Most cannabis cannasseurs in 2022 are familiar with dabbing and are happy with the changes we have seen in the world of concentrates these past few years. Concentrates have easily become one of the most sought after cannabis products in mature cannabis markets, especially solventless concentrates.
The early days of dabbing had such a bad reputation. The images of a torch heating up a banger to smoke the “crack of pot” are slowly going away thanks to solventless concentrates we can dab like Rosin and Water Hash. The early concentrates we were dabbing were mostly solvent based; like shatter and wax. There are many horror stories of people making these solvent based concentrates at home and blowing themselves up. However, solventless concentrates change the image for a few reasons.
For one, solventless concentrates require high quality plant material, and it’s a labor intensive process that requires no solvents. It is the essential oil of the strain without any plant material at all, in other words.
To understand solventless concentrates, there is some terminology that we have to understand. Trichomes are the tiny resin glands on the cannabis plant that look like transparent mushrooms . Bubble hash is trichomes that have been isolated from cannabis plant material through ice water extraction. A cannabis nug is a piece of raw cannabis flower that can be held in the palm of a hand.
Let’s make a comparison between a cannabis nug and an apple tree.
The nug is similar to an apple tree in that it holds the fruit we are really after which are the trichomes. When an apple tree has ripe apples, a person can shake the tree and the ripe apples will fall off. Then we collect them, wash them and make applesauce out of them.
This is what happens when making rosin. The nug is a tree and the trichomes are the apples. But instead of shaking the nugs we agitate them in an ice water extraction process. Because trichomes are oil-based, oil and cold water don’t mix, so, the trichomes begin to fall off the plant with the agitation. We then collect the trichomes that have fallen off, wash them and freeze dry them. At this point, we have bubble hash. The last step is to squish the bubble hash with a rosin press. The final result is Hash Rosin also known as “apple sauce.”
Cannabis would not work its wonders if it were not for the resin it produces. It is the resin that is the medicine. It is the resin that contains the cannabinoids and terpenes; not the leaves, stems, or any of the actual plant matter. The resin is present on the plant in the form of resin glands called trichomes.
So why not cut through the chase and go after those resin glands directly?
Well, turns out some people are already ahead of the game and do what’s called trichome farming, or specializing in producing trichomes over plant material. Also, not every strain will produce hash. Processors have to be on the lookout for strains that produce a specific trichome structure. This trichome structure is one where the trichome has a long stalk and waxy head. This way, during the ice water extraction, the heads fall off much easier. Strains that produce this trichome are considered “dumpers” in the solventless world.
WE hope this comparison helps you break away from the negative stereotypes that surround dabbing. Those who dab aren’t burnouts – but rather consumers that know exactly what they’re after when consuming the good herb.
It is important to note that the best solventless concentrates will be made with really high-quality plant material. This is usually fresh frozen plant material. To get fresh frozen, cultivators freeze their plants at time of harvest instead of drying and curing the bud. This preserves terpenes and cannabinoids for a very flavorful concentrate in the end. This plant material never touches any solvents and is carefully handled all the way until it is washed and makes bubble hash, then rosin.
Dabbing rosin is especially helpful for patients with conditions where they can be allergic to certain things, but not cannabis. For example, a patient might not be able to consume solvent based concentrates because they are allergic to certain solvents. Rosin changes the game, because it is cannabis and cannabis only. With solvent-based concentrates, cannabis plant material is often times blasted with solvents like butane, ethanol, and CO2. The solvents are eventually vacuumed out. However, there can be a trace amount lingering behind. Rules vary by state on how much residual can be left behind and is usually measured in parts per million (PPMs). Some patients that are daily dabbers fear trace amounts of solvents will accumulate in their body as a result of having to consume large amounts of cannabis a day.
The best way to consume rosin is at low temperatures anywhere from 490-530 degrees Fahrenheit. It may be even lower depending on the dabber and how hot the person likes his or her dabs. However, there really is no need to dab rosin any higher than 530. It melts nicely at lower temperatures and you can even risk burning the cannabinoids and terpenes instead of vaporizing them when consumed really hot. We consume a larger amount of cannabinoids and terpenes when dabbing at lower temperatures like mentioned above.
Electronic devices have changed the game for consuming concentrates and now dabbing is accessible and easier than ever. The never ending brands and devices have made it easier for the new and advanced patient. Puffco is probably the way to go when consuming rosin, but any device with low temperature settings can do the job. When taking a proper dab of rosin, there should be no excessive coughing and irritation to the lungs or throat. It is very soothing and relaxing as rosin can be very aromatic much more than flower.
Now, next time somebody wants to call somebody else a crackhead for taking dabs, tell them about rosin and the Puffco. Mention how dabbing rosin specifically is much healthier than other ways of consumption when inhaling cannabis products. Dabbing rosin can be expensive. However, there is a peace of mind in knowing that one is consuming a very high-quality product that has never touched any chemicals.
