Everything You Need to Know About Concentrates

The world of cannabis concentrates or “oil” is vast and can be a bit confusing to a newcomer. So let’s start from the beginning with a simple definition – A concentrate is a product that has been extracted from the trichomes (fine hairs) of the cannabis plant. There are several different ways to extract cannabis “oil”, which in turn produces different concentrate potencies. In case you were wondering, concentrates are often referred to as cannabis “oil” because of its oily texture and amber coloring.

Concentrate V Flower (Dosage and Usage)

One of the key differences between cannabis concentrates and cannabis flower is potency. Generally, a cannabis concentrate is much higher than that of cannabis flower. The potency of cannabis flower usually ranges between 10-25% THC. Whereas a concentrate ranges between 50-80% THC. Some concentrate extracts can exceed these percentages, ranging all the way up to 90% THC levels. NOTE: these potency percentages can easily tweak out a newcomer, as dosing becomes more difficult with higher potencies.

Another key difference between cannabis flower and concentrates are their recreational and medicinal uses. Concentrates offer methods such as “dabbing,” which is when the user applies the concentrate to a hot nail and inhales it via a glass device. Another popular method of using concentrates is via ingestible oils. These oils act just like edibles and affect the body slowly, but last a great deal longer. These options greatly increase the variety of consumption methods, whereas with flowers, users generally smoke or vape the cannabis.

The Cost of Concentrate Compared to Flower

Usually, a gram of cannabis flower costs much less than a gram of concentrated cannabis oil. Keep in mind that the potencies of each are completely different, so although you are paying more for the same weight, the potency of the cannabis will be much higher than what is present in the flower.

The Taste of Concentrates

Many cannabis users care deeply about the flavor of their extracts. Some concentrates often lose their natural aromas and flavors after the extraction process has been completed. However, the oils secreted from a cannabis plant known as Terpenes, can have a strong, sweet and fruity smell. This smell can be hard to retain due to the volatile nature of Terpenes and its high-sensitivity to heat. Many manufacturers include a process after extraction where they artificially add Terpenes to the concentrate oil, thus making it taste and smell better during the smoking process.

Some Popular Concentrate Brands

By far one of the most popular concentrate brands is Dirty Arm Farm. While the name may sound a little off-putting, you should not let that get to you. This company won the 2015 People’s Choice award for the Oregon Dope Cup, and won the Best CBD Concentrate award in 2016. Dirty Arm Farm maintains its great reputation because the brand uses only premium flower and creates four strains of pure live resin.

Another popular brand that creates concentrates is Heylo Cannabis. This company specializes in creating concentrates made from high-Terpene extracts. They only use full-bud cannabis and never use sugar leaf or trim. They specialize in manufacturing products with enhanced taste and smell.

Remember, smoking is a personal experience, so before purchasing cannabis concentrates, consult your local dispensary to ensure they offer “oil” along with its smoking device (electronic pen aka “e-pen” or vape). Until next time, stay irie friend!