As one of the least-understood categories you’ll find on any dispensary menu, cannabis concentrates are all the rage. Most intermediate and advanced cannabis consumers favor concentrates for their potent hits and bursts of flavor. 

Many beginners shy away from this form of consumption due to the overwhelming choices of forms and methods of smoking. With the right support and consumer information, concentrates can have a great place in your smoke rotation, regardless of your experience level. 

From the purest hash or solventless extracts, from isolate extracts of potent cannabinoids – consider this your ultimate high guide to all things cannabis concentrates in Massachusetts. Learn everything you need to know about dabbing and indulging in concentrates.

Cannabis Concentrates 101: Solvent-based vs. Solventless

First, consumers need to know that there are two types of concentrates: solvent-based and solventless cannabis concentrates. Both result in a potent cannabis concentrate, but the difference lies in their method of extraction.

In addition to these major forms of concentrate, you’ll also see cannabis kief, which is a concentrated form of cannabis composed of fine, powdery resin glands that have been sifted or separated from the cannabis flower.

Solvent-based concentrates use solvents like butane, propane, ethanol, or CO2 to extract specific cannabinoids and compounds from cannabis plant matter. Think of it like getting the juice out of a lemon, but without having to actually squeeze the lemon at all. 

Instead, the gaseous solvents agitate the plant matter and separate all the potent compounds that make up the cannabis products we know and love. 

Once extracted, the resulting mixture undergoes a purification and refinement process to remove impurities and undesirable components, leaving behind a highly potent concentrate. 

Solventless concentrates do not use solvents in the extraction process, relying instead on mechanical, pressurized, or heat-based methods to separate trichome glands from plant material.

It sounds complicated, but it’s typically much better for the plant. A solventless extraction gets you as close as possible to the true cannabis plant matter, resulting in a much cleaner “high” experience. 

Depending on the specific extraction method and post-processing techniques, these concentrates can take various forms, such as wax, shatter, or oil. This is where you as a consumer get to choose which form of concentrate you really want to try. 

Hash in Rastafarian Culture 

Rastafarian culture holds cannabis in high spiritual regard – it’s considered a sacrament that aids in achieving a higher state of consciousness and spiritual insight. 

The use of cannabis in Rastafarian culture is deeply intertwined with religious rituals, reasoning sessions, and meditation practices. Cannabis concentrates, such as hash, are also embraced within Rastafarian traditions for their potent effects. 

Hash, made by compressing the resinous trichomes of the cannabis plant, offers a concentrated form of cannabis that can be used in many ways in spiritual ceremonies. Its use provides an intensified and potent experience that aligns with the Rastafarian pursuit of closeness to the divine.

What are the Different Concentrates in Massachusetts?

At our dispensary in Boston, we’re proud to offer a wide range of concentrates including sugar wax, cured sugar, live rosin, live hash rosin, shatter, sauce, wax, brick hash, kief, and live resin.

Now, if that sounds like a foreign language to you, don’t worry! Here’s a quick guide on all the different types of cannabis concentrates you can find in Massachusetts:

Ice Water Hash

This is the most pure and solventless form of concentrate you can get. Hash is made by shaking off the kief and trichomes of cannabis, agitating the flower with ice water, then using various filtration processes to isolate the trichomes. The result is a sticky, sometimes crumbly, condensed substance of hash. 

Rosin

Another simple solventless concentrate, rosin is made with the magical application of heat and pressure on cannabis or hash. It results in a sticky, golden substance packed with cannabinoids and terpenes. 

Budder

Budder is another type of concentrate with a consistency similar to butter. It’s created by purging solvent-extracted cannabis oil at a higher temperature and whipping it to achieve that creamy, spreadable texture.

Sauce

Also known as Diamonds, sauce is a cannabis concentrate known for its high terpene content and syrupy consistency. It is achieved through a careful solvent extraction process that preserves those flavorful compounds.

Shatter

This form of cannabis concentrate is so translucent and brittle that it can look like actual glass. Made as a solvent-based concentrate using butane or CO2, the cannabinoids of the plant matter are extracted at a low temperature to create the shatter’s delicate texture and appearance. 

Sugar

As a solvent-based cannabis concentrate, sugar is known for its granular texture and high cannabinoid content. The physical appearance resembles sugar, but it’s not exactly sweet. This type of concentrate is an extraction that crystallizes over time, resulting in delightful sugar-like crystals.

Wax

As a solvent-based cannabis concentrate, wax is made by purging cannabis oil at a moderate temperature and then whipping it to create that smooth, waxy consistency we all know and love.

Regardless of your experience level, there’s a cannabis concentrate that is sure meet your desired high experience and effects. 

How To Smoke Concentrates 

When it comes to consuming concentrates, the methods go beyond your typical smoking of a joint or blunt (but that’s still an appropriate option here, too). Check out some of the many different ways to smoke cannabis concentrates.

What are the Different Methods of Consumption? 

Dabbing 

One popular method for consuming concentrates is from a dab rig – typically vaporizing the concentrates from a quartz, titanium, or ceramic nail. A small amount of concentrate is placed on the heated nail using a dab tool. The concentrate quickly vaporizes and can then be inhaled through a dab rig.

Vaping

Vaping concentrates is another common method for its quick onset, potency, and discreet consumption. All cannabis vape cartridges consist of a concentrate that is housed in a glass or ceramic case and then connected to the vape’s chamber to heat and vaporize the concentrate without combusting it. At our dispensary in Boston, vape pens come in all forms – from disposable options, 510 threads, and portable vaporizers, and are available in everything from distillate cannabis oil to live rosin. 

Topping a Joint or Bowl 

To enhance your average joint or bowl, add a sprinkle of concentrate on top of a bowl or around the inside or outside of a joint. This is a popular method known as “twaxing.” The flower acts as a base, while the concentrate increases the potency and flavor of the overall experience.

Dab Devices & Nectar Collectors

There are just as many devices and accessories for dabbing as there are types of cannabis concentrates. Dab straws or nectar collectors are portable devices designed explicitly for efficiently dabbing concentrates. Some accessories consist of a glass or silicone straw with a heated tip, allowing users to dab directly onto the heated surface and inhale. Other more technology-forward devices include electronic dab rigs and portable vaporizers. 

Accessing Cannabis Concentrates at Rasta Rootz 

The world of cannabis concentrates is a vast world to explore of its own, but it doesn’t have to be scary or overwhelming. At Rasta Rootz, we’re proud to offer a range of the hottest cannabis extract products and brands you’ll find in MA. 

Whether you’re a beginner dabber or concentrate connoisseur, stop in our Downtown Boston dispensary to shop and discover all the unique characteristics and effects of this product category. 

Stay tuned for more Rastafarian history and cannabis education on our Blog page.