If you love your CBD routine but wish that you could take it up a
notch, it might be time to explore the fascinating and exciting world of CBD
concentrates. CBD concentrates are, as
the name implies, highly concentrated hemp products that offer more potency
thanks to the uniquely high levels of compounds found in the plant’s buds. Concentrates are produced using various means
and require special equipment in order to use them.
CBD concentrates come in all different kinds of
strains, extraction methods and consistencies, meaning that you’ll have no
trouble finding one that suits your unique preferences. Still, many people are totally new to
concentrates, and don’t know where to begin. After all, the hemp world comes
with a massive variety of terminology to use, and that’s not even including
concentrates.
What are Concentrates?
Concentrates are hemp products that have higher
concentrations of the desirable chemical compounds. They’re most often derived from the trichomes
of the hemp buds. The flowering buds of
the female hemp plant are where you’ll find the wide variety of cannabinoids,
terpenes and other compounds that we seek out when we take a CBD product.
When you look at the bud of the hemp plant, you’ll
notice that it’s coated in a fairly sticky, creamy-looking substance. This substance is actually individual
trichomes that look like snowflakes close up.
These trichomes offer the same compounds found in the rest of the buds,
but in higher concentrations. Most of
the popular extractions take these trichomes and process them in a way that
provides an intensely potent end product with a unique consistency.
What Do Concentrates Do?
Concentrates, being more potent, offer a far stronger
hemp experience. We are used to seeing
CBD products that come in a wide array of milligram strengths, that are derived
from a hemp extract. Hemp extract is, by
nature, less potent than pure concentrates.
Therefore, many people seek out concentrates because they want the most
potent experience possible.
Because concentrates are more potent, they also act
faster and last in the system for longer in terms of the effects that they
provide. This is unsurprisingly
appealing to those who seriously love CBD.
How are Concentrates Used?
Concentrates can be used in a few different ways. Let’s go over the most popular options.
#1: Vaping/Smoking
It’s very common to vape concentrates. To do this, you’ll need a vaporizer device
that is specially designed for this type of product. A lot of the vape pens that we use for CBD
oils cannot handle the thicker consistency of concentrates, and so your product
will end up burning. The devices used
for concentrates are usually referred to as dab pens, as “dab” is another word
for concentrate.
These devices have a chamber that contains the
concentrate, which is attached to a battery.
A special heating method is used to properly activate the compounds
without burning them to the point of destroying their potency.
#2: Dabbing
Dabbing refers to the act of smoking concentrates
through a specialized device known as a dab rig. A dab rig looks a lot like a pipe, but it has
some different components that support the unique consistencies of concentrates. A dab rig utilizes what’s called a nail, onto
which the concentrate is applied. Then,
the nail is lit with a butane torch, which effectively melts the concentrate and
allows it to convert into smoke that is inhaled through the mouthpiece.
#3: Misc.
There are plenty of other things that you can do with
concentrates. Some people cook with them
by melting them into a fat, and then using that fat in a recipe. You can also make topicals using the same
method.
How Concentrates are Made
Typically, concentrates are broken down into two
categories based on the method used to produce them. One method involves the use of a solvent, and
the other relies on more organic methods.
Solvent-based methods apply a solvent to the trichomes to end up with
the desired consistency. Solventless
methods may use certain pressing or refining techniques to create the
product. But, all concentrates start
with the same component, which is the hemp flower’s buds that are naturally
rich in trichomes.
Different Types of Concentrates
Now, let’s go over the most popular types of CBD
concentrates.
#1: Wax
CBD wax is one of the most popular types of
concentrates, and it gets its name from its waxy consistency that is
unfortunately compared to earwax. It has
a rich golden color, and is sticky to the touch.
CBD wax is most often produced using butane as a
solvent, which is then isolated and removed from the end product to keep the
wax nontoxic. CBD wax comes in many
strengths based on its concentration, as well as a wide range of strains.
#2: Shatter
Shatter is essentially one step above wax in terms of
the manufacturing process, as more heat is used to melt the wax, which is then
dried into a thin, glass-like sheet.
It’s amber in color and translucent.
Like the name implies, shatter is highly fragile, which means that it
must be handled with utmost care.
Shatter is filtered several times until it takes on the desired
consistency. The molecules in shatter
are close to reaching a crystalline state, hence its hard and brittle nature.
#3: Crumble
CBD crumble has a soft and crumbly texture, and is the
result of infusing the concentrate with ample moisture. It’s highly crumbly, meaning that it must be
handled with care. It can be a bit of a
pain to dab, due to how easily it falls apart.
But, crumble offers a unique flavor that many concentrate enthusiasts
can’t get enough of, and those will tell you that the minor annoyance of the crumbly
texture is well worth it.
#4: Resin
Resin is in fact another word for the trichomes of the
hemp plant. Some companies sell resin,
which may or may not have been heated in order to pre-activate the compounds
prior to smoking or vaporizing.
#5: Rosin
Rosin is a unique type of concentrate that is produced
by using a combination of heat and pressure to simultaneously melt and press
the trichomes into a highly concentrated substance. Rosin does not utilize solvents, and some
argue that this makes it a uniquely clean type of dab. It’s a sap-like substance that’s highly
sticky, and may be a bit tricky to handle.
#6: Hash
CBD hash is the oldest type of concentrate there is,
having been around for perhaps several centuries. It’s the result of taking the trichomes of
the buds and pressing them firmly into a fairly solid brick. Like rosin, hash is made with a solventless
process, which means that it won’t contain trace amounts of chemicals.
#7: Budder
Budder has a reputation for being a uniquely flavorful
type of concentrate, which many enthusiasts preferring it solely for this
purpose. It has the consistency of
butter, and is most often extracted via butane or CO2 extraction. Another possible advantage of this type of
concentrate is that it’s very easy to handle, as it’s not as sticky, and
doesn’t fall apart as easily as some other types of concentrates.
It’s also believed that budder retains higher
concentrations of terpenes as a result of the manufacturing process, which may
make it more desirable among those seeking the effects of certain terpenes
found in the hemp plant.
#8: Sauce
Sauce is one of the newer types of concentrates to hit
the scene, and it’s quickly becoming a go-to among many heavy-duty hemp
lovers. Sauce has a thick sauce-like
consistency, and its biggest appealing factor is its phenomenally high level of
terpenes compared to other commonly used types of dabs. Sauce is a good choice for someone who really
desires the entourage effect, and wants as many high levels of various hemp
compounds as possible.
#9: Crystalline
Crystalline is a type of concentrate that resembles
small crystals, or coarse sugar.
Crystalline is typically a concentrate of a single compound, such as a
cannabinoid like CBD.
Which Concentrate is Right for You?
So, with so many different types of concentrates
available, we understand that you may be having a hard time knowing which one
you want to choose. And, we certainly
don’t blame you. Each concentrate has
its unique advantages over the rest, so choosing which one to try first is the
hardest part of experiencing concentrates in general.
What we do recommend is that you feel comfortable
experimenting with different kinds.
While each one ultimately gives you the same thing, which is a very
potent hemp experience, you may find that certain ones are more satisfying to
you than others.
Other Things to Consider When Choosing a Concentrate
Before committing to a particular concentrate product,
there are a few things you should consider beforehand.
#1: The Strain
Concentrates with the exception of crystalline are
whole-plant products, meaning they contain the full variety of compounds in the
hemp plant. This means that you can
often choose from a wide array of strains when choosing a particular
concentrate. Each strain has a unique
organization of chemical compounds, which means that different strains can
produce different specific effects.
Therefore, when choosing a concentrate, make sure that you take the
strain into account if you’re seeking out certain effects in particular.
#2: The Potency
Some concentrates are naturally more potent than
others, so if you are particular about the potency level, take this into
consideration when choosing the right type of product for you. Remember that even the most potent type of
whole-plant concentrate will not get you high, so don’t be worried about
stronger, more concentrated products.
#3: The Purity
We said that some concentrates are produced via
solvent methods, while others are not.
Ultimately, solventless concentrates are purer, meaning that they
contain no trace levels of impurities that come from solvent materials. If this is something that is important to
you, choose one of the solventless concentrates from the list above.
#4: The Quality
Concentrates can vary greatly in terms of quality
depending on the company’s various practices.
Always go with a company that’s highly respected throughout the vaping
industry, and make sure that you look for third-party lab tests on their
website, which indicates that they have their hemp concentrates thoroughly
analyzed for purity levels and overall quality.
#5: The Legality
It’s always wise to make sure that your state allows
certain concentrates to be purchased and sold.
Each state has its own laws regarding hemp.
Final CBD Concentrates Thoughts
Sure, the world of CBD concentrates may sound
intimidating at first, but as you can see, it’s easy to figure out which type
of concentrate will best suit your needs based on its individual
qualities. No matter which type of
concentrate you choose, you can count on it providing a uniquely powerful hemp
session in ways that other types of CBD products simply aren’t capable of.
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