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29/07/2022

What is Cannabis Rosin?

Innovation and cannabis seem to go hand in hand in 2022. Cannabis has become so much more than the bag of grass you might have acquired in your youth.

Indeed, as the industry expands, so too do the means of production and consumption. Now all the rage, cannabis concentrates have become seriously popular with a new generation of cannabis consumers.

One such concentrate that has become increasingly prevalent is rosin – but what is rosin?

Let´s take a closer look…

What is Rosin?

Specifically, rosin is a type of cannabis concentrate that is solventless. This means that it has not been produced with any solvents or chemicals.

Using a combination of heat and pressure to extract specific cannabis compounds, rosin is rightly regarded as a cleaner and purer extract. However, like most things in life, quality usually means a higher price and Rosin is typically somewhat more expensive than other concentrates that have been produced using solvents.

In this article, we will explain what Rosin is, where it comes from and how it can be produced in your own home.

As we mentioned at the beginning of the article, Rosin is a cannabis extract that is produced by using a combination of heat and pressure. Cannabis plant material is carefully placed in a press with heated pads. The cannabis material is then compressed which allows hot oil to be squeezed out. A solventless process involving no chemicals, rosin has become a preferred method for concentrate consumers thanks to its uniquely pure experience.

While some other cannabis extracts are further refined in order to remove other compounds, rosin is a full-spectrum extract. This means that the full cannabinoid and terpene profile of the original plant has been maintained in the extraction.

A Brief History of Rosin

While there are some who claim that rosin may have been accidentally created many years ago, and the issue is certainly widely debated, rosin was initially introduced to the cannabis community back in 2006 via a forum member on the ICMag. However, it only gained traction when a grower by the name of Phil “Soilgrown” Salazar began to take photos of his production of hash.

During the process of pressing the hash to flatten it out, Salazar began to notice that resin seemed to be coming out of the side. While his original hash had been rendered unusable, Salazar wondered if he might have accidentally discovered a new technique. Indeed he had.

Using a piece of hash and some parchment paper, Salazar pressed it against a hot dab nail and the result would be what we now know today to be Rosin.

Since that first creation, rosin production has evolved significantly with the use of screens and industrial presses that allow for the mass-production of more consistent and high-quality product

What is the Difference Between Rosin and Resin?

Often confused simply because the two words are so alike, there are differences between the terms rosin and resin.

Typically, resin can be described as the sticky substance that is secreted by the trichomes we find on cannabis plants. This natural substance contains many of the active compounds that cannabis is famed for, including THC and CBD as well as common terps like myrcene and linalool.

Additionally, resin can also be a type of concentrate that is extracted from cannabis using a solvent extraction method and a closed-loop extraction system. that involves a range of chemicals including propane and butane.

Further misunderstanding of the terms occurs with the terms “live resin” and “live rosin”—the “live” refers to the fact that frozen cannabis plants are used to produce them rather than dried flowers.

Producing rosin also tends to be more labour intensive and as a result, costs more to produce. As such, it is a more expensive product compared to resins. In addition, as rosins are solventless, they are considered cleaner and safer as there is no use of chemicals in their production.

Finally, as resins require solvents and a closed-loop system, they can only be produced by licensed professionals and cannot be created at home. In contrast, it is possible to make rosin at home using simple utensils found around the house.

How to Make Rosin

One of the best things about rosin is that it can be produced at home, both safely and without excess cost. In fact, it’s a simple enough process that only takes a few minutes if you have the right tools.

In order to produce rosin, you can use either cannabis flower, kief or hash. It goes without saying that using high-quality cannabis will produce a higher quality pressed rosin. Indeed, if using kief or bud trim, you aren´t going to get nearly as impressive a rosin as you would if you use a high quality, top-shelf cannabis strain.

So, with that being said, let´s take a closer look at how you can make your own rosin at home.

Tools required to press rosin:

  • Cannabis – either flower, kief or hash
  • Hair Straightener (with a temperature setting of 300 or lower
  • Parchment paper – unbleached
  • Collection tool, like a dab or carving tool
  • Heat-resistant gloves

How to Press Rosin

While it is simple enough to make rosin, it is important to be cautious when first pressing your cannabis plant material. A sticky, hot yellow or orange coloured oil will begin to ooze out from the material. Make sure to give yourself enough space and be careful as the oil can be messy if not collected properly.

It is also important to remember that the press will be hot when producing the rosin so heat-resistant gloves and a fair degree of caution are required.

Guidelines

1 . Set your hair straighteners to the lowest possible temperature. Somewhere between 250 and 300°F.

2 . Cut a small 4×4” piece of parchment paper and fold it in half.

3 . Place your cannabis material in the folded parchment paper.

4 . Position the hair straightener around the cannabis material in the parchment paper, ensuring that all of the material is secure between the hot irons.

5 . Apply firm pressure for 3-7 seconds; You will then hear a sizzling sound as you release the pressure. This indicates that the oil has melted from the plant material. You will hear a sizzle before releasing pressure, which indicates that the oil has melted off the plant material.

6 . Remove and unfold the parchment paper.

7 . Using your dab tool, discard the flattened cannabis material and remove any additional pieces.

8 . Scrape the rosin into a container, such as an air-tight glass jar, and let it cool down in order to solidify

9 . Enjoy!

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