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History of concentrates

You may have noticed that the terms 'concentrate' and  'extract' are often mixed up, but there is a slight difference between them. Extracts are a specific type of concentrate prepared using a solvent. In other words, all extracts are concentrates, but not all concentrates are extracts.

Hash

The oldest and probably most widely used method of producing a concentrate is hashish, also known as 'hash.' The exact origin of hashish is challenging to say. However, it is known that the oldest recorded method of producing concentrates is hashish found in Assyrian Texts from the 8th and 6th centuries BC.

The exact way through which hashish spread from its place of origin to other locations worldwide is unknown. However, it was likely from Central to Southwest Asia via Persia or India. Kif was the predecessor of hash in this era, or cannabis plants were often screened to remove trichomes. Kif then turns into a hash using heat and pressure, usually getting pressed into bricks or rolled into balls. Charas, which also spread from South Asia, is handmade by rubbing hashish into small resin balls.
 

Tinctures

A tincture is a concentrated extract dissolved in a liquid, most often alcohol or glycerin. Hemp tinctures began to appear as a drug from the mid of 19th century when medicine in western countries accepted the use of medicinal cannabis. However, especially in the 1890s, medical cannabis peaked mainly in extracts and tinctures in Europe, Great Britain, and the United States.

Interest in hemp tinctures decreased at the beginning of the 20th century, mainly due to frequent inconsistencies in effects. In addition, it was unknown how to isolate active substances at that time, so it was practically impossible to ensure consistent efficacy or accurate dosage. This failure, related to the development of medicines such as injected morphine and the newly emerging legal restrictions during the 20th century, virtually destroyed the use of cannabis tinctures as a drug.

Tinctures are currently being legalized in many parts of the world, thanks to users' ability to manage consistent doses – for the same reason they were popular in the 19th century.
 

First isolation

Isolation of cannabinoids and terpenes is not only possible nowadays, but it has also become the main subject discussing the use of cannabis concentrates as medicaments. The first isolated cannabinoid was cannabinol (CBN), a cannabinoid that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) breaks down into after prolonged storage time.

CBN was first isolated from cannabis extract at the end of the 19th century. However, it was only in 1932 when the British chemist, R. S. Cahn, further clarified the chemical structure of CBN. Thus, paving the way for the chemical synthesis of cannabinoids, which was officially discovered by two separate research groups, Lord Todd in the UK and R. Adams in the US, in 1940.  Pharmacologists H.J. Wollner, John R. Matchett, Joseph Levine, and Peter Valaer performed the first THC extraction two years later.

Extracts

Extracts are concentrates made using a solvent.  The first explanation of how to prepare extracts is Don Gold's 1973 book "Cannabis Alchemy: The Art of Modern Hash making." Gold entered the world of underground cannabis chemistry within the drug scene in Haight-Ashbury in San Francisco. He became interested in developing extraction techniques after learning about hemp tinctures published in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

A more detailed explanation of cannabis extraction was given in 1977 in "Marijuana Chemistry: Genetics Processing and Potency" by Michael Starks.
 

Another major turning point in the history of concentrate production came two decades later. Vault of Erowid was the perfect online gateway to psychedelic knowledge in the 1990s. On May 1, 1999, Indra Gurung (real name: John Henry Davis) posted instructions on turning waste leaves into honey oil in minutes' on this website. Although his method is hazardous and should never be carried out at home, it was the first time butane has been used as a solvent for various cannabis extraction methods. Indra did not anticipate the number of accidents that would occur due to his dangerous procedure. He eventually patented his oil and fat extraction equipment, which is considered one of the first "closed systems" specifically designed to extract hemp oils.

When amateurs tried to produce butane hash oil (BHO) outside the closed system in a process called open blasting, they released butane fumes into the environment of their makeshift laboratory, often causing explosions and leading to severe or even fatal injuries.
In the mid90s, budder appeared on the scene, one of many forms of hemp concentrates. It is characterized by its malleable texture, which looks and reacts like cake frosting. Budder was created by a Canadian concentrate manufacturer known as BudderKing. In 2003, BudderKing approached the founder of the Da Kine Smoke and Beverage store from Vancouver, Don Briere, and offered a budder, beginning the distribution  of budder samples from Da Kine under the name of "Butter Hoots." They shared their technique with Cannabis Culture magazine in 2005.

Today, extracts such as budder, shatter, crumble, or sauce is available in all dispensaries—likewise, many dubbing tools. The concentrate industry has constantly been changing since 2010. Shatter became the dominant form of concentrate from 2010 to 2014. The saying "if it is not a shatter, it is not interesting" has become the industry's mantra. Distillates debuted in 2013. They are now used in most vaporization cartridges. Budder was the most popular concentrate in 2014 and 2015.

Nowadays, full-spectrum extracts, sauces, spirits, and crystals (also known as diamonds) have attracted the attention of cannabis connoisseurs. Within a few years, consumers have become more educated and are now more aware of the subtle differences in all concentrates.
 

What are concentrates made of?

Concentrates can be produced from any part of the plant that can be dried, cured, or used fresh. The three most common sources for the production of concentrates are trimmed material, buds, and resin.

The material remaining after trimming are leaves that are removed from the buds to make them look more attractive to customers. This part of the plant usually contains fewer trichomes than hemp buds. However, the accumulation of trichomes from trimmings presents cannabinoids and terpenes that would be otherwise discarded.

Dried flowers, which have been cured, are another source for the production of concentrates, also known as buds. This type of concentrate uses the part of the richest plant on trichomes, providing one of the most delicious and effective products. The appearance of the obtained material can range from shatter to sauce.

Live resin is a term used to describe concentrates made from fresh hemp material that has not been dried and has not passed curing. This method is used to preserve terpenes, which are very sensitive to higher temperatures and may be lost during the drying and curing process. Products extracted using the live resin process – freezing the freshly harvested plant material and its extraction – are considered high-quality and fresh concentrates due to the high amount of terpenes.

How are concentrates made?

Concentrates are produced in two ways: by physical separation of trichomes from the plant, also known as mechanical separation, or liquid solvents, which are sometimes referred to as chemical extraction.

Physical separation

Physical separation, also known as mechanical separation, involves breaking off and removing trichomes from the plant material using shaking or pressing methods. Think of it as if you were shaking a citrus tree to shake off the fruit. For example, dry screening involves shaking cannabis through a series of screens of specific sizes to ensure that nothing but trichomes ends up in the final product.
 

Physical separation methods use centrifugal effect, gravitational separation, and filtration to separate trichomes from plants. The most common methods include:

- Screening the plant manually or through a mechanical screener made of a set of mesh screens, gently separating trichomes from the plant material. A powder called kif is the result.

- Using water in the form of steam for extraction of polar terpenoid molecules.

- An ice water method when the crushed plant material, ice, and water are mixed in a container and shaken until the trichomes break off from the plant, falling to the bottom of the container.

- Cold and hot pressing methods, known as resin production, use heat and pressure to remove cannabinoids and terpenes from the plant material. This method is very similar to oil pressing. Heat and pressure are applied to the plant material until the resin glands are separated from the plant material.

Chemical extraction

Chemical extraction, also known as solvent extraction, uses a chemical solvent to separate trichomes from the plant. Solvent-based extractions are the most effective methods of separating trichomes from the cannabis plant and are the preferred method in the commercial cannabis industry.

The primary solvents used are butane, propane, ethanol, and carbon dioxide. These solvents are used in liquid form to "cleanse" the therapeutic compounds off the plant, after which the solvent must be removed from the solution to make the product safe for consumption. Manufacturers are looking for solvents with a shallow boiling point to maintain the entire spectrum of the extracted compounds without the need for denaturing or cooking the mixture to remove the solvent.

What products and consistency are produced?

Once cannabinoids and terpenes are separated from the plant material, the final solution can take different forms. These forms allow patients and consumers to choose their preferred products. A specific form is not necessarily an indicator of the concentrates taste or how it affects the person, but it determines the tools needed for their use. The different forms result from individual steps performed before or after the initial extraction process, referred to as 'post-processing techniques.'

Products made without solvent include kif, live kif, dry screening, hash, bubble hash, full-melt, and resin. Solvent-based products include shatter, snap-and-pull, budder, crumble, sauce, RSO, sugar, wax, distillates, and crystals.

Method of consumption

To safely and efficiently consume cannabis concentrate, you need to have the appropriate equipment to correctly activate the concentrated cannabinoids and terpenes.

Consumers have different ways at their disposal, but all these options require them to pay attention to detail, equipment, and mechanics.

Mixed with flowers

Concentrates can help increase efficacy and improve the taste of your flowers. Next time when you are about to roll a joint, try sprinkling the crushed flower with kif or add drops of oil concentrate. Adding powdered kif or warping wax around the joint are the most cost-effective ways of using cannabis concentrates. For dry flower smokers, who are new to concentrates, this may be the best way to get started.

Dabbing

Concentrates can be vaporized using a dubbing kit. This activity is referred to as 'dabbing.' Dabbing, which is fast becoming one of the most popular consumption methods of hemp products, offers a powerful experience that makes the best use of the plant's rich terpene profile.

The dubbing kit consists of a bong-like glass tube, which is designed specifically for concentrates. Dubbing kits usually contain dab nails made of titanium, quartz, or glass, which hold the material in them. Jet lighters are used to heat the nail to a temperature that makes concentrates evaporate almost instantly.

Vaporizing

Concentrates can also be used with a portable or desktop vaporizer. The market is currently packed with dry herb vaporizers, which also offer the option to use wax or dab. You need to manually fill the heating chamber with any type of concentrate and connect the chamber section to the battery using a control button.

The chamber section usually contains a heating coil that turns the concentrate into steam when the button is pressed. Unlike dubbing kits, vaporizers rarely require the use of additional equipment.

Probably the most popular form of vaping has become ready-to-use vaporizing pens. The pen consists of a pre-filled cartridge that is connected to the battery by a power button. The cartridge contains a heating element that is activated by the battery power, heating up the concentrate. Such a principle of a heating device is collectively referred to as a vaporizing pen.

How to store properly

Depending on the consistency, concentrates are usually stored in a glass or silicone container or packed in parchment. More delicate concentrates such as budder or oil are generally held in glass containers.

Glass is usually the best option for long-term storage. Silicone containers allow easy access and store concentrates of almost any consistency, but they typically do not have an airtight sealing sufficient for long-term storage. Parchment paper is another option for short-term storage used for solvent-based extracts.

The key to proper storage of concentrates is to minimize the effects of the external environment, heat, humidity, and air.  They all can and will affect the product's structure, efficacy, and taste. Concentrates should be stored in a cool and dark place. Containers should always be as small as possible to minimize the present excess air. Room temperature is just enough for short-term storage. It is vital to use an airtight container for long-term storage. Also, consider storing your stuff in a refrigerator or freezer. However, freezing concentrates carries its risks. If frozen concentrates are not correctly sealed, moisture may accumulate inside, and they may have a sharp taste when dubbing. You can minimize this when you use a high-quality container that is specially made for such specific storage.

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