Live Resin Cannabis Concentrates-What Are They and How Do They Work?

Technological advancements benefit every industry. When individuals think of cannabis cultivation, they rarely consider the tools used to make the growing and harvesting of this plant more efficient while increasing yields. However, these stand as two of several benefits seen in the industry thanks to modern technology. New techniques used to create concentrates benefit cannabis consumers, as they allow for the creation of new products. One product many men and women are trying today is live resin.

What is Live Resin?

Producers use various methods to extract components from cannabis plants. Butane hash-oil or BHO remains the most commonly known concentrate, and live resin serves as a form of this concentrate. However, it differs from other products because it maintains a strong and pure flavor profile, making it a connoisseur grade. Creating live resin remains a very complex process, especially when compared to the process to create BHO, which is fairly simple.

Live resin stands as a cannabis concentrate made by taking freshly harvested cannabis and freezing it to a subcritical temperature before and throughout the extraction process. This process eliminates the drying and curing stages of the process, distinguishes the extraction process from others, and allows the user to keep the flavors and aromas.

The drying and curing process used with cannabis plants often destroys the delicate terpenes of the plant and therefore the aroma and flavor. These terpenes exist in the trichomes, or the surface lining within the mature cannabis bud and its accompanying foliage.

When the producer dries and cures their Skunk Mazar or Sour Kush cannabis plant, moisture and chlorophyll disappear. The trichomes receive exposure to a variety of conditions harmful to the plant. This includes exposure to light, heat, physical agitation, and oxygen. These conditions degrade terpenes.

When a grower freezes the plant upon harvesting, the plant keeps the flavor, fragrance, and terpene profile through the extraction process. This allows them to be present in the finished product.

Why Use This Method?

Harvesting a cannabis plant serves as the first of many processes. Sadly, many of these processes a plant might undergo destroy the aromas and flavors of the plant. For example, certain extraction techniques remove the terpenes and additional compounds found in the plant, and the consumer receives nothing more than a concentrate with no smell and none of its original essence. Fortunately, this need not happen. Live resin concentrates offer an alternative all consumers should be aware of.

Live resin concentrates capture the aroma and flavor of the plant throughout the extraction process, which isn’t the case with other concentrates.

The Benefits of Live Resin

Individuals find they can ingest large quantities of THC with only one inhale, when using live resin extracts in a vaporizer or dab rig. They minimize the negative effects of smoking when using live resin, and patients who use the product for nausea or chronic pain appreciate not having to medicate themselves as often. They get fast relief with use of this form of cannabis.

Furthermore, researchers continue to explore how cannabis can benefit humans. At this time, it appears the terpenes found in cannabis provide the flavors and aromas, but they do much more than this. Research suggests the terpenes work with cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant to provide medicinal benefits. As research continues in this area, scientists believe they may find live resin increases in importance thanks to the benefits it provides.

The Live Resin Appearance

People find live resin isn’t hard to identify. This substance comes with a dark yellow color and is malleable. Users say it’s not overly wet, but it’s not like taffy either. It falls somewhere between a wax and a sauce. Because of the stickiness of the resin, users need a dab tool when handling it. The consistency varies by producer as well. Some resin runs while others are waxy or solid.

The Origins of Live Resin

When it comes to cannabis concentrates, live resins stand as the newcomer. A small group of growers and extractors in Colorado created the resin in the period between 2011 and 2013. William Fenger, more commonly known as Kind Bill, and Giddy Up, the founder of EmoTek Labs, engineered a BHO extractor capable of providing and maintaining the low temperatures required to produce this resin. When doing so, they found they could preserve the flavor, aroma, and terpenes of the plant.

How Does Live Resin Differ from Other Concentrates?

Cannabis concentrates come in many forms. Individuals choose from BHO products such as rosin or shatter. Those who desire a high terpene content find the live resin process offers what they need. Sometimes a user wants a more complex experience, one which is provided by the complex terpene profile. This is because of the entourage effect or how the compounds found in the cannabis strain come together to provide this experience. Men and women who prefer cannabis extracts do so because they desire not only the effects seen with the strain but also the flavor and aroma.

Distinguishing Between the Different Live Resins

Live resins differ in a range of ways. Users need to consider the viscosity when selecting a resin to purchase. Some resins come as solid shatters, while others are jellies, butters, sugars, or saps. The terpene concentration of the resin impacts the viscosity, but producers retain the option of mechanically altering the terpene concentration and therefore the viscosity after the extraction process is complete. For instance, the producer might choose to whip a sap to make it a butter.

Some connoisseurs argue that outdoor grown cannabis will always have a more complex and clean flavor file. It is a little more complicated that this as indoor grown weed can also make exceptional live resin. Healthy soil, excellent nutrients, proper lighting, and a well-timed harvest are all going to influence the flavor of your final product, so more important than where the weed is grown is how it is grown.

Certain live resins today include lighter terpenes and yet still provide the flavor and effects the user desires. For instance, pinene and myrcene in small quantities are more than enough for most users. However, men and women need to recognize the terpene profile relies heavily on the starting material. For this reason, many people opt for extracts made using the entire plant, as this provides a more complex terpene profile when compared to extracts from the flowers.

Storing Live Resin

Users must properly store live resin to preserve the terpenes and ensure the product keeps its flavor and taste for a while. Use an air-tight container and keep the resin in a cool place, such as in the refrigerator. If the live resin remains out in the open, it dries out rapidly. This makes it hard to handle and negatively impacts the taste.

Consuming Live Resin

Men and women choose the preferred method of consumption when it comes to live resin. The following methods remain the most common today.

Dabbing

Most users dab live resin, using a dab rig and an e-nail to do so. A torch and nail also work for this purpose, and the user needs a dabber tool to handle the concentrate. The tool usually has a scoop for holding the resin and putting in in the nail. This scoop becomes of great help thanks to the consistency of live resin. Aim for a nail temperature around 550 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent the concentrate from scorching while preserving the flavors and terpenes.

Dab Pens

Other users find they prefer using a dab pen with their live resin. This pen shares many characteristics with vape pens but is used with concentrates rather than vape cartridges. Simply use the dabber tool to insert the live resin into the dab pen’s oven, click the button, and begin enjoying your tasty Chocolope x Candy live resin.

Topping Off

Some users opt for a third consumption method known as topping off. This involves placing live resin on a joint, blunt, or bowl. Doing so provides the user with an added kick when smoking their standard sativa or indica strain of weed.

Live Resin’s Popularity

When live resin first launched, many people were skeptical of it. In fact, it wasn’t too long ago that they only found the resin in connoisseur markets and users paid a pretty penny to get it. People considered it to be rare and enigmatic, and those who wanted to make a purchase could sometimes find they would be asked to spend more than $100 per gram just to get live resin.

Today, live resins continue to cost more than other concentrate products, especially BHOs. However, the price has dropped dramatically in recent years, and individuals wanting to try live resin find most dispensaries offer a range of products they may select from, especially the very tasty strains like Purple Punch and Wedding Cake.

When is Live Resin Not Appropriate?

Live resin comes with very few drawbacks. Nevertheless, making this product requires laboratory equipment, as cryogenic freezing involves temperatures as low as -196 degrees Celsius. Liquid nitrogen, the substance used to achieve these low temperatures, comes with risks. For this reason, it’s best to leave the production of live resins up to those who have a lab and the equipment needed to do the job right.

Furthermore, live resin remains very potent. A person with little experience using cannabis concentrates needs to take care when using this product. Live resin comes with THC values between 65 and 95 percent. This makes it the ideal concentrate for recreational dabbing or for those who use the resin for medicinal purposes. However, beginners must see how they react to the product to ensure they use the right amount. Herein lies the very reason the technique got its name – because just a dab will do ya! Users need to know the benefits and drawbacks of live resin before purchasing the product, as it comes with a high price tag.

The desire for cannabis concentrates continues to grow among consumers. They are demanding more flavor options and ones that provide a complex experience, which is where live resins come into play. With this option, they find they can enjoy a concentrate without sacrificing the flower’s unique fragrance. Consumers appreciate this and it shows in the increasing sales in this category over the last ten years.