What is Live Resin? The Benefits And How to Use
The cannabis industry has evolved recently, with many new products arriving on the market. Live resin is one of those products. And just like wax, shatter, and sugar, it’s a type of cannabis concentrate. But what exactly does that mean and why is live resin generating so much hype and attention? This guide will cover all you need to know.
What Is Live Resin?
Let’s start off with one of the main questions that many people want to know the answer to: what is live resin? Live resin is simply a type of cannabis concentrate. However, while other cannabis concentrates are made by drying and curing the buds, live resin is made from fresh flowers, instead. That’s where the ‘live’ part of the name comes from.
This is quite a new cannabis product, only arriving on the market in 2013. And the main aim of the people who created this product in the first place was to come up with a new kind of concentrate that was able to hold all the flavor and aroma of living cannabis, rather than plant matter which had dried out.
What Are the Benefits of Live Resin?
Every type of concentrate has its pros and cons, so what are the advantages of live resin? Well, thanks to the unique way in which it is made, this particular concentrate has some special benefits that help it stand out from the crowd when compared to other concentrates. Here are the main advantages:
- Trichomes and Terpenes – Usually, cannabis plant material has to undergo some pretty harsh processes before being turned into concentrates, which can do a lot of damage to key parts of the plant, such as the terpenes and trichomes. However, the terpene profile is preserved with the much gentler extraction process for live resin products.
- A Potent Force – Because the terpenes and trichomes are retained in high-quality live resin products, these products can actually be more effective and potent than other kinds of concentrates. This is due to the ‘entourage effect’, where terpenes and cannabinoids work together to produce more notable benefits.
- Stronger Aroma and Flavor – Terpenes are part of the cannabis plant that helps to provide its distinctive smell and taste. They’re often destroyed during the various drying and curing stages needed to make most concentrates. However, since they’re preserved in live resin, this concentrate has a much stronger smell and flavor compared to others.
- Advantageous for Growers – Finally, it’s also worth noting that live resin is better for growers, too. The process for extracting it is so much simpler than for other concentrates, so growers can simply flash-freeze their plants at the point of harvest and skip all of the tedious drying, curing, trimming, and other stages. It’s way faster and much more efficient.
How Is Live Resin Made?
The process to make live resin is very simple compared to other concentrates. First, the plants are flash-frozen right at the point of harvest to preserve their freshness. They stay in a frozen state during the extraction process, which involves exposing the plant matter to various solvents like butane or butane hash oil.
What Does Live Resin Look Like?
In terms of its appearance and texture, the live resin has a distinctive golden or amber-like color, although the shade may vary slightly depending on which strain has been used. It tends to be quite a sticky, oil-like substance, but again, this may vary slightly based on the strain used and the number of terpenes. The taste, flavor, and effects may vary based on terpenes and THC-CBD ratios.
How to Store Live Resin?
Like other concentrates, the live resin needs appropriate storage to retain its quality and taste. It should be stored in a cool and dark place that is out of direct sunlight and doesn’t feel excessively warm or humid. You can store it in a silicon container in a cabinet or even in the fridge.
What Does it Mean to Decarb Live Resin?
When we talk about ‘decarbing’ any cannabis product, this simply means heating it up to activate the key cannabinoids and make it more effective. So, the act of decarbing live resin just means heating it up, usually with a dab rig, to get the full effects from it.
How To Use Live Resin
Next, let’s look at how you can consume live resin and experience its effects for yourself. But first, always remember that in order to use concentrates and other cannabis products legally, you’ll need to be in a state or region in which this is allowed, and if you’re using concentrates for medical purposes, you’ll need a marijuana card. Contact us for more details about getting your card.
Equipment Needed
The most common and popular method for consuming live resin is dabbing. So, you’ll most likely need your own dab rig, as well as related accessories like a torch and nail. You may also require a small dab tool that you can use to scoop out the resin. Otherwise, you could choose to vape live resin, in which case you’ll need a dab pen and some resin cartridges.
Preparation and Handling
When it comes to preparing and handling live resin, there’s not too much you need to know. Like many other concentrates, the resin is quite sticky and oily, so you’ll need to either use cartridges with your dab pen or scoop some of the resin out of its container and apply it to your dab rig to enjoy it. Handle with care and only use small amounts, due to the concentrated nature of the resin.
Consumption Methods
There are three main consumption methods to choose from dabbing, vaping, or topping off. Dabbing involves the use of a dab rig to essentially vaporize the concentrate and inhale it. Vaping works in a similar way, just with the aid of a pen and cartridges. Topping off simply refers to putting some resin in with regular weed in a joint or pipe.
How Is Live Resin Different From Other Concentrates?
Here’s how to live resin compares to other popular concentrates:
Live Resin VS Distillate
When it comes to live resin vs distillate, the big difference is that distillate is made from nothing but cannabinoids like THC. It doesn’t have any terpenes at all, so it has no real flavor, unlike live resin.
Cured Resin VS Live Resin
Cured resin is made from plant material that has been dried, while the live resin is always made from fresh plant matter that has been frozen.
Live Resin VS Live Rosin
Live rosin also comes from frozen plant matter, just like resin, but it’s extracted in a different way, using only heat and pressure, instead of chemical solvents.
Conclusion
It’s easy to see why live resin has generated a lot of hype and positive attention among cannabis connoisseurs, as it’s one of the most interesting forms of concentrate on the market right now, packed full of flavor that many other concentrates lack. So, if you’re looking for something new, this might be worth a try.
