By Lydia Kibet
With several innovations emerging every day, it can be challenging to keep up with the cannabis industry.
For cannabis enthusiasts, when a new kid on the block arrives on the market, you can’t resist showing some interest.
From tinctures, edibles, vapes, sprays, now we have rosin! In a few years, rosin was all the rage and one of the cannabis industry’s buzzy product.
With consumers clamoring for cleaner, purer products that could offer better highs, rosin made an excellent option many.
Today, the rosin market is skyrocketing rapidly, with several marijuana companies significantly producing better products to stand out from the crowd.
What some people once saw as a fad is now a potential market disruptor. However, the majority of people don’t know what rosin is. We’re going to shed some light on everything you need to know about rosin.
What is Rosin?
As the cannabis market expands continuously in the age of legalization, the popularity of cannabis concentrates is on the rise.
The perceived benefits of concentrates in contrary to flowers, have weed enthusiasts more attracted to higher potencies and extract options that marijuana provides.
With a wide range of concentrates including budder, crumble, shatter, wax, to name a few, rosin is among the recent trend to make waves in the cannabis industry.
Rosin is a process that makes use of both heat and pressure to yield resinous sap from the bud.
Unlike other concentrates, rosin is extracted without the use of solvents resulting in a purer, safer extract.
When the process is done correctly, the end product is a golden yellow sap that is highly potent. Rosin is not only safer, but it is pretty easy to make and cost-effective.
What is Rosin Made of?
Rosin is exceptionally versatile, and it is made of marijuana flower, hash, or kief, then transformed into a solventless hash oil (SHO).
The outcome is a sappy, shatter-like substance that can be consumed as rosin dabs.
If the extraction process is done the right way, rosin can compete with the taste and potency of other solvent-based products out there.
How to Make Rosin
The demand for cannabis concentrates is rising as consumers begin to recognize the benefits of rosin, mainly due to its purer state and the sweet flavor over other products.
Manufacturers are working to create high capacity presses to keep up with the demand and mass-produce top-shelf cannabis extracts. However, the process is pretty simple and can be done right from home.
Unlike extracts such as wax and shatter that call for a well-equipped lab due to the risk of explosion during extraction, you only need to apply heat and pressure when creating rosin. Here is all you need:
- Hair straightener
- Dab tool to collect rosin
- Parchment paper
- Safety gloves
- Cannabis flower
Preferably, you’ll need to use a hair straightener with a variable heat setting or one that doesn’t exceed 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Overheating the material can lead to reduced potency and flavor. Another important thing is, make sure you use a parchment paper, not wax paper, to keep your rosin from sticking while extracting.
Step #1
Place the marijuana flower between the parchment paper and flatten the bud using your fingers.
You can also break down the bud into smaller pieces to increase the surface area. The parchment paper should be big enough to hold the rosin squeezed out of the bud.
Alternatively, you can make rosin using kief, hash, or shake by utilizing a heat-resistant mesh bag to hold the material you’re going to press.
When using kief or hash, mesh bags between 25-45 microns is ideal, whereas, for shake or ground buds, 70-120 microns is suitable.
Step #2
Heat your hair straightener between 300-350 degrees Fahrenheit and wear your safety gloves.
Place the parchment paper between the hot plates of the rosin press, then, hold tightly and press for 10-30 seconds depending on the material used.
Step #3
Remove the parchment paper from the rosin press and check your rosin.
The outcome is a thin oil when hot, but when left at room temperature, it will begin to harden. Using your dab tool, carefully collect your rosin for immediate use or storage.
Benefits of Rosin
1. Zero residual solvents
One thing that distinguishes rosin from other cannabis extracts is it is entirely solventless. Unlike butane hash oil (BHO), rosin doesn’t need any solvent to extract. This means the end product is a purer, clean extract. In fact, rosin rivals other concentrates when it comes to potency. If you’re looking for a pure form of extract to dab, rosin might be right for you.
2. Safer to produce
Unlike butane, which is highly flammable and susceptible to explosions, you can safely make rosin at the comfort of your home.
All you need is a rosin press, collection tool, parchment paper, and safety gloves. You don’t have to worry about any risks.
Perhaps this is the reason why rosin has been widely adopted, and its simplicity allows cannabis enthusiasts with no background in chemistry to try out themselves with minimal risks.
3. Simple to make
With the right equipment, you can make rosin in less than 15 minutes. With a combination of heat and pressure, rosin press liquifies terpenes and cannabinoids content in the bud into a resinous sappy substance. The process of making rosin is incredibly simple, and in a matter of minutes, you’ll have a high-quality concentrate.
4. Extremely versatile
There is an incredibly wide range of products that can be created from a rosin press. Depending on how hash oil is produced, it can vary from the color, flavor, and a sappy consistency to a glassy-like solventless shutter. The differences are as a result of the amount of heat and pressure exerted during extraction plus the materials used.
With a rosin press, you can typically create any cannabis concentrate, including shatter, budder, crumble, and wax using solventless extraction. In fact, rosin can be incorporated in nearly all cannabis products, including topicals, salves, and edibles.
5. Cheaper
Producing rosin is way cheaper compared to solvent-based extractions. Once you know how to make rosin, you can expect to save more bucks. This is because of how accessible this form of cannabis is and has a high potency than other standard flowers and oils. With rosin, you can enjoy the high you need without spending much.
6. Higher potency
Rosin is revered by many because of its high potency. Early reports on some rosin extracts showed that rosin could have 50-70 percent THC content compared to flowers that usually have 25-30% of THC. The abundant terpene and cannabinoid content make rosin an excellent option for many cannabis patients. This means less product is needed to experience full effects. And the best thing, it is a purer and cleaner option since there are no additives.
7. Fast-acting
Since rosin is rich in terpenes and cannabinoids, its high potency means you’ll experience the effects quickly. A small amount of rosin contains a high dose of cannabinoids, and you may want to use larger amounts of standard flowers to get the same effects of rosin. For that reason, rosin is beneficial to patients who need a more fast-acting dose of cannabis.
How to Store Rosin
How you store your rosin will determine its freshness and potency in the future. It is pretty simple to store concentrates than flowers, so long as you consider the following factors: moisture, heat, air, and light. But again, how long do you want to store? Short-term or long-term?
1. Short-term rosin storage
Your rosin will be most likely a resinous sappy substance, depending on the strain of the flower used.
For short-term storage, silicone containers are recommended because they’re easy to clean.
However, you shouldn’t use them if you’re planning to store it for more than seven days. This is because silicone containers aren’t airtight, and oxidation may degrade the potency of your rosin.
2. Long-term rosin storage
To store your resin for long periods, you should cover it with a parchment paper, place it in a vacuum-sealed bag, and then in an airtight container. The container is then placed in a cool, dry, and dark place.
For individuals living in warmer regions, storing rosin in a refrigerator or freezer would be an ideal long-term solution. Another thing to watch out for if you store rosin in a fridge is to allow it to reach room temperature before opening. If you open the container immediately, you might risk spoiling your rosin.
What to Look for When Purchasing Rosin
If you’re looking to purchase rosin from a cannabis dispensary, it is crucial to keep an eye to a couple of things before purchase to ensure that the rosin is of the highest quality. Here are some quick pointers to check:
Color
Rosin should look clean and should be light amber or tan in color. If you notice any green color, that means chlorophyll is present and will possibly lower the efficacy of rosin. Additionally, rosin darker in color indicates poor quality.
Odor
Top-shelf rosin has a strong smell like the flower it came from. However, the scent is as a result of the starting material. So, if the flower is of high-quality, the outcome should be evident. If it has a grassy smell, that indicates a sub-par product, and you shouldn’t purchase.
Absence of plant matter
Small specks or hairs characterize plant matter, which is very rare in commercial rosin. If you spot such features, avoid purchasing.
Sticking to such pointers will help you purchase top-shelf rosin. But, if you decide to do it yourself at home, that would be great!
FAQs About Rosin
What is live rosin?
Depending on your preference, you can create rosin from fresh marijuana flowers or dried and cured flowers. When you use a fresh flower, the result is live rosin, which is flavorsome and aromatic.
What’s the difference between rosin and resin?
Rosin and resin seem too similar, making them easy to confuse. Rosin is a concentrated extract that is created by pressing trichomes using a combination of heat and pressure without using any solvent. Resin, on the other hand, is made using solvent-based extractions such as butane hash oil(BHO) or carbon dioxide (CO2).
Does rosin get you high?
Due to the abundant cannabinoids such as THC and CBD present in rosin, it may create a high. Besides, it is fast-acting, and you cannot compare it with standard flowers.
Why is rosin so expensive?
While rosin is one of the simplest ways to make concentrates, it may be expensive if you purchase than making it yourself. This is typically due to the high concentration of cannabinoids.
Is smoking resin safe?
Rosin is considered safer than other concentrates out there, but it should be consumed carefully because of the high levels of THC.