The cannabis market is always coming up with something new and innovative in how THC is extracted and therefore consumed. When edibles popped on the market, everyone who wanted to try weed without having to smoke it, was all in. We went from brownies and cookies, to butters and oils, to candies and gummies. Then we figured out how to make it into juices and spices. I mean we are some pretty innovative people, are we not?
Then we went into concentrated extractions such as RSO and vaping. But now something relatively new has hit the market, something that dabbers have been into for a little while now.. Live Resin. Not only is it used in dabs rigs, and vaping cartridges but now Live Resin has made its way into edibles too.
But let's back up a bit. What in the heck is Live Resin? Glad you asked.
The cannabis plant can go through many things that can alter its flavor or damage its natural terpene profile. By the time it’s finally ready to be used for extracting concentrates, the plant’s natural aromas and flavors may have already been altered or beginning to fade.
For example, the curing process that most buds undergo after harvest can result in the destruction of more than 50% of their natural terpenes. What exactly are terpenes? Terpenes are oils secreted by the cannabis plant that give each strain its unique taste and smell. There about 100 known terpenes in cannabis. Each and every one has its own distinct medicinal property. Moreover, depending on the concentrate being produced and the extraction process used, many more terpenes and other natural plant compounds may be lost before it ever makes it to your dab rig. Sometimes loss of terpenes means you are not getting the most out of your high. That is where Live Resin saves the day by maintaining terpenes and giving you a more potent and tasty high.
Live resin can be traced to 2012-2013 when a team of growers from Colorado pioneered the current live resin extraction process. Unlike other concentrates, live resin is extracted from plant matter that is immediately frozen after harvest, preserving as much of its natural terpenes as possible. As a result, it has a higher terpene content than other concentrates like shatter, rosin, or wax. It is loaded with much more of the natural flavors and aromas of the living cannabis plant, making for a much more enjoyable dabbing or vaping experience, or a better tasting edible.
How Is Live Resin Different From Other Concentrates?
The biggest difference between live resin and other concentrates is terpene level. Live resin has a much higher terpene level than all other concentrate types. This difference can be as much as five times more by weight. Typically, though, the cold-extraction process necessary to produce live resin yields less actual product than other, more conventional extraction methods. With the cold-extraction process, you get less product but you trade that for a much higher terpene levels, what we like to call flavor profile.
Live resin, largely, depends on the original strain used in the extraction process. More specifically, it depends on the terpene profile of the live plant. That means that live resin produced from a Peanut Butter Soufflé strain will differ dramatically from live resin produced from a Pink Rozay strain.
There are even differences between the terpene profiles of plants from the same strain. A live resin from one batch (or even a single plant) of Wifi OG will be different than the live resin produced from a second batch of Wifi OG because of how each plant goes. You can plant 5 seeds of the same strain but each plant will be unique in growth, bud, size, and terpene profile.
Is Live Resin Worth The Price Tag?
Of course at Butter of Sheba, we do our best to give you the best weed and weed products while maintaining fair prices. We don't believe that cannabis products should rob you of your life savings. However, because of the careful process to extract live resin, products that have it do tend to be a little more in price than products made from decarboxylated (heat activating and drying) flower and infusing the THC into oils and/ or butters.
The straight answer to this question is maybe. Sorry, I know, that's not exactly a straight answer, huh? That’s because it all depends on personal preferences.
Remember, the live resin extraction process yields less product than regular extraction methods.
You are, however, getting a much more complete and accurate picture of the cannabis plant when you use live resins. For these two reasons—smaller yields and more complete chemical profile, live resin will likely cost more than regular BHO. That cost exchange may be totally worth it to you.
The only way you’re going to find out is to try it.
Just remember that you’re not getting something with a higher THC content. You’re getting something that is essentially fresher than anything else on the market. That may appeal to you and it may not. Again, the only way you’re going to know for sure is to try.
Currently, Butter of Sheba has Live Resin grape chews in stock. Although they only have 100mg of THC, which is on the lighter side of our edibles, most customers love them and come back for more because they feel it has a richer taste and a balanced high. If you are looking for that kind of experience, definitely go to the Edibles section and give them a shot. We also have Live Resin Disposable Vape Cartridges, and Live Resin Marmalade Fruit Bites.
Try them we do not think you will be disappointed. You just might find out that Live Resin might be your new Kryptonite.