Cannabis concentrates come in many forms, from terpene-rich live resin to pure, solventless hash rosin. Understanding the different types of extracts and how they’re made helps growers, processors, and consumers choose the right product for their needs.

This guide breaks down:

✔ Solventless vs. Solvent-Based Extracts
✔ Live vs. Cured Concentrates
✔ How Different Concentrates Are Made
✔ Best Temperatures for Dabbing
✔ DIY Methods to Make Concentrates at Home

Whether you’re new to concentrates or looking to level up your dabbing game, this guide will give you all the knowledge you need.

What Are Cannabis Concentrates?

Cannabis concentrates are extractions of the plant’s most potent compounds—cannabinoids and terpenes—leaving behind unnecessary plant material.

✔ Solventless concentrates use only heat, pressure, water, or mechanical sieving.
✔ Solvent-based concentrates rely on butane, ethanol, or CO₂ to strip cannabinoids and terpenes from the plant.

Both extraction methods produce different textures, flavors, and purity levels, making some concentrates better suited for dabbing while others work best in edibles or vape cartridges.

Solventless Concentrates (Made Without Chemicals)

Solventless concentrates are made without butane, CO₂, or ethanol—just mechanical separation, heat, and pressure. These are some of the purest extracts, retaining more terpenes and cannabinoids while avoiding chemical residues.

1. Kief (Dry Sift)

• How It’s Made: Trichomes are mechanically shaken or sifted from dried cannabis flower.
• Uses: Can be smoked, pressed into hash, or sprinkled on bowls and joints.
• Potency: Moderate (30-50% THC).

2. Hash (Traditional Pressed Kief)

• How It’s Made: Kief is pressed and heated into a solid brick or ball.
• Common Types: Moroccan, Afghan, Lebanese, and Nepalese hash.
• Uses: Smoked in a pipe, crumbled into joints, or vaped.
• Potency: Moderate (30-55% THC).

3. Bubble Hash (Ice Water Hash)

• How It’s Made: Trichomes are washed off frozen cannabis using ice water and filtered through fine mesh bags.
• Uses: Can be dabbed, pressed into rosin, or added to bowls.
• Potency: High (40-70% THC).

4. Rosin (Pressed Hash or Flower)

• How It’s Made: Heat and pressure extract oils from flower or hash without solvents.
• Types:
  • Flower Rosin: Pressed directly from cured buds.
  • Hash Rosin: Pressed from high-quality bubble hash, offering better terpene retention.
• Uses: Best for dabbing or vaping.
• Potency: High (50-80% THC).

Solvent-based extractions use chemicals like butane, ethanol, or CO₂ to pull cannabinoids and terpenes from plant material.

Solvent-Based Concentrates (Made with Chemical Extraction)

Solvent-based extractions use chemicals like butane, ethanol, or CO₂ to pull cannabinoids and terpenes from plant material. These processes can yield highly potent, versatile extracts.

1. BHO (Butane Hash Oil) Concentrates

BHO is made by blasting butane through cannabis, then purging the solvent using heat and vacuum pressure.

Types of BHO Concentrates

✔ Shatter: Glass-like, stable, and brittle.
✔ Wax/Budder: Soft, whipped consistency.
✔ Crumble: Drier, crumbly texture.
✔ Sauce: Terpene-rich extract with a syrupy consistency.
✔ Diamonds: Pure THCA crystals, often suspended in terp sauce.

Potency: 60-90% THC.
Best Use: Dabbing, vaping, or adding to bowls.

2. Live Resin (Fresh Frozen Extraction)

• How It’s Made: Freshly harvested cannabis is frozen immediately, then extracted with butane or CO₂.
• Why It’s Special: Preserves more terpenes for a stronger flavor and entourage effect.
• Uses: Dabbing or vaping.
• Potency: 65-90% THC.

3. Distillate (Ultra-Purified THC Extract)

• How It’s Made: Cannabis oil is purified through molecular distillation, removing terpenes and other compounds.
• Appearance: Clear, thick, and odorless.
• Uses: Vape cartridges, edibles, tinctures.
• Potency: Up to 99% THC.

Best Temperatures for Dabbing

Dabbing at the right temperature is crucial for flavor, vapor production, and potency.

✔ Low Temp (450-550°F) – Best for flavor and terpenes (rosin, live resin, sauce).
✔ Medium Temp (550-650°F) – Balanced between vapor and flavor (shatter, wax, crumble).
✔ High Temp (650-750°F) – Maximum vapor but risks burning terpenes (distillate, diamonds).

Pro Tip: Always use a terpometer or an IR gun to check your banger’s temperature before dabbing!

How to Make Concentrates at Home

DIY Rosin Press (Solventless Extraction)

• What You Need:
  ✔ Hair straightener (or proper rosin press)
  ✔ Parchment paper
  ✔ Cannabis flower or hash
• Steps:
  1. Place buds or hash between parchment paper.
  2. Press with heat (180-220°F) for 10-30 seconds.
  3. Collect the rosin and store in a jar.

DIY Bubble Hash (Ice Water Extraction)

• What You Need:
  ✔ Ice water
  ✔ Bubble bags (micron filter bags)
  ✔ Stirring spoon or washing machine
• Steps:
  1. Mix frozen cannabis and ice water.
  2. Filter through bubble bags to collect trichomes.
  3. Dry and cure for storage.

Her Seeds LLC.

Final Thoughts: Finding the Right Concentrate for You

From terpene-rich live resin to pure solventless rosin, cannabis concentrates offer a diverse range of effects, potency, and consumption methods. Whether you prefer low-temp dabs, potent distillates, or old-school hash, there’s an extract for everyone.

If you’re growing your own flower, choosing high-quality seeds from Her Seed Bank is the first step to producing great concentrates. The better the genetics, the better the extract.

Check out our top-tier genetics at HerSeedBank and start growing for the best extracts today. Follow us on Instagram for top-quality genetics, expert growing tips, and community updates!