Medical and recreational cannabis products are a beautiful thing.
And if you’ve been smoking weed for years, or even if you are new to the wonderful world of legal cannabis – it’s time to step your game up! If you enjoy using marijuana products like edibles and cannabis flower strains you may be wondering why they don’t seem to work as well as they did when you first started shopping at dispensaries. Well, truth be told cannabis is just like any other medically or recreationally controlled substance in that the same dosages will not stay effective over time. So, if you started out with let’s say a daytime specific hybrid strain like OG Kush you may be able to tolerate the high all day long even in the workplace.
After a few weeks or months though, it could be difficult to gain the same high with flower or low-dose cannabis products. This is why many seasoned pot smokers turn to cannabis concentrates to feel IRIE. However, if you don’t know much about concentrates, it can get a little confusing at the dispensary when you shop for cannabis products.
Here is a buyer’s guide to the top 3 cannabis concentrate products by name:
1. Crumble. This is a type of BHO (butane hash oil) made over a long period of time in a vacuum oven at low temperatures. After the purging period, the solution is whipped to give it more of a light, soft consistency. This type of brittle cannabis concentrate lends easily to flower in bowls, joints, blunts and more but you can also use crumble alone. Generally, crumble provides a consistently high amount of THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) – the psychoactive compound of cannabis.
Crumble is a cannabis concentrate that begins as a light-texture extract. Then that base is manufactured in a process during which the solids including THC are separated from the liquid elements of the extract including the terpenes. This is the type of concentrate known to have the most flavor and aroma of cannabis due to its high content of terpenes. Crumble is also known to be one of the easiest forms of cannabis concentrates to use in coil vaporizers and for individual dabs.
NOTE: Because many hydrocarbons have similar boiling points as terpenes it can be difficult to find clean crumble free of solvent residue. So always be careful to ask the budtender when you shop for cannabis concentrates about the extraction method.
2. Shatter. This is a type of hard concentrate that is brittle. It can be broken down into smaller pieces for easy application into a vaporizer or dab rig. Commonly referred to as shatter, this cannabis concentrate is usually prepared in large batches. And when the large pieces of the dried concentrate are broken, they literally shatter into tiny pieces.
3. Wax. Technically, this cannabis concentrate is also a crumble but is considered “wax.” It’s the process that turns crumble or shatter into wax.
Here’s how it works:
– After the solvents have been removed from the original concentrate, the temperature is raised 20-30 more degrees while in the processing vacuum.
– Then the purged oil is whipped and placed back in the vacuum at the original temperature.
– The purged oil is then whipped again and left to settle where it takes on the unique consistency of wax.
You see, the texture of the original concentrate (crumble, shatter, etc.) becomes the determining factor in the final consistency. So as you desire, choose an original concentrate that will give you the type of texture you want in a final product. Wax can range in texture from soft, to hard for a more “crumble-like” product with the texture of (gasp) ear wax. However, the choice is yours and if you’re making this cannabis concentrate at home you can create harder textured extracts by adjusting the original concentrate to a tougher, thicker shatter.
It’s a Matter of Potency … and Quality
When it comes to cannabis, flower strains are designed to deliver a wide range of potencies. But there are many differences between the potency of marijuana flowers and cannabis concentrate and you’ll be able to see the differences clearly when you make the switch. So, why not try a new cannabis concentrate today? Just head on out and get to your favorite local dispensary to get your hands on one or all of these 3 best cannabis concentrates.
Over time, you may find that you like one form of concentrate more than another as some people enjoy the ease-of-use of something like crumble, while others will take pride in the entire experience of preparing and smoking a dab. It’s up to you! But you owe it to yourself to try these 3 (for starters) and then of course if you like using cannabis concentrates you can try other forms. Just be sure to always shop for the best quality of pure cannabis products every time you choose concentrates.
Brittany Artwohl is a health and wellness specialist based out of sunny Arizona. There, she has worked for over 15 years as an aqua fitness trainer, lifeguard and coach. Today, Brittany contributes to publications including Mountain Weekly News and Vital Updates as she lives a natural outdoor lifestyle.
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