badder
High Terpene Extracts
Cannabis Derived High Terpene Pen Cartridges
It is possible to create Live Resin shatter, although it is much more unusual due to the high terpene content of Live Resin and its general less viscous nature as compared to cured plant extracts.
Why is Live Resin Gaining Popularity?
Live Resin contains the highest levels of essential terpenes that give cannabis extracts not only the best flavor profile, but the highest level of medicinal properties. There are over 120 distinct terpenes that have been identified in cannabis, and they each have medicinal benefits.
Some of the most common terpenes found in cannabis:
Myrcene
Pinene
Limonene
Linalool
Beta-Caryophyllene
Eucalyptol
Live Resin extracts tend to contain higher levels of terpenes such as limonene and myrcene, which are emitted in lighter, more fruity and floral scents that are accurate to the fresh cannabis flower. Live Resin extracts provide the true to the plant experience that consumers are looking for.
Have you tried Dabstract’s Live Resin products? How do you feel they compare to cannabis extraction products made with flower that has been dried and cured – can you tell a difference? Let us know in the comments!