What’s the deal with Live Resin? Is it the Best Thing Around?
Live resin and rosins, highly popular cannabis concentrates, are known to deliver a superior experience. They are one of many other concentrate types on the market, but my favorite by far. Live resin’s unique characteristics have made it one of the most sought-after products in the cannabis market. In this article, we will explore why live resin reigns supreme and what makes it stand out among other cannabis concentrates. But first, let’s quick clear up the difference between live resin and rosin.
The 411 on Live Resin / Rosin
As mentioned before, I love live resin products. Mostly because I truly enjoy the cannabis plant, and want to experience the benefits the full plant has to offer. Live Resin products are made from the whole cannabis plant that hasn’t been dried or cured, nor has it had components split off and reintroduced with other ingredients such as a “distillate” aka hot dog water product would have.
As a result, the final product contains more cannabinoids and terpenes as well as more flavor and aroma that were derived directly from the same plant. This makes for a much more “whole” and natural product. With distillate, or “hot dog water” concentrate products, the THC is split off during extraction, and then typically, non-cannabis terpenes are introduced. Leaving you with a 99% THC product with terpenes derived from fruits. Not that fruit terpenes are bad, but they aren’t the same thing as cannabis terpenes, and IMO, they do not offer the same benefits.
What Does Live Resin Look Like?
Live resin’s appearance can vary based on the strain and cultivar used during its production, resulting in different colors and forms. Typically, it falls somewhere between the consistency of a sauce and a wax and can range in color from light yellow to dark yellow. As with other cannabis concentrates, it has a sticky texture.
Generally, this product contains a lot of terpenes, hence it’s more malleable and has a runnier consistency. Apart from being rich in terpenes, live resin is also rich in THC, which is another reason why cannabis aficionados are drawn to it. Due to the rich cannabinoid and terpene content, live resin is a full-spectrum product.
How to Make Live Resin
Manufacturing live resin is a dangerous process, so it’s best left to professionals. First, professionals freeze the cannabis immediately after harvest, skipping the trimming, drying, and curing process. They freeze the plant material either by placing it in a cooler with frozen carbon dioxide (dry ice) or by placing it in an insulated cylinder filled with liquid nitrogen. Flash freezing plant material post-harvest preserves trichomes, for a high-quality product that retains aroma, flavor, cannabinoids, and terpenes.
Next, the extraction process begins. The professionals pack the cannabis plant material inside the extractor and purge the tank of oxygen before releasing the solvent. Usually, and extractor uses butane or propane as a solvent. That is however, unless they are doing a “solventless” extraction, which can be done mechanically or other.
This part is truly the difference between a live resin product and a live rosin product. Live resin is typically made using a solvent-based extraction, and rosin is made using just heat and pressure, no solvents. Both are safe for consumption, as long as the extractor knows what they are doing, which is why knowing what brand to choose and how to read a lab test is very important.
Let’s assume they’re using solvent, next the extractor heats up, allowing the solvent to enter the solvent column once it passes through the plant material and releases the trichomes. Eventually, the solvent cools and condenses into a liquid form, and the product is now ready for use after the solvent is removed via evaporation.
Why Live Resin and Rosing are Great Options
Live resin’s appeal is due to its flavorful profile and unparalleled potency, containing a wide variety of terpenes and cannabinoids which is what most cannabis consumers are after. This type of concentrate retains all of the qualities of the cannabis plant, and a little goes a long way. I also think people love the idea that the entire plant is being used to create the product vs separation and addition of various single ingredients.
Fresh-freezing the plant material to make live resin not only produces a popular product but also saves growers significant time, labor, and money compared to the traditional process of drying, curing, and trimming cannabis plants after harvest.
How to Use Live Resin/Rosin and Brand Suggestions
Here are the most common ways to consume and get the most out of your experience.
Vaping
One of the best ways to consume this cannabis oil is in a vape pen or cartridge. Vaping gives you the full experience of consuming live resin as it allows you to taste the full aroma of the product in a convenient and portable device. You can further customize the experience by adjusting the temperature of the vape pen, inhaling, and relaxing as you start to feel the effects of the concentrate. I highly suggest getting a battery that will heat your product to the absolute MINIMUM temperature. This helps from keeping the oil from burning, and it also helps keep a better flavor profile.
Dabbing
One of the most common methods of consuming live resin is dabbing. For this method, you’ll need a torch and nail, a dab rig, an e-rig, or an e-nail, and a dabbing tool to place the live resin on the nail. Then you can proceed to dab the live resin in the same manner as you would any other concentrate.
The Top Off
You can enhance the potency of your joint, blunt, or bowl by adding a cannabis concentrate to it. However, if this is your first time combining dried and cured cannabis with a concentrate, it’s important to start with a small amount and proceed cautiously.
Live Resin/Rosin Brands I Love
I particularly enjoy the live resin by Friendly Farms, Redemption Cannabis, Lightly Sky Farms, Blue River, Raw Garden, Full Spec, Humblebee, Lume.
Friendly Farms
These guys were my OG favorite that actually got me into loving live resin and understanding its value. As far as I know, they are only in CA, but they may have expanded. Highly recommend trying out their products.
Redemption Cannabis
This is my top favorite live resin as of right now. I absolutely love the taste and flavor, and know its a quality product made by Ryan and his team. The color of it even is just super cool looking and you can tell its different than others on the market. From what I know, they are in Michigan only at this time.
Light Sky Farms
Light Sky Farm’s live resin looks and hits differently than all the other brands here. It’s true to its name that it is “lighter” in terms of both color and how it hits, but it will sneak up on you. I love the lightness and its slight taste. It’s definitely worth giving a try! As far as I know, it’s only in Michigan.
Raw Garden
This list isn’t complete without Raw Garden. Their products are bomb and a must try for connoisseurs. Pretty sure they are available in CA and AZ, and possibly NV.
Full Spec
I found Full Spec when spending a month in Seattle recently. It was one of my first experiences in a WA dispensary and this was a gem to find. It was the first cart… hell, cannabis product I had found that had tested for 12% terpenes. I had never seen a product test this high for terpenes, let alone for terpenes in general at that point. I quickly fell in love, give it a shot next time you are in Washington.
Humblebee
Humblebee is another OG live resin product for me as they were one of the first I was able to try in Michigan. High quality product and great flavors, give them a try for sure.
Blue River
Lume
Lume Cannabis has some really strong live resin game as well. I particularly like their blueberry live resin, a must!
High Grade
I found High Grade while traveling out in CO. I particularly loved the live resin sauce headband strain version. Headband is my favorite strain and this was the first live resin version of it I had seen. It was love at first sight! haha, but seriously I bought 2 carts and savored them for as long as I could. I need to make it back out to CO for a re-up on these.
Storing Live Resin
To maintain its potency and quality, it’s best to store it in a place that is free from light, heat, moisture, and open air. It is recommended to store the product in an airtight and lightproof container made of silicone or glass to preserve its consistency and prevent cannabinoid degradation. Keeping it in a cool place like a refrigerator or a cold room is also crucial. After each use, ensure that you seal the container securely to maintain the resin’s aroma, terpene, and cannabinoid content for an extended period.
If you prefer to use live resin via vape cartridge, I recommend checking out the Alpha Pen, from AVD. It helps to better conceal the cart, and also keeps it protected from light and heat. I just got the slate grey one and its 🔥.
How Much Do Live Rosin and Resin Concentrates Cost?
Finally, let’s discuss the cost of resin and how much money you’ll need to allocate to try this concentrate. Only a few years ago, when live resin entered the cannabis market, select dispensaries used to sell this rare product for over $100 per gram.
Nowadays, you can find this at a few different price points, depending on the quality of the product. High-end concentrate can go for $50 a gram and even up to $100 per gram, while lower-end live resin can start from as low as $20 a gram.
Final Thoughts
Live resin is an incredible concentrate that can provide a unique and powerful cannabis experience. The process involves preserving most of the terpene, cannabinoid, and aroma content found in live plants, allowing consumers to get the most out of their favorite strains. As with any product, the cost of live resin varies depending on product type (cartridge or concentrate packaging) quality, availability, and city/state you are in, but overall it’s becoming more accessible than ever.
If you’re looking to stay true to the essence of the plant when consuming cannabis, live resin is an excellent option to consider.
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