You’ve probably heard of hash. Bubble hash is the grandaddy of concentrates for the older crowds. Sadly, this concentrate has waned in popularity in recent years, and with modern technology, more potent concentrates have taken over dispensary shelves. Two of these newer varieties are shatter and live resin.
Because of cannabis’s acceptance, the burgeoning marijuana industry has experienced a rapid acceleration over the past decade in advancing potent products. Of the many different cannabis concentrates, live resin and shatter are relatively new and popular among consumers.
What exactly are they? How are they made? How do they relate to other concentrates like oil, wax, and shatter? In this article, we’ll give you the answers!
Cannabis Concentrates
Concentrates are among the most potent marijuana products. As the name implies, a cannabis concentrate is a concentrated product made up of the compounds from the cannabis plant. These compounds mainly include cannabinoids and terpenes.
Before we explain the difference between shatter and live resin, it’s essential to understand how they are produced.
Cannabis Concentrate Production
Manufacturers produce cannabis concentrates in a variety of ways. They utilize solvents to break down plant material; the aim is to break down the cannabis plant to a point where the desired cannabis components– cannabinoids, terpenes, or flavonoids– remain. Typically, the product is a potent & precious oil.
It’s also possible to produce concentrates without dealing with any solvents. Some examples include solventless extracts such as sift resin and ice water hash. They’re excellent extract options made without the use of solvents.
Solvents
Solvents such as butane, ethanol, and CO2 can be utilized during the rigorous extraction processes, resulting in concentrates. Producers usually prefer CO2 because it is relatively inexpensive, non-toxic, readily available, and easy to obtain.
Shatter
Shatter is the original gangster (OG) of the cannabis world! It’s the most common type of concentrate on dispensary shelves today.
This ubiquitous extract is called shatter because of its form. Extracted correctly, shatter is like glass shards when laid on parchment paper. Massive slabs of shatter mimic a broken mirror.
Shatter can come in various consistencies. The gooier varieties are rich in decarboxylated (activated) THC. When it’s sappier, the concentrate can contain more CBDs and terpenes than the brittle variants. Therefore, if purged correctly, they smell and taste better.
The appearance and consistency of shatter have nothing to do with its THC content. Some incorrectly assume the clearer the shatter, the more THC it contains. However, that’s not always the case.
Shatter and crumble are among concentrates carrying the risk of leftover solvents. Potheads love to shatter. Terpenes in shatter can bring a flavor that most CO2 extracts won’t carry over after the extraction process. Shatter has a complex composition, making it better for dabbing and vaporizing.
Texture & Consistency
Shatter is a translucent form of cannabis concentrate, and it’s very popular. Color ranges from light honey amber to a darker yellow (like olive oil). Shatter’s texture is usually hard, but consistency may vary depending on the extraction process.
The final form of shatter depends predominantly on pressure and temperature conditions during the shatter purge. Precise pressure and ultra-low temperatures are applied and play an essential role in giving shatter a distinguishable translucent, glass-like appearance.
Shatter Production
Shatter’s production method is identical to live resin or BHO. The primary difference is the post-processing procedure leading to shatter’s final texture and appearance. Processors usually add the solvent butane to shatter.
But using carbon dioxide, the moisture out of the plant matter dries out, resulting in a shatter without its distinctive appearance. The temperature utilized in the process is 85-100 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-24 hours.
When produced with butane, shatter’s extraction process is similar to that of waxy concentrates. But manufacturers should ensure the oil doesn’t get agitated. If the oil crystalizes, the outcome will be different — from translucent to opaque, turning the clear shatter into a cloudy wax.
Our shatter products available on BuyWeed247 are rich in THC and undergo quality control to ensure quality.
Live Resin
Like wax or shatter, live resin is a cannabis concentrate with higher terpene levels than other cannabis products.
Live resins are extracted either from fresh or frozen cannabis plants. It’s comparable with dried and cured (decarboxylated) plant material. That’s precisely where the cannabis concentrate gets its moniker.
The term “live” refers to the product extracted from live cannabis plants. Live resins are processed without an initial decarboxylation of the plant. Hence, the following extracts more effectively preserve the terpene profile of the living cannabis plant. Consequently, live resins have better aromas, flavors, and perhaps superior medicinal effects.
Marijuana extracts are typically named by their consistencies and textures. Some are brittle and hard like shatter, some are waxy, gooey and thick like batter, and some have a saucy texture. Live resin, situated somewhere between a wax and a sauce, is a malleable concentrate; It’s not quite taffy yet not too wet.
Live resin color can vary from light yellow to white, but it’s typically dark yellow. Like other cannabis concentrates, live resin is extremely sticky, and you’ll need a dab tool to handle it.
Live resins, containing a lot of THC, tend to be extremely potent. Potheads love them because of their intense flavors and aromas inherited from the plant.
Live Resin Production
A solvent goes through plant matter to extract CBD, THC, terpenes, and other favored chemicals that make marijuana appealing.
The most popular solvent is butane. And this is why most cannabis extracts are sometimes called BHO. Butane isn’t the only solvent for extracting, and some live resins are produced with alternative liquids. Other extracting solvents include carbon dioxide (CO2), chloroform, and isopropyl alcohol.
Live resin is similar to other cannabis extracts in that it has a much higher level of THC than marijuana flowers you might smoke or add into edibles. Extracts such as live resin can weigh in at 80-90% THC. You can compare this level with plant matter (as high as 25% THC), explaining why live resin is becoming so popular.
But don’t forget that the strengthening feature of live resins isn’t its THC content. Some live resins may be slightly lower in THC content than conventionally-produced extracts. The point with live resin is that they preserve the terpenes lost through the regular decarboxylation process.
Live Resin vs. Cured Resin
These two concentrates mainly differ in their starting material. Live resin is made from frozen plant material kept frozen throughout the extraction process. On the other hand, the cured resin is obtained from dried plant material.
Sometimes, “cured resin” is interpreted as a general term for a concentrated extract from dried cannabis converted into shatter, wax, batter, or other types of concentrates.
Terpenes
Terpenes are cannabis components providing each strain with its taste and smell. Interestingly, terpenes are made by the same glands that produce CBD and THC.
Over 100 terpenes have been identified, each with varying properties. Some of them are:
- Limonene
- Myrecene
- 3-Carene
Most importantly, each terpene has its distinct medicinal property. Hence, if you’re suffering from anxiety, depression, nausea, insomnia, lack of appetite, or other ailments, there’s probably a terp for it!
Shatter vs. Live Resin
Unlike other extracts, shatter holds its form well in normal conditions. But once placed in a warm area, it’ll convert into a new form.
Although you can achieve live resin in any consistency– at least, in principle, you seldom see it in shatter form. Shatter is a well-sought-after type of concentrate known for its fragile, glass-like state.
Unlike live resin, shatter has a shallow terpene content. The wax undergoes multiple filtrations and purification processes to achieve its pristine consistency. Although this is perfect for getting the purest shatter possible, it also ruins the plant’s various terpenes and flavonoids. The translucent appearance potheads love and result in quite a typical taste.
Live resin is hugely aromatic, particularly if compared with shatter. The flash-frozen marijuana concentrate keeps terpenes like none other. As a result, shatter embraces the entourage effects, i.e., the idea that cannabis properties are best enjoyed synergistically.
Therefore, it appears that live resin can be a bit more potent than shatter. However, the latter contains higher THC levels.
Live resin is an excellent option if you require some therapeutic benefits, perhaps pain relief or relaxation. As a potent concentrate, shatter is full of soothing properties that’ll boost your mood and help you feel your best.
Which one is better? Overall, live resin is more potent than shatter, and the synergistic effects of cannabinoids and terpenes will help with sleep and lower pain. Overall, the entourage phenomenon makes the impact much more potent and full-bodied than other cannabis extracts such as shatter, where terpenes and flavonoids have been stripped.
Shatter vs. Wax
Regarding the breakdown of marijuana concentrates, you either see wax or shatter types. Fragile and transparent concentrates are shatter, whereas muddied, viscous extracts are wax. But their actual structure is a bit more complicated than that.
Shatter undergoes extremely rigorous purification and extraction processes to achieve a translucent and transparent appearance. On the other hand, wax is often stirred, then whipped, or mixed during the purging process, resulting in the malleable consistency it’s known for.
There’s a common misconception that cannabis extracts with higher transparency are superior. But the appearance is simply the result of manipulation during the preparation process.
Other Marijuana Concentrates
Now that we’ve learned about shatter and live resin, let’s take a look at other famous concentrates:
Wax
Wax is similar to shatter with high concentrations of THC and potent psychoactive effects. Wax features a more gooey and crumbly texture, much like earwax. The different texture comes from minor differences in production. Besides differing in appearance and consistency, the wax degrades much more quickly than shatter. However, it’s considered easier to consume.
Budder
Budder is a wax-concentrate variant. It’s one of the most favored concentrates in dispensaries right now. Typically extracted with CO2 or butane, budder is a cannabis concentrate produced using a chemical solvent blasting through marijuana matter to extract THC and other cannabinoids.
The resulting material is then “purged” with air pressure and heat to remove the solvent. The exact process (with slight differences) creates crumble wax and shatter, but the results vary.
Crumble
This concentrate is made very similar to those utilized for shatter and budder. However, the pre-purged oils utilized for the concentrate crumble have more moisture. Also, there’s a different temperature and thicker texture, helping create the wax’s cheese-like structure after the purging process.
A common method to transform wax into crumble is to purge for a more extended period but at a lower temperature, preserving terpenes and making for a better-tasting extract.
CO2 Oil
CO2 concentrates come in similar forms as shatters and waxes run with butane. However, six-figure machines producing commercial CO2 concentrates make their oils. Hash-heads prefer CO2 since it’s nonflammable and carries no residual solvents.
Resin
Resin is among the newest varieties of cannabis concentrate. It has rapidly gained popularity because it is relatively easy to make. Making resin at home only needs a hair straightener, nugs, and parchment paper.
The pressure and heat applied by the hair straightener extract the resin glands from the buds, leaving pools of THC oil that produce potent dabs. Caution! We strongly recommend that you leave the production of solvent-based concentrates to professionals.
Bubble Hash
Like butane, CO2 and resin extraction, the production of bubble hash involves separating THC and other desirable compounds from plant matter. But this process uses ice water instead of a solvent like butane or CO2.
The most common method for making bubble hash is pacing marijuana in mesh bags and filtering a combination of plant matter, ice, and water. Then a poopy substance is to be collected at the bottom. Once it dries, your bubble hash is ready!
Sift
Sift (aka kief) is a rudimentary cannabis concentrate with potent effects. The concentrate is made by sifting dried buds over mesh screens and accumulating the trichomes at the bottom. Sift isn’t bonded like hash, but it’s easy to use over bowls. You can also use it in vaporizers or as a garnish for joints.
Caviar
Caviar has a few different names. Dispensaries take regular nugs, infuse them with hash oil, and then roll them once more in sift. Some producers skip the hash-oil step. Technically speaking, caviar isn’t a concentrate because of its cannabis flower base.
Bottom Line
You probably won’t go wrong with any of them since each marijuana concentrate has unique characteristics.
Standard vendors test these products carefully with the help of independent labs. Just remember to seek out only the highest quality concentrates.
All of our live resin products will have desirable potency, flavor, and, most importantly, safety. Live resin together with shatter are among the favorite concentrates, and it can be delivered to your doorstep with a couple of clicks!
If you’re looking for high-quality live resin at highly competitive prices in Canada, please get in touch today.