Live Resin: What is it and why is it so awesome?
The science of marijuana has been confined to dark basements and back rooms for a long time. It's now seen as a light. The burgeoning marijuana industry has seen a rapid increase in its advancement over the last decade due to cannabis' newfound acceptance.New methods of consumption, such as vaping or dabbing , have been popularized. New substances such as wax, shatter and liquid HHC have also been popularized. But what is Live Resin concentrate exactly? What is the process of making live resin? What does this have to do with other concentrates such as oil and wax? These are the questions that this article will address.
What is Live Resin?
A concentrate of cannabis that contains more terpenes (than any other material) is called live resin. What are terpenes exactly? Terpenes oils are substances found in cannabis plants that give each variety its distinctive taste and aroma. It's amazing to know that terpenes can be produced by the same glands as CBD and THC. You can be sure there is something positive going on. More than 100 terpenes are known to be identified so far. Each one is unique, just like snowflakes.Essentially, Live Resin concentrate is extracted directly from fresh, frozen cannabis plants. This is where the product's name comes from: "Live" refers to resin that has been extracted from live cannabis plants. Live resin is not decarboxylated first. The resulting concentrate captures the terpene profiles of the living plant more accurately. This can lead to better aromas and flavors as well as better medicinal effects.
Where did the live resin come from?
Live resin has been around for thousands (yes, thousands!) of years. A small group of extractors and growers had the idea to use fresh-frozen plant matter instead of dried and cured extract in 2013. That vision led to the creation of a new butane extractor. The new equipment was still able to extract the plant matter, but it could also maintain very low temperatures that would allow the plant matter to freeze. The inventors were able to create resin with a chemical profile that was closer to that of the live plant by adding this function. Live resin was thus born.
How is Live Resin made?
This guide will give you a general overview of how live resin is created. However, it should not be taken as an instruction manual. All the cool kids know this: "Don’t try it at home, man!"After the plant has been removed from its medium, extraction of live resin starts immediately. The plant loses terpenes almost instantly after being cut. The whole plant is quickly frozen to stop any loss of important terpenes. The trichomes, which are the resin glands responsible for terpenes and other cannabinoids, become very fragile. The delicate heads of the plant need to be treated with care.Fresh-frozen plants have a higher water content than the decarboxylated plants. This new variable means that extracting live resin must be done at extremely cold temperatures. The toxins will become water insoluble if the temperature is decreased to zero or close to zero. They will then separate from the cannabis oils. They will precipitate from the solution, according to technical jargon. These toxins can be removed in order to produce a cleaner product.A closed-loop extraction method is the best and most efficient way to make Live Resin concentrate. These extractors work by placing the solvent, most often butane, under pressure and cooling it to cryogenic temperatures. The liquid butane is then passed through the tube, which holds fresh-frozen plant matter. This chamber is where the butane bonds to the cannabinoids, terpenes, and pulls them out of the plant matter. The butane liquid (which now contains all of the goodness from the cannabis plant), then goes into the wax chamber, where the lipids and fats are removed. This purifies the extract so it is ready for consumption.The solution is then transferred to the collection chamber, where it is heated up to boil off the butane. After the boiling process is completed, you will have a concentrated oil containing pure cannabinoids such as CBD and THC, along with plenty of delicious terpenes. After boiling the butane, it is returned to the storage room where it is put under pressure again and chilled to cryogenic temperatures.
What is the Difference Between Live Resin and Other Concentrates?
Live Resin concentrate is first and foremost produced the same way other concentrates such as honey oil and shatter. The solvent is used to extract the THC, CBD and other chemicals that make marijuana appealing.Butane is the most commonly used solvent. Concentrates are also known as butane oil, or BHO. However, butane is not the only solvent. Some live resins can be made with other liquids. Other solvents that are possible include isopropyl alcohol (CO2) and chloroform.The THC content of live resin is similar to other concentrates, as it contains a higher level than the bud you might smoke. Concentrates such as live resin can contain 80-90% of THC. Compare this to plant matter that can be smoked, which can reach as high as 25% THC. You can see why live resin has become so popular.However, live resins do not contain THC. In fact, some live resins might actually be slightly lower in THC than conventionally-produced concentrates. Live resins are used to preserve the terpenes lost during regular decarboxylation. This brings us to the next question.Where to buy Live ResinJust like any other cannabis products you can buy live resin at your local marijuana dispensary. You can also search Smoakland weed delivery services online to get your live resins delivered at your doorsteps. If you have already been using live resin, do let us know about your experience in the comments section below.