Rosin has become the standard of pure cannabis concentrates due to its solventless extraction technique. This is a landmark of purity and a statement of authenticity where quality is paramount.
Whether you're exploring the therapeutic benefits of cannabis or are a connoisseur of its many forms, getting into rosin offers an experience that puts purity and potency together.
Unlike other cannabis concentrates that rely on chemicals for extraction, rosin is obtained through a simple yet effective heat and pressure process. This comprehensive guide will help you understand rosin and why many cannabis consumers like this extract.
What is Rosin?
Rosin is a type of cannabis concentrate extracted by applying heat and pressure. The process is simple: cannabis plant material is placed between heated plates in a press. When compressed with heat, an amber oil is secreted. Rosin's solventless nature makes it different, meaning no chemicals or solvents are used in deriving it, making it a purer choice than other concentrates.
Photo courtesy of weedmaps.com
Rosin is popular because of its flavor profile, compared to other cannabis concentrates. This is due to the need for solvents or chemicals in the processing. You get a cleaner and pure taste, allowing you to taste the terpenes easily.
Rosin can be extracted from various types of cannabis material, such as buds, trim, kief, and hash. The quality of rosin depends a lot on the quality of the plant material. To get you started, you can get a flavorful dab experience with buds, considered high-quality starting materials. Using excess trim, kief, or hash. However, the results might differ when pressing buds.
One reason why rosin appeals to many is the ease of producing it. It only takes a few minutes to get the potent extract without worrying about purifying or diluting it. The process is simple, as this can be done with a few tools you may have at home.
The potency of rosin varies, depending on the source plant material. But, to gauge things, rosin sits somewhere between buds and shatter. But it all boils down to the plant material.
In terms of consumption, rosin is versatile. You can load it to a dab rig and experience its potency in a controlled manner. Besides dabbing, rosin can also be filled into cartridges and vaped, providing a solvent-free alternative to other vape products that contain traces of solvents like butane. And because it doesn’t need further refinement, rosin is considered a full-spectrum extract due to the retention of the original cannabinoid and terpene profiles.
Now, there are three types of rosin available. Flower rosin uses dried buds, shakes, or trim suitable for its flavor profile. Hash rosin comes from bubble or dry sift hash. It may taste harsher than flower rosin, but it is also known for having a more robust potency. Live rosin is derived from frozen cannabis buds, which helps preserve terpenes, making it more flavorful than other rosin variants.
There are factors to consider when checking if rosin is of high quality. On the looks, good quality rosin is often amber to dark yellow. If the color is lighter, it may be of lower quality. Freshly extracted rosin will also have a liquid consistency, which becomes more viscous when it cools down. High-quality rosin can also be derived when pressed at the proper temperatures below 250 degrees Fahrenheit, maintaining the flavor.
Extracting Rosin
Extracting rosin requires a rosin press to apply heat and pressure to the plant material. Different types of rosin press come with their benefits and considerations. What is best for you depends on the amount of plant material to press, size, and budget. Here are the different types of rosin presses.
- Manual Rosin Presses: These are the most budget-friendly options. Manual operation requires you to use your hands to apply and hold pressure. An excellent example of this is the Ju1cebox.
- Hydraulic Rosin Presses: While it uses manual operation, hydraulic rosin presses use a hydraulic system for pressing. They can be operated by a hand, foot, or electric pump to extract rosin.
- Pneumatic Rosin Presses: They use compressed air to apply pressure. While they are more expensive than other rosin presses, they are efficient for extracting from large quantities of plant material.
- Electric Rosin Presses: The most compact and user-friendly rosin press relies on electric power.
How Pressure and Time Influence Your Yields
Achieving the perfect rosin extraction involves a delicate balance of pressure and time when pressing. Understanding how these factors interact can significantly impact the quality and yield of your final product.
Begin with lower pressure settings on your rosin press, especially if you're a newbie. Gradually increase the pressure in small increments to find the optimal level for your specific strain and starting material. Keep a close eye on the rosin flow during extraction. If the flow appears too rapid, you might be applying too much pressure, potentially compromising the purity and flavor of the extract.
Different strains may also respond differently to pressure. Experiment with pressure setting variations to find the sweet spot for each strain while considering factors like trichome density and moisture content.
Establish a consistent pressing time for your rosin extractions. While it's tempting to experiment with different durations, maintaining a consistent timeframe allows for better comparisons and adjustments in other variables.
When it comes to pressing times, shorter pressing times of around 20 - 40 seconds at higher temperatures may yield a more viscous and flavorful rosin, while longer pressing times of about 1 – 2 minutes at lower temperatures can result in a smoother, more stable extract.
Adjusting the temperature settings on your rosin press can influence the required pressing time. Higher temperatures often necessitate shorter press durations, while lower temperatures may require longer presses to achieve optimal extraction.
Use a timer or the timer function on your rosin press to ensure precise results to maintain accurate and repeatable press times. Consistency in timing is crucial for developing a reliable extraction process.
If your rosin press comes equipped with pressure sensors, take advantage of this feature to monitor and record the pressure applied during each extraction, allowing you to fine-tune your process for different strains.
To help you improve your extraction techniques, document your extraction sessions, noting the strain, starting material, pressure, and pressing time. Over time, this information will become invaluable in refining your techniques and achieving consistent results. Pay attention to the quality and yield of each extraction. Use the information you gather to make informed adjustments, ultimately enhancing your ability to produce high-quality rosin.
Tools of the Trade: Parchment Paper & Rosin Bags
Parchment paper serves as the surface where your rosin flows during extraction. Not missing this part is essential, as substituting it can lead to disastrous results.
There are also folding techniques for the parchment paper. There’s a fold called directional fold, which is recommended to ensure clean and consistent extract. To make this fold:
- Put your kief or hash in the centerpiece of the parchment paper.
- Fold the parchment paper around the plant material, like an envelope, and leave one side open.
- Keep the three sides open to ensure the flow of rosin to the open side for easy collecting.
For buds, this folding technique is not necessary. You can fold the paper over the buds.
Likewise, using a proper rosin bag to match the plant material you’re extracting from would be best. You want higher micron ratings when extracting from materials like bubble hash. Lower micron ratings work for buds. Note that you should not overload the rosin bag as this can lead to blowouts, compromising the quality of any good plant material.
Understanding Micron Ratings
Micron ratings refer to the size of the openings in a rosin bag's mesh, determining the size of particles that can pass through during the extraction process. Measured in micrometers, a lower micron rating indicates a finer mesh with smaller openings.
Choosing the Right Micron Rating:
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For Bubble Hash or Kief:
- Use rosin bags with a micron rating of 25 – 90.
- This range prevents unwanted contaminants from passing through.
- It allows the extraction of essential cannabinoids and terpenes.
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For Buds and Trim:
- Use rosin bags with a micron rating of 90 and above.
- This range allows optimal flow of rosin.
- It retains larger particles that could compromise extract quality.
When working with
live rosin, derived from frozen cannabis buds, the preservation of terpenes is a priority. Opt for lower micron bags to capture the delicate terpenes while still allowing cannabinoids to pass through, resulting in a more flavorful and aromatic live rosin.
Overloading a rosin bag with too much material can lead to blowouts, where the bag bursts during the extraction process. This can negatively impact the quality of the extract. Balancing the amount of material with the appropriate micron rating is crucial to prevent blowouts and ensure a clean extraction.
Micron ratings can influence the color of the extracted rosin. Finer materials, extracted with lower micron bags, may produce a lighter-colored rosin. This is because smaller particles can result in a cleaner extraction, minimizing the presence of plant matter.
Consistency in micron rating is essential for achieving consistent results. Experimenting with different micron ratings and documenting the outcomes can help you fine-tune the process for various strains and starting materials.
How much rosin can you get?
Extracting rosin is also a matter of quantity and potency. Factors that can affect the quantity you get include the strain, starting material, and equipment used in extracting.
Buds and Trim: Pressing dried buds or trim can get your around 15 - 30 percent yield, although higher quality buds can produce slightly more.
Kief and Hash: Rosin extracted from kief and hash can produce a slightly higher yield, ranging from 20 - 30 percent, due to its finer and purer form, compared to buds and trims.
Live Rosin: Pressing live rosin produces a lower yield due to its terpene preservation, and the fact that it is a fresh starting material. While you can get yields of around 10 – 20 percent, it does come with a better flavor and aroma.
Note that these are just estimates of possible yields. The settings and technique used in pressing can play a factor in the outcome.
What strains are best for extracting rosin?
The strain you choose for rosin plays a vital role in the quality of rosin you get. Some strains boast qualities that make them stand out in extraction due to their trichome structure, terpene profiles, or the consistent yield quantities you get.
- Gorilla Glue #4 (GG4) - The GG4 is known for its high trichome density, potent THC content that can go as high as 30 percent, and terpene profile, which results in a high and flavorful yield.
Photo courtesy of leafly.com
- Chem Dawg - This strain is known for its blend of terpene and THC, which gives it a pine, earthy, and sour flavor, which is suitable for anyone who values quality flavors.
Photo courtesy of hytiva.com
- Strawberry Banana - This strain is regarded for its potency and rich terpene profile, giving sweet and fruity aromas with tropical flavor undertones. You can get as much as 22 percent yield, which is a good mix of quality and quantity.
Photo courtesy of leafly.com
Tips for Pressing the Best Rosin
- Use high-quality, properly cured flower. The quality of your starting material greatly influences the quality and yield of your rosin.
- Dry sift or bubble hash can yield more and higher quality rosin compared to flower.
- If using flower, ensure it's properly hydrated. A moisture content around 55-62% RH (relative humidity) is ideal for pressing.
- Pre-press your material into a compact shape with a pre-press mold or by hand to increase yield and maintain consistency.
- Lower temperatures (180-220°F) for a longer time (60-120 seconds) produce a more flavorful, terpene-rich rosin but may yield less.
- Higher temperatures (220-250°F) for a shorter time (45-60 seconds) increase yield but can sacrifice some flavor and quality.
- Experiment with temperatures and times to find the best combination for your material.
- Start with lower pressure and gradually increase to avoid blowouts, where the bag bursts and plant material mixes with your extract.
- The pressure needed can vary depending on the type of material being pressed. Flowers typically require less pressure than kief or hash.
- Allow the rosin to cool on the parchment paper before collecting to make it easier to handle.
- Use a cold tool (put your collection tool in the freezer for a bit) to help prevent the rosin from sticking to it.
- Keep detailed notes on the strain, weight, temperature, pressure, and duration used for each press. This will help you replicate successful results and refine your technique over time.
Conclusion
Rosin emerges as a potent way of consuming cannabis with its benefits. Granted that there are many factors to consider, understanding what makes good rosin will allow you to make the best choice for consumption. Understanding what rosin is will allow you to maximize its potential.
