What is Live Resin & How is it Different from Other Concentrates?

Concentrates like resin are incredibly popular amongst experienced cannabis users. And, as the demand for higher potency options increases, producers are getting more creative. This in part has been inspired by the rise of dabbing. Dabbing is the most common way that users smoke cannabis concentrates, because it delivers big hits without the smoke. A fully-grown, ready-to-harvest cannabis plant contains all of its terpenes and cannabinoids and therefore is at its highest potency. What's the best way to harvest and consume the plant in a way that preserves as many of the terpenes as possible? That’s where live resin comes in. Line resin is just the start though. There are now cannabis concentrates for sale with higher THC levels and higher terpene content than ever before. Let’s introduce you to live resin and beyond.

What is Live Resin?

Live resin is a cannabis concentrate made from bud that has not yet been dried or cured. During the curing process, cannabis can lose a considerable percentage of terpenes (around 30 percent!). What does that mean? Terpenes provide cannabis with its smell and flavour profile, which make the experience of smoking or dabbing more pleasurable. On the other hand, live resin is extracted from freshly picked buds, which are instantly flash-frozen to preserve the full range of terpenes. Most often, the bud is frozen within minutes of harvest. You can find live resin cannabis concentrates for sale in all your favourite strains. So, whether you’re looking for a relaxing indica experience or an invigorating sativa buzz, you can choose your live resin accordingly.

How is Live Resin Made?

As touched on above, live resin is made by flash-freezing cannabis bud immediately after harvest. As soon as the bud is picked, it will begin to lose terpenes and its potency will start decreasing. That’s why the bud must be frozen as soon as possible. There are two main ways that cannabis producers will freeze the flower. Since it needs to be flash-frozen, it is either placed in a freezer with dry ice or dipped into liquid nitrogen. The bud is frozen until it’s time for extraction, which should ideally be within 24-36 hours after initial freezing. Freezing the cannabis will help prevent any degradation, plus it will also stop the water-soluble parts of the flower from being extracted. For this reason, even those who are ready to extract the resin immediately after harvest will benefit from freezing it first. The frozen cannabis is doused with a solvent to extract the resin, typically either butane or propane. It is frozen throughout the process to preserve the terpenes, at temperatures around -40 degrees Celcius. The result is a resin that is amber in colour. After extraction, any remaining solvent is boiled out of the resin. This process takes place in a vacuum chamber at the lowest possible temperature to preserve potency. Once the solvent burns off, what remains is a beautiful, sticky resin that smells and tastes delicious.

What Makes Live Resin Different from Other Forms of Resin?

The difference between live resin and other cannabis concentrates is that the resin is extracted before the curing process. Like traditional resin and shatter, all other concentrates are made from cannabis that is dried, cured, and ground. Although other cannabis concentrates are still high in potency, they lack the terpene profile you will get in a live resin. During the curing process, cannabis loses a lot of its terpenes. Terpenes are what create the flavours and aromas of your favourite strains. Therefore, if you are using a live resin, you will have a much more enjoyable experience dabbing than you would with a standard resin. When it comes to THC content and potency, live resin and traditional resin rank about the same. Don’t expect to get any higher off live resin than you would from other concentrates. The THC potency of cannabis concentrates for sale will depend on the specific strain you choose to purchase.

How to Store Live Resin

If you don’t store your live resin properly, it can quickly begin to lose potency. Leaving it out in the sun or keeping the container open will cause it to change texture, colour, and taste. The ideal environment in which to store your live resin should be:

1. Airtight Ensure that your live resin is in an airtight container and always seal it up securely after each use. Ideally, the container should be glass or silicone, which will help preserve the resin effectively.
2. Cool Warmth is the enemy of live resin (unless you’re smoking it). Keeping live resin cool is essential for prolonging its shelf life. Since a little goes a long way, it will take you a while to get through it, so you want the resin to keep as long as possible. You could keep it in a cold room or cellar, but ideally you should keep it in the fridge.
3. Dark Don’t store your live resin where it will be exposed to sunlight. Sunlight will cause the product to break down faster and encourage evaporation. Store it somewhere dark or in an opaque container.
4. Dry To keep your live resin at the optimal consistency, it’s essential to store it somewhere dry. Humidity and moisture can also cause the resin to break down faster. The best place you can store your resin is in an opaque glass container in your refrigerator.

The Best Cannabis Concentrates for Sale If you’re looking to get your hands on the best live resin, here are some of the best strains to start with:

1. Gelato Live Resin (Indica)
2. Alien OG Live Resin (Hybrid)
3. Banana God Live Resin (Hybrid)
4. Tropicanna Live Resin (Sativa)
5. Ice Cream Live Resin (Sativa)

Dabbing and Beyond, It’s Time to Try Concentrates If you’re a fan of dabs but have yet to try live resin, then get ready to take your dabbing experience to the next level. With a traditional resin, a high percentage of the terpenes are already gone. When you smoke the flower itself, you’ve also lost many terpenes during the curing process. Live resin allows you to experience the full spectrum of each strain's taste and flavour profile in a way that you can’t through any other form.