How are Cannabis Concentrates Made?

Doesn’t it feel more intense, and electrifying to smoke, vape, and dab concentrated cannabis? It hits you almost instantly, especially with the added potency and aroma.

 

While you may enjoy the overall experience of consuming concentrated cannabis, have you ever wondered how are cannabis concentrates made? Well, there are a variety of methods to extract and make cannabis concentrates.

 

Some of these methods require having proper lab facilities, and equipment, while there are others which you can apply at home. Truth be told, it’s not easy, these methods and processes are a bit complex.

 

So, if you interested to know how cannabis concentrates are made, it’s important to learn the steps, and methods in detail. This article explores the various ways to make cannabis concentrates, from the safest options for beginners to more advanced techniques used in commercial labs. Let’s dive in!

 

What are Cannabis Concentrates?

 

Cannabis concentrates are the high potency extracts that contain a dense concentration of THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol), and CBD (Cannabidiol). Typically, THC is the main type of cannabinoid that makes you high, and it is the most powerful psychoactive component that’s present in the cannabis resin plant.

 

Cannabis concentrates are extracted from the plant’s trichomes which is the most desirable, and potent part due to its extremely high concentration of THC. Apart from the trichomes, the leaves and stems of the plant also contain a high level of THC, terpenes and other active components.

 

The thing that makes these concentrates more fascinating is the presence of terpenes that make it more pleasing to consume, especially with the added aroma which adds a super refreshing vibe.

 

If you compare the potency level of a cannabis flower with a cannabis concentrates, there is a huge difference when it comes to potency, or better say the quality. The highest level of potency that you will get from a cannabis flower is 30%, whereas cannabis concentrates have a potency level of 40% to 90%, in some cases it can even go up to 99.99% depending on its type and quality.

 

Although cannabis concentrates will give you increased relief for a much longer time, it also has adverse effects if it’s overconsumed. So, make sure to consume it proportionately.

 

How are Cannabis Concentrates Made?

 

The main process of creating cannabis concentrates is to remove the cannabinoids from the plant and refine the extracts. There are mainly two types of methods to make cannabis concentrates; the solvent method, and solventless/non-solvent extraction method.

 

These two methods have distinctive differences, and procedures depend on the type, potency, consistency, and the aroma that you want to make, or manufacture.

 

Speaking of the types of cannabis concentrates, solvent concentrates include oil, shatter, budder, wax, crumble, live resin, RSO (Rick Simpson Oil), and moon rocks. While non-solvent concentrates are kief, hash, bubble hash, and rosin.

 

When it comes to making cannabis concentrates there are a variety of ways to use solvent method, or the non-solvent method. So, let’s get down to the details.

 

Solvent Methods to Make Cannabis Concentrates

 

The solvent method involves dissolving the cannabis plant, particularly it’s resin and trichomes to extract the cannabinoids, terpenes and other active substances that are highly potent. These solvents are typically ethanol, hydrocarbons like propane and butane, and super critical carbon dioxide.

 

So, once the cannabis resin dissolves in the solution, the extracts are carefully filtered out and separated. The entire process of filtering and extracting the cannabis concentrates are done using two systems; the open loop extraction system and the closed loop extraction system.

 

The main difference between these two systems is, in an open loop system the plant is dissolved in an open container, whereas it’s done in a closed container for the closed loop extraction. 

 

These days the closed loop extraction system is preferred as it’s safer, especially for dealing with highly inflammable chemicals. While open loop extraction is cheaper and more cost effective, it’s extremely risky as it can lead to violent explosions and fire hazards due to solvent leaks and exposure to other reactive components.

 

On the other hand, the close loop extraction system does not guarantee absolute safety, yet it provides enhanced safety. If the right procedure is applied, the closed loop extraction system shouldn’t be something to be concerned about. Plus, closed loop extraction systems are effective for maintaining product consistency, reducing waste, and recovering more solvent.

 

While there are certain safety risks, it is possible to maintain the highest level of safety standards by taking effective measures. The main advantage of using the solvent based methods is you can efficiently produce high quality concentrates within a short time. So, when it comes to ensuring the manufacturing quality of cannabis concentrates the solvent method is a great option.

 

Typically, the solvent-based methods include the following extraction procedures including Hydrocarbon Extraction, Ethanol or Alcohol Extraction, and CO2 Super Critical Extraction.

 

Hydrocarbon Extraction

 

The hydrocarbon extraction method is effective for producing the highest quality of cannabis concentrates. Usually, the extraction process involves a 70/30 blend of butane, and propane into the solvent along with the cannabis plant materials.

 

This process is also known as butane oil hash extraction that works at a higher pressure and a lower temperature for the solvent’s relatively low boiling point. The cannabis plant is quite delicate, and to ensure the best quality of concentrates it is essential to extract it at low temperate.

 

Given the fact that butane and propane have a significantly low boiling point of 30.2°F, and -43.6°F, the combination of these two chemicals are the best hydrocarbons to make cannabis concentrates.

 

After dissolving the cannabis plant in the solvent, the cannabinoids, terpenes, and other valuable compounds are extracted from the solution. The hydrocarbons are then removed which results in the formation of the concentrated cannabis extract.

 

The hydrocarbon, or the butane hash oil extraction method (BHO) is used to make cannabis concentrates like butane hash oil, glass, shatter, wax, crumble, live resin, terp sauce, distillate and more. It is also used to make cannabis consumable products like edibles, topicals, vape cartridges, and capsules.

 

The entire manufacturing process is done using either the open or closed loop extraction system, as there are risks of deadly explosions due to accidental exposure of these hydrocarbons, it is recommended that proper safety measures are maintained in the production facility.

 

Ethanol or Alcohol Extraction

 

The alcohol extraction process uses ethanol which is also known as ground alcohol. Typically, ethanol is present in every alcoholic beverage, so if you had beer, or whiskey recently then you also consumed ethanol.

 

When it comes to using ethanol for making cannabis concentrates, it is considered among the safest methods, and it is also relatively simpler and more cost effective. This method is popularly used to make cannabis concentrates like oil, wax, shatter, rosin, and hash and the super concentrated Rick Simpson oil.

 

The process involves soaking the cannabis plant in an ethanol solvent that’s either cold, or in room temperate either works allowing it to dissolve the desired components of the cannabinoid, mainly the THC extracts.

 

After it’s completely dissolved, the solvent is removed using an evaporator leaving your final product, the cannabis concentrates.

 

Another way is to boil ethanol in a flask, or pot in a closed container, or under a vacuum. Then the ethanol solvent is condensed and is thoroughly used to wash the cannabis plant until the desired components dissolve. The boiling and recondensing method to make cannabis concentrates is known as the Soxhlet Technique.

 

Similarly, like the cold or temperate technique, the final step also requires using an evaporator to separate the solvent from the cannabis concentrates.

 

CO2 Super Critical Extraction

 

The super critical CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) method is a relatively much safer process compared to the hydrocarbon extraction method. In this method, the CO2 gas is compressed and stored in a closed container or vessel.

 

A temperature exceeding 87.8°F and a pressure over 1071 psi are applied to the container, causing the CO2 to function simultaneously in both gas and liquid states. The state that the CO2 is artificially forced into is the super critical form in which it rapidly dissolves the desirable extracts from the cannabinoids, and the terpenes.

 

Once the desired compounds of the cannabis plants have properly dissolved, the CO2 solvent is evaporated to separate it from the extracts, and after the solvents are evaporated you have the final product, the cannabis concentrates.

 

The biggest advantage of using this method is, it’s safe, especially because CO2 is a very stable gas, so unlike hydrocarbons it does not pose high risks of explosion. But the machinery and equipment required to run this extraction process is a lot higher. Also, it yields cannabis concentrates like oils, rosins, and waxes with no residual solvents.

 

Solventless or Non-Solvent Based Method to Make Cannabis Concentrates 

 

Some prefer saying solventless, while others prefer calling it non-solvent based methods to make cannabis concentrates. Unlike the solvent methods, the solventless/non-solvent based methods are used to create cannabis without the use of any chemicals, this makes it a cleaner and much safer way to create cannabis concentrates.

 

The solventless process mainly involves using low-high temperature, and pressure to melt the trichomes into concentrated oils. Some traditional methods include beating and pressing the trichomes to extract the cannabis concentrates.

 

As the non-solvent methods are cheaper, safer, and can also be done using both machinery and with physical effort. Many weed dispensaries use solventless methods to create cannabis concentrates.

 

Solventless extraction methods include shaking and dry sifting, ice water/bubble extraction, cold pressed extraction, and rosin pressing with heat and pressure method.

 

Shaking, and Dry Sifting

 

The shaking and dry sifting method involves putting the cannabis plant on a sift, or a fine mesh and vigorously rub the flower to remove the trichomes from the plant. It will instantly create this powdery mixture that contains the most active compounds of the plant which is commonly known as kief.

 

For a more refined extraction, you can use a stack of meshed screens attached to a wooden frame by putting one over the other. As the buds are rubbed on the meshed screens, and passed down through each screen, it will produce a more refined extraction.

 

If you want to skip the physical effort, and try a more modern and simpler process, you can get a multi-chamber grinder. You can seamlessly grind the buds, and it will automatically get filtered through the meshed screens in multiple chambers, and when the grinding is complete you can collect the kief from the bottom chamber.

 

Ice Water/Bubble Extraction

 

The ice water method is also known as the bubble extraction method as it’s commonly used to make bubble hash. This method requires submerging the buds enclosed in a meshed bag in a bucket filled with cold water.

 

After the buds get exposed to the cold water, and soak for a while, it is stirred in high speed to forcefully separate the trichomes from the buds. As the process continues, the trichomes ultimately break off through these ‘mesh bags’ or ‘bubble bags’.

 

Now that the rich compounds are successfully isolated, the mesh bag is pulled out of the bucket, and it is properly dried. The remaining wet trichomes are often pressed into patties to create ice water hash.  

 

Cold-Pressed Extraction

 

Cold-pressed processing involves extracting cannabis concentrates typically the finest quality of essential oils from the plant material. The reason it’s called cold pressing is because it requires little or almost no heat, and this helps to maintain the quality, and integrity of the desired compounds.

 

Traditionally, this was a handmade procedure which required the use of specialized sponges, but in modern times mechanical force is used to squeeze out the essential oils out of the plant using specialized devices and machinery.

 

The main advantage of using the cold pressed extraction method is, it also maintains the quality of the terpenes. So, the concentrated oils that are produced using this method have a richer aroma.

 

Rosin Pressing with Heat and Pressure

 

Rosin pressing involves forcefully pressing the trichomes out of the cannabis leaves and buds by applying low heat and pressure. Usually when it comes to manufacturing cannabis concentrates in large amounts, these are done using specialized devices.

 

But if you want to make cannabis concentrates in a smaller amount at home, you can use a hair straighter on low heat by wrapping the buds in a small parchment paper. Slowly press the paper using the hair straighter until the buds release the natural oils.

 

As rosing pressing is done using low heat, and pressure, it produces rosins, and oils that are rich in texture with a highly relieving aroma. This method is super effective for making high quality cannabis concentrates.

 

Which Method is Safer for Making Cannabis Concentrates at Home?   

 

Usually solvent-based methods are not safe to make cannabis concentrates at home, as it involves the use of volatile, and highly reactive chemicals that can even lead to dangerous explosions, especially the hydrocarbon, and super critical CO2 method.

 

You will also need to invest in expensive machinery, and safety equipment which can cost you a lot of money. For instance, to get closed loop systems you will have to spend $30,000 or more, and to make your home or garage blast proof you will need to invest about $100,000.

 

Aside from the hydrocarbon, and super critical CO2 method, you can try the ethanol/alcohol method at home. You will have to soak the cannabis plant in an enclosed bottle or flask for several days or weeks until it turns into concentrated oil.

 

On the other hand, while solventless methods are safer, and cheaper especially because they do not require the use of chemicals, it’s not possible to apply some methods at home. Especially as you will need a large space with specialized devices, and machinery, which are not home friendly, and are very expensive.

 

Although you can easily make cannabis concentrates in smaller amounts at home using non-solvent methods like shaking and sifting, ice water, and rosin pressing. While it’s possible to make cannabis concentrates at home using these methods, it requires a lot of skills, and experience to apply these techniques properly.

 

Then again, every pro was once a beginner, so the learning experience is always worth it. But remember to be very careful and maintain proper safety if you try out any of the possible methods at home. 

 

Types of Cannabis Concentrates You Can Purchase

 

While there are methods, and techniques that can apply to make your own cannabis concentrates at home, you may not be able to produce the quality that you want to experience. Plus, it can be quite expensive and time consuming as you will have to get additional supplies and wait through the entire processing phase.

 

So, if you don’t want to compromise quality, while saving your time, and money, it would be best to buy high quality cannabis concentrates. We have a large variety of cannabis concentrates which include live resin, live rosin, terp sugar, crumble, bubble hash, sauce, and more!

 

Final Remarks 

 

When it comes to making cannabis concentrates, there are so many methods to choose from. Each of these methods can be useful to produce concentrates either in small quantity, or even in bulk amounts.

 

So, whether you’re interested in learning more about the science behind cannabis concentrates or simply enjoying the products themselves, there’s always something new to discover. Once again, if you’re trying out any of these methods, make sure to maintain proper safety.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

How is each cannabis concentrate made?  

Whether you are using the solvent or solventless method, the main process is to separate and extract active compounds, and the most desirable cannabinoids from the trichomes and the buds, mainly the THC. 

 

How are cannabis concentrates extracted?  

Solvent based methods include using chemicals to dissolve the buds and retrieve the desirable compounds by separating them from the solvent. Whereas solventless methods typically involve the use of forcefully extract the essential components required to make cannabis concentrates.  

 

What’s the difference between extract and concentrate? 

While these two terms extract and concentrate are used interchangeably, they have different meanings. Extracting is part of the process to make cannabis concentrates, while the concentrate itself is the final product.  

 

Is concentrate more potent than flower?

Yes, cannabis concentrates are more potent than flowers/buds. While a flower has an average potency of up to 30%, the concentrates have a much higher potency of 40% to 90% especially due to the presence of concentrated THC.