The World of Wax

Concentrates are the most potent way to get high but understanding what each type is and does can be intimidating. We are here to help. Frequent cannabis users likely know that bud doesn’t always cut it. Sometimes you need something more - a higher high. Or maybe you are looking to try a different method of smoking. Do not fear, wax is here. A concentrate that comes from the cannabis plant, its THC content can be up to three times higher than that of flower. Wax is the general term used for all concentrates that come from cannabis extraction but there are many different forms with various consistencies. Using it requires a few tools more than it would to smoke flower, but the lack of smell, unlike flower, and a much more intense high often entice smokers. According to High Times, the consistency of the concentrate depends on the temperature used, cannabinoids and terpenes, and the amount of air left in the final product. Whatever type you choose, wax contains up to 90% of THC, according to Health Line, whereas flower, on average, has about 12% THC. Exploring the world of wax can often be intimidating with all its forms, potencies, prices and promises. But don’t fear, we are here to break it down for you – and weed away your wax worries.

Do not fear, Wax is here; A Concentrate that comes from the Cannabis Plant

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There are different ways to make concentrates, but the most common method is with butane (or other solvents). Cannabis is packed into a tube and butane is forced down into it; an oily substance drips out of the other end and eventually hardens into what we call wax. Another chemical-less method is using a heat press. When marijuana is compressed with heat, wax oozes out of the flower and can then be smoked. There is a subtle difference between extracts and concentrates, however. All extracts have solvents and are concentrates. But not all concentrates are extracts.

Resin is a general term for the sticky crystal-like residue found on marijuana flowers called Trichomes – the cannabinoids and terpenes that make people high. It is the residue that is left in dab tools when they are used. Also called reclaim, it is the least potent of the three, according to Zips Cannabis, because it is essentially wax that has already been smoke. It can also be called ‘live resin’, when it is made using fresh, frozen plant material.

Unlike budder, crumble will crumble if you aren’t careful. As you probably guessed, that’s how it got its name. Made using a solvent, like butane, and low, sustained heat so it evaporates slowly, its consistency is different than all other types of wax. One of the driest extracts on the market according to Weed Maps, crumble can be harder to handle but its breakability makes it easy to add to joints, bowls, blunts, bongs or other anything else you use to smoke flower! It is typically light yellow and honeycomb like but over time can become golden or amber. It is extracted with butane hash oil (BTO), Torrch Vapor said, and it can have the potency of shatter, ranging between 60-90% THC

According to SolIsBetter, concentrates that are produced with CO2, instead of butane, become oils. They are rich in cannabinoids and terpenes but unlike other concentrates, oil is mostly used for vaporizer cartridges on vape pens. The thick and runny consistency best suits the cartridges.

Making Wax

Wax

Wax, originally dubbed ‘earwax’ due to its physical resemblance, is dry and crumbly. It is most often extracted (with butane).

Resin

Budder, Batter and Badder

These types of concentrates are most often made using solvents, like butane. There is not much difference between the three others than the appearance, texture, and consistency. Budder is has a consistency like cake frosting, according to Weed Maps, whereas badder is more like sauce. Budder and batter can be made with trim, cured or fresh plants, or live rosin. All three concentrates are commonly “bright-blond” and have a strong, smooth flavor, Weed Maps said. It is one of the most flavorful concentrate forms due to its high terpene profile WayOfLeaf said.

Crumble

Oil

Not to be confused with its cousin, resin, the solvent-free form of concentrate is most frequently made using a heat-press and is familiar among customers who like a chemical-less concentrate. According to Area 52, most commercial rosin has between 75% and 85% THC. It can also be called ‘live rosin’ which means its made using fresh, frozen plant material.

As you may have guessed from its name, sugar concentrate has the consistency of sugar – except wet. It’s color is anywhere from bright yellow to amber. One of the most purest marijuana products, its THC levels range from 60% to 90%, The Lodge Cannabis said.

Sugar

Rosin

Terpene sauce has the texture of, well… sauce. Thick, sticky and viscous – Weed Maps reported – it’s color ranges from deep amber to bright mustard. It is most similar to sugar with its prominent crystalline structure. It is created by combining plant terpenes and cannabinoids, specifically THCA. It is one of many concentrates that are referred to as a ‘high terpene full-spectrum extract’ (HTFGSEs). It can also contain CBD isolate instead of THCA which is prime for users who want to taste the flavor without feeling the effects.

Sauce

Arguably one of the oldest types of concentrates, the dark, chocolate-like substance, also known as Hashish, is made by pressing kief together to form brick, slab or rolled pieces. Kief is the accumulated trichomes, or resin glands, from the marijuana plant. the In addition to brown, it can be greenish khaki or sand colored, Weed Maps said. According to Have a Heart, it is less potent than other concentrates.

Hash

Similar to crumble, shatter is known for its brittle, glass-like texture. Also derived from BHO, the taffy candy-like textured concentrate has a golden yellow color. Like wax, it is most often an extract. It’s potency levels are among the highest of the concentrates at around 90% according to the Washington Post.

Shatter

The single, crystallized cannabinoids are the purest form of concentrate that usually come from tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) or cannabidiol (CBD) according to Weed Maps. While Weed Maps said it is quite potent, you may not experience the full flavor like you would other concentrates, because it is isolated from the original terpenes.

Chrystalline

Wax - High Times

Budder - High Times

Oil - High Times

Resin - Gina Coleman, Weed Maps

Rosin - Gina Coleman, Weed Maps

Sugar - Gina Coleman, Weed Maps

Sauce - Gina Coleman, Weed Maps

Shatter - High Times

Chrystalline - High Times

Hash - Gina Coleman, Weed Maps