Today, there is an endless amount of cannabis concentrates available for the consumer to try. Live resin and distillate are two of the favored cannabis concentrates but hold extreme and almost polarizing differences.
Although both live resin and distillate cannabis products will succeed in your mission to get high, the production of both of these concentrates may help influence which product you are interested in trying.
In this guide, learn all of the differences between live resin and distillates, plus the intensive extraction processes that are not recommended to try at home!
What is Live Resin?
Live resin is a THC product derived from the cannabis plant. Live resin is made using the entire plant matter of cannabis, so all of the flavors and aromas are preserved when concentrated.
With its extensive extraction process and techniques, the product of live resin is a potent concentrate that can be smoked or vaporized. Live resin is popular among cannabis smokers because of its high terpene content in the concentrate. Because of how the entire cannabis plant is extracted to create live resin, many who smoke live resin can taste all of the rich terpenes and cannabinoids in each dose.
Live resin and distillates are both forms of cannabis concentrates, just like the concentrate rosin is. However, the difference between live resin and rosin lies in its extraction techniques. Rosin is created using a solventless technique using heat and pressure to extract the resinous kief and hash from weed.
On the other hand, live resin involves a more distinct process that must be completed to classify it as this type of concentrate.
Extraction of Live Resin
Live resin recently became popular after its development in 2013. This extraction method became unique compared to other methods because of its flash-freezing technique.
The extraction process for creating live resin involves a closed-loop system containing the hydrocarbons butane and propane. These gas materials are stored and chilled in cryogenic temperatures, which impact the plant as the gases are pressurized.
The extraction process begins directly after the cutting of the cannabis plant. Next, the plant is placed into one of the tanks of the closed-loop extraction system. Under pressure, the butane is filled into the tank with the plant matter and starts dissolving the trichomes of the plant. The butane gas continues to fill the tank and saturate the plant.
As this hydrocarbon gas pushes through the cannabis, it begins bonding with the terpene and cannabinoid molecules throughout the plant. As a result, the gas eventually strips the plant material of these cannabinoids and compounds.
Next, the butane flows through the second tank where it purifies the lipids, fats, and waxes of the plant through cryogenic temperatures. The liquid that is formed from this is then directed to the tank where the plant matter was placed. The leftover saturated butane is then heated to be removed from the plant matter, which is now the result of a concentrate substance full of terpenes, flavonoids, and cannabinoids.
Throughout this closed-loop extraction process, there is no heat used. This means that decarboxylation has not happened and the THC cannabinoids in the plant matter are not activated.
The result of this intricate extraction process offers a concentrate that is highly potent and rich in cannabinoid compounds due to using the entire plant matter.
Effects of Live Resin
Considering the large number of cannabinoids and compounds that are extracted entirely from the cannabis plant, live resin is a potent concentrate. Depending on the plant used, the THC levels in the live resin can range anywhere from 20% – 50%.
Live resin has gained popularity from stoners for its rich, full-bodied flavor. The terpenes and cannabinoids in live resin concentrates are abundantly more flavorful than other concentrates because of the full plant extracted. Because of this, many users prefer live resin for its full use of the plant and extreme flavor profile.
How to Smoke Live Resin
Live resin can be enjoyed by dabbing or by vaping through a live resin cartridge. Alternatively, the live resin can also be peppered into any joint or bowl. No matter how you choose to smoke live resin, be sure to use a proper dab tool to handle this sticky, waxy concentrate.
In one smoke session, users who smoke live resin consume a large amount of THC in a small dosage of live resin. This makes this type of concentrate extremely potent and easy to overconsume. Adverse reactions to an overdose of THC can include paranoia or nausea, which is never fun!
What is Distillate?
In contrast, distillates are cannabis extracts that have been stripped of all cannabinoids and compounds except for one specific cannabinoid – often THC or CBD. THC oil and CBD oil are two of the most popular distillate oils on the market, due to the highly beneficial and therapeutic elements of these two compounds.
Distillates are created through a cannabis purification process designed to precisely remove and separate certain cannabinoids for use. Due to the extraction process, distillates are typically the oil used in edible infusions or for vape cartridges. The oil itself may not seem as powerfully flavorful as live resin, but contains a potent amount of the specific cannabinoid extracted.
Alternatively, cannabis distillates give users a psychoactive high depending on the type of cannabinoid extracted. For instance, a CBD distillate oil will not give the same mind-altering effects as a THC distillate oil will.
Extraction of Distillates
Cannabis distillates use a heated extraction process involving different gas compounds and materials. At room temperature, the cannabis plant matter is combined with CO2, ethanol, or butane and goes through extensive heat, steam, and pressurized techniques to create a final product.
First, the process starts by using a crude oil extraction. This involves either a physical or chemical separation between the plant matter and the cannabinoids in the plant. A physical separation technique involves sieving or rosin, to cause this breakup. A chemical separation includes the use of a fluid carbon dioxide extraction, similar to the live resin process, to separate the plant matter and cannabinoids. The crude extract produced is removed once this separation of either of these techniques has occurred.
Next, the winterization step allows the byproducts of the plant to be purified and extracted. This includes the waxes, lipids, and fats of the plant. Ethanol (or CO2 or butane, depending on the manufacturer), is mixed and chilled in cold temperatures for up to 48 hours. The crude extract and ethanol work together to saturate the cannabis plant and remove the excess plant matter. After the crude and ethanol are filtered, the ethanol is removed through an evaporation process.
After this extended process, the resulting product is a potent distillate concentrate involving the isolation of the preferred cannabinoid.
Effects of Distillates
Since distillate involves the isolation of a cannabinoid in cannabis, the overall potency of THC levels is much higher. Of course, this is only if the distillate has isolated the THCA cannabinoid in cannabis.
No matter which cannabinoid is isolated, the main purpose of cannabis distillates is to fully benefit from the single, desired cannabinoid. With that being said, those who smoke a THC distillate will feel extreme psychoactive effects because of the pure THC consumed.
Distillates are also much more discrete to consume compared to live resin because of their lack of distinct cannabis smell. Compared to live resin that incorporates the whole cannabis plant, distillates are less potent in smell and taste because of the one single cannabinoid used.
How to Consume Distillates
As a form of cannabis concentrate, distillates can be consumed using a dab rig or vaporizer. The most common method of consuming distillates is cartridges, which are often filled with THC oil that can be decarboxylated and vaporized with a vape pen.
Whether you choose to enjoy distillates with a vape pen or dab rig, keep in mind the odorless vapor and flavor that forms. Distillates will often have little to no flavor but can certainly enhance your high and intoxication.
Final Review
Live resin and cannabis distillates are fairly similar in their visual result. However, what exactly consists of these products and how it is extracted clearly define the two. Whether you consume live resin or distillate in a dab rig or vaporizer, both cannabis concentrates are currently an efficient and flavorful way to enjoy weed.