Extracts & Concentrates: Methods and Results

What kinds of extract methods are there?

There are 2 primary forms of extracting concentrates from cannabis & hemp. The first is “Solvent-Based” and involves a specific chemical used to dissolve the plant material and create oil. The 2nd method is “Solventless” & is the extraction of concentrate oil without the use of a solvent chemical. Trace elements of the solvent are removed via purging after the oil is finished being extracted.

What types of products are made out of concentrates?

3 main products tend to be mass produced for the market. The first being isolates, which are hyper concentrated single cannabinoid oils & distillates which are semi-isolates. The second product produced is Broad-Spectrums which contain a full lineup or cannabinoids & terpenes (Minus THC). Full Spectrum, the final product, contains all active cannabinoids, terpenes & has THC. Typically “Extract” is used to refer to Solvent based extraction and “Concentrates” is reserved for solventless.

Common Types of Extracts :
- Wax
- Budder
- Crumble
- Shatter
- Live Resin (Crystals & Sauce)

Common Types of Concentrates :
- Kief
- Hash / Bubble Hash
- Rosin

What types of Solvents are used in Solvent-Based extracts?

The three main chemicals used for solvent-based extracts are Hydrocarbons (Like BHO), Supercritical C02 & alcohol. These three methods can result in an abundance of different looks & aesthetics.

(Rosin Being Extracted From Bubble Hash)

What types of processes are used for Solventless Concentrates?

The first method involves agitation and is primarily used for removing Kief off of plant material so as to be processed further into Hash of a specific variety. Heat & pressure are used for producing Rosin and typically involve using heated plates in a metric press to literally “squeeze” the concentrate liquid from the plant itself.

Sources :
Luna Tech - 5 Most Common Cannabis Extraction Methods