How to Smoke Live Resin

Concentrates are an incredible method of cannabis consumption. Most of the time, when it comes to cannabis products, different types of concentrates are created pretty much in the same way. Once a cannabis plant has been harvested, there are many processes to create wax or concentrates, and these greatly change the way the final product tastes and performs.

Live resin, though, is a relative newcomer to the world of cannabis concentrates, and it has a unique manufacturing process that sets it apart from other concentrates on the market. Being such a unique product, it is only natural for users to have several questions on its use and benefits. If you happen to have some live resin and don’t know how to smoke it, this article will let you know all about this new concentrate and give you some tips to give you a great smoking experience.

What is Live Resin?

Live resin is a cannabis concentrate that is produced using a unique technique and that gets its name from the freshness of the cannabis plant from which it is made. Live resin was first created in 2013, and was created by William “Kind Bill” Fenger and Jason “Giddy Up” Emo, a cannabis cultivator and a extraction laboratory founder that were working with cannabis plants day in and day out. Fenger had become acutely familiar with the differences in smell and tastes associated with fresh cannabis plants in comparison to cured cannabis buds, and began seeking a way to preserve that fresh quality in the production of concentrates. It was until Fenger met up with Emo’s production facility in Colorado Springs that the process became truly viable for mass market applications. Their work together has led live resin to be known and loved among cannabis users.

Unlike the majority of cannabis products, live resin is never heated while being processed. In fact, the extract is made from plant material that hasn’t been dried or cured. On the contrary, the process in which live resin is made is by extracting THC from fresh cannabis flowers. This method is used to retain all terpenes that are lost during the drying and curing process. 

The commo processes can have a devastating impact on the terpenes of the resulting concentrate, which are the compounds that make the most of the final flavor and aroma. These compounds are present in the trichomes, which line virtually every surface of a mature cannabis bud and its surrounding foliage. During the drying and curing processes, the cannabis flowers weak themselves of moisture and chlorophyll. As a result, there aren’t as many terpenes as before. Trichomes may also be subjected to adverse conditions such as increased exposure to heat, oxygen, light, and physical agitation, which can all degrade terpenes as well.

In contrast to this, the first step of the live resin extraction process is done when cannabis flowers are freshly harvested. They are almost immediately frozen to a subcritical temperature using liquid nitrogen or dry ice prior to, and throughout the extraction process. 

The primary goal of this step is to capture the massive essence and aroma of the live cannabis plant. For that reason, the starting plant material used for live resin should be strictly fresh flower buds and sugar leaves. Large fan leaves and stems are excluded. By freezing the plant immediately following the harvest, the resulting extract retains through the extraction process and into the final product the flower’s valuable terpene profile, as well as the flavonoids which are responsible for the original flavor and smells of each strain. 

The fresh frozen buds are then transported to an extraction facility, where the cannabis undergoes processing much like other concentrates. The live resin extraction process is very similar to making bubble hash or “BHO”, where the cannabis buds are soaked in butane and then mechanically expelled, separating THC from plant matter. The resulting liquid then undergoes a high intensity, low temperature vacuuming process that removes unwanted chemicals without applying too much heat to the concentrate. As a result, manufacturers get a pure concentrate that also retains the majority of its essential oils. 

From this point live resin can be turned into any number of other cannabis concentrate products like wax, sauce, shatter, etc. Likewise, “Sugar” is a common term for a more granulated type of Live Resin. 

It’s worth noticing that “resin” is not “rosin”. These are two separate substances and “live rosin” doesn’t exist. When making rosin, heat and pressure are applied to the cured and dried nugs, forcing it to expel THC and other cannabinoids as oil. This oil is then further processed into the shatter and wax concentrates that we’re all familiar with. So, unless your concentrate is specifically labelled as live resin, it is most likely made the traditional way from cured and dried buds. 

How to Smoke Live Resin

There are several ways one can smoke live resin to make the most out of it. In case you have some of the smoking devices mentioned below, make sure that they are in proper conditions to avoid wasting your resin.

Dabbing 

Dab rigs are produced from materials that can withstand higher temperatures than glass bowls used for smoking regular cannabis flowers. For live resin you should use a dabber with a spoon shaped tip, as opposed to a flat tipped dabber that’s commonly used for most other extracts. 

To take a dab of live resin, you should preheat the nail with a gas powered torch, typically with butane. The temperature of your nail is very important, as a nail that is too hot means you may be combusting the delicious flavor and positive effects of your live resin. On the other hand, a nail that is too cold means you’re not vaporizing your live resin or not activating the cannabinoids or terpenes adequately. 

The optimal temperature range for dabbing live resin is between 315 and 400 degrees Fahrenheit or about 157 to 204 degrees Celsius. It is recommended to heat your nail toward the lower end of that range to really maximize the flavor potential of your live resin.

Live Resin Cartridges

This is one of the increasingly popular and most common ways to consume live resin. These are simply oil cartridges that have been filled with live resin instead of a more conventional cannabis concentrate. As with any cartridge, to use your live resin cart simply screw the cartridge onto a battery or cartridge device, activate the heating mechanism, and inhale through the mouthpiece.

Vaping Live Resin With a Dab Pen

Dab pens are mostly like vape pens that allow you to put concentrates into it instead of a vape cartridge. If you want to know how to smoke live resin in a dab pen, all you have to do is use a dabber tool to get the live resin in the coil, then click the button, and you’re ready to go.

Topping off

Live resin can also be sprinkled on a packed bowl of flower, in a glass pipe or wrapped around a joint or blunt. The combination of cured flower and live resin extract gives you a heightened experience, as well as a flavor with extra kick.

How to Store Live Resin

You will want to keep the aromatic bouquet and full flavor of your live resin for as long as possible. This is why it is important to learn how to store live resin properly. After all, being such a new product, it can be quite pricey. The last thing you would want to happen with it is to go to waste for inadequate storage.

All you have to do is keep your live resin away from heat, light, moisture, and open air. Keep live resin cool and in an air-tight container. This way, you will maintain its texture and consistency, as well as protecting the cannabinoids from degradation and preventing the terpenes from evaporation. If you are in the market for live resin containers, look for concentrate storage containers made of silicone or glass. As a suggestion, silicone containers are more appropriate, since you can easily scrap them to get the parts of live resin that are stuck to the container.

Preferably, store the container in the fridge. This will preserve the terpenes and keep it tasting and smelling great for a while. Leaving it out in the open with the lid off will cause it to dry out quickly, making it harder to handle and damaging the taste. 

Live resin has come a long way since their birth in Colorado back in 2013. As recently as a few years ago, it was an enigmatic and rare product only found in certain connoisseur markets at premium prices, sometimes exceeding $100 per gram.

Although live resin is still sold at a higher price than other concentrate products, such as BHOs, shatter, and kief, nowadays live resin prices are much more affordable and most dispensaries carry a wide range of options to meet your needs.

As the market for cannabis concentrates continues to grow and demands more well-rounded options that offer a more complex experience, live resin will continue to be made and thrive. After all, enjoying a concentrate that remains true to the fragrance of the flower it came from is truly a remarkable experience.