Cannabis extract is a complex topic. There's so much to discuss, from the products themselves to the preferred method of creating them to new medicinal uses. It is important to have a basic understanding of cannabis extracts, their differences from other cannabis products and what consumers should expect when they purchase them.
The Essentials of Cannabis Extract
Cannabis extract is classified under the heading of cannabis concentrates. Extracts are made by using solvents to extract the cannabinoids from the cannabis plant. This separation can be done with butane, propane or ethanol. There are other solventless extraction methods, but this article will focus on those that use solvent-based extraction.
Alternatives for cannabis users at all price points is one of the greatest attractions of cannabis extracts. Cannabis extracts can be used by people who don't like the taste, smell, or high of smoking cannabis. Other extracts are available for experienced users who wish to enhance the flavor of the cannabis and experience a deeper, more "fuller" feeling of euphoria. Cannabis extracts continue to be popular because they can fulfill a wide range of consumer needs, even in legal recreational states.
Cannabis extracts are also more refined and contain fewer unwanted substances. The texture and the processing of cannabis extracts can vary.
Different types of cannabis extracts
Crude Oil
Solvent Used: HydrocarbonConsumption Method: NA
Crude oil is an extract that has been extracted from the primary extraction after the flower has been dried or cured. This extract is not intended to be consumed, but it can be further processed in post-processing steps in order to create a consumer product.
Live Resin
Solvent: Hydrocarbon
Consumption Method NA
Live resin can also be taken at the end of the primary extraction. In this case, however, the source material is a fresh, frozen plant.
Shatter
Solvent: Hydrocarbon
Consumption Method: Dabbing
Shatter can be described as a product made of dried or cured flowers. This product, which is hardened and glassy-like, will shatter, just like its name. It appears thin and golden-colored.
Badder
Solvent: Hydrocarbon
Consumption Method: Dabbing
Badder, also known as butter, can also be made from live resin, cured resin extract, and other ingredients. See the definition above. It is made from a mixture of live resin and cured resin extract. It has a cake batter consistency that can be "whipped" and contains moderate amounts of terpenes.
Sugar
Solvent: Hydrocarbon
Consumption Method: Dabbing
Sugar can also be made from live resin extract. Many concentrate manufacturers often refer to sugar as "live resin" and place it on dispensary shelves. This extract is basically wax with crystals and has a grainy appearance.
Wax
Solvent: Hydrocarbon
Consumption Method: Dabbing
Wax is a concentrate of cured resin extract or live resin. It has a waxy consistency. The color is usually a little lighter and more opaque than shatter or sugar. Heat and agitation are key to achieving a wax-like consistency.
Sauce
Solvent: Hydrocarbon
Consumption Method: Dabbing
Sauce another product is made from live resin cannabis extract. It is a mix of THCa crystals (see THCa Crystalline definition). It also contains isolated terpenes. This gives it a soupy appearance.
THCa Crystalline
Solvent: Hydrocarbon
Method of Consumption: Oil (for non-psychoactive effects), pill, or drink (for psychoactive effects), or cannabis (for a more sedative effect).
THCa crystalline is a highly refined crude oil cannabis extract that has the appearance of crystals. It contains a potency level of 99.96% THCa. This is considered an isolate because it does not contain any other terpenes or cannabinoids. Depending on how the oil is consumed (e.g. heat or not), users will experience a strong psychoactive effect or no high.
THC Distillate
Solvent: Ethanol (most commonly) or Hydrocarbon
Consumption Method: Food, drink, pills, tinctures, vape cartridges
THC distillate can be described as a distilled oil. Fractional distillation allows the cannabinoids to be separated from other compounds in the oil. This creates a flavorless and odorless concentrate which can then be further processed or refined into different consumer products.
Full Spectrum CBD
Solvent: Ethanol (most commonly) or Hydrocarbon
Consumption Method Foods, drinks, lotions, pills, and oils
Full-spectrum CBD oil is made from crude oils and contains all the cannabinoids, terpenes and other compounds found in cannabis plants. Full-spectrum CBD extract is made from hemp, which has been used traditionally for. CBD extracts can have low THC levels (less than 0.3%) or be marketed as "THC free" with THC levels less than 0.1%.
CBD Distillate
Solvent: Ethanol (most commonly) or Hydrocarbon
Consumption Method Food, drink and vape cartridges
CBD distillate can be purified from hemp crude oil by fractional distillation. It is oily in consistency and has no odor or flavor. You can further process it into many other consumer products. Because of the exclusion of cannabinoids from distillate, it is not considered full-spectrum extract.
CBD Isolate
Solvent: Ethanol (most commonly) or Hydrocarbon
Consumption Method Lotions and edibles, drinks, pills, and dabbing
CBD isolate can be used to further refine your CBD distillate. The oil is then subjected to temperature changes and motion, which results in crystal-like structures. These crystals can be ground to a powder and used as an ingredient in a final cannabis product. This extract of cannabis is 99% pure CBD and free from other cannabinoids or terpenes.
How does cannabis extract processing work?
To extract THC, CBD and other cannabinoids from cannabis plants, a hydrocarbon solvent is used. This leaves an oil-like product. It is a complex and multi-step process that yields high quality products when performed correctly.
The first step in cannabis extraction is to separate the cannabinoids from the plant matter. This is done using a solvent that is best suited for the final product. This is called primary extraction.
Next, you will need to purify or refine the cannabis extract. These steps include color remediation and winterization. The next steps are decarboxylation and distillation. These are crucial steps in developing cannabis extract. They allow for the separation, refinement and purification of the desired components in order to produce a fine-tuned product. If you need cannabis extract, you may visit your nearest cannabis dispensary or search on the internet to buy cannabis products online.