What is Live Resin? Benefits & How to Use

You can find quite a lot of cannabis concentrates on the market today. Some of the most popular forms of concentrates include shatter, wax, crumble, and jelly. However, there is one that is getting much attention: live resin.

Why is the new rage among cannabis enthusiasts? Live resin is a cannabis concentrate made from newly harvested cannabis flowers. It is popular because it preserves the rich flavor and aroma of fresh cannabis terpenes. Let’s know more about this unique product and learn its benefits and how to use it.

What is Live Resin?

Usually, after being harvested, cannabis plants undergo many processes that damage their natural terpene profiles. When they are ready for extraction, they would have lost much of their natural flavors and aromas. For instance, cannabis flowers can lose as much as 60% of their terpene content during drying and curing. As soon as they undergo the extraction process, they lose even more terpenes and other compounds.

Live resin is different from other concentrates because the cannabis buds are frozen immediately after harvest to preserve as many natural terpenes as possible. Hence, the resulting product is a concentrate loaded with more flavor and aroma, making dabbing or vaping a more enjoyable experience.

The live resin extraction process is a unique technology that makes the product highly valued. It skips the drying and curing process to preserve the freshness of the flower. Hence, it is called “live” because it retains its freshness before extraction. The concentrate is then extracted using a solvent such as butane hash oil or propane.

History

Although cannabis has been used for millennia, dabbing or vaping concentrates is relatively new. William Fenger and Jason Emo are credited for producing the first batch of live resin in 2013. William Fenger became the first person to grow cannabis in Colorado legally. He loved the smell of cannabis buds because of the distinctive properties of the terpenes.

The terpenes are produced in the trichomes. These resin glands also contain highly valued cannabinoids. They are concentrated on the cannabis flower but also cover the entire plant. The terpenes give the plants various aromas, like pine, mint, lemon, and other attractive scents.

Because cannabis loses at least 50% of its terpene content when dried and cured, Fenger considered it a waste. Therefore, he partnered with Jason Emo of EmoTek Labs to develop an extraction process that preserves as much terpene content as possible.

Benefits of Live Resin

Much of the benefits of the concentrate have to do with the preservation of the terpenes and other natural compounds in cannabis. The trimming, drying, curing, and extracting procedures can strip the buds of beneficial compounds. However, most compounds are preserved when the buds are flash-frozen before extraction.

Preserving a good amount of terpenes and cannabinoids from the buds allows consumers to enjoy more of the therapeutic benefits of cannabis. Scientific studies show that THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids have therapeutic effects on humans. However, terpenes also have therapeutic and medicinal uses. Therefore, preserving these beneficial compounds can enhance the health effects of cannabis on the body.

Although terpenes are found in various other plants, many of them are present in cannabis. These compounds provide the plant with unique flavors and aromas. Without these compounds, smoking, dabbing, or vaping cannabis would be relatively dull.

There are two kinds of terpenes: monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. Monoterpenes are made of smaller molecules and produce fresher and lighter aromas. The most common examples are limonene, linalool, myrcene, and terpinolene. Sesquiterpenes are made of larger molecules and are responsible for heavier undertones. The most common are humulene and caryophyllene.

The monoterpenes are commonly present in fresh flowers. When the flowers undergo the curing process, the smaller and lighter monoterpenes quickly evaporate because of their size, while most larger and heavier sesquiterpenes remain. Live resin preserves most monoterpenes, making the live resin concentrate smell fresher and richer than other concentrates.

How to Make Live Resin 

Live resin is terpy because it contains more terpenes than cannabis concentrate. The excellent balance of light monoterpenes and heavy sesquiterpenes gives it a refreshing aroma. Therefore, many people who value flavor and aroma choose to consume it more than any other concentrate.

Remember that it is not easy to produce live resin. Live resin extract is costly because it requires special equipment and expertise. The information provided in this article is for information purposes only. Do not attempt to make concentrates at home unless you have professional training and the right equipment.

Before producing live resin concentrates, growers usually harvested the cannabis flowers, dried them, and cured them before making smokable flowers, cannabis oil, or edibles. The closest thing to a live resin wax hash.

Understand that terpenes are produced in the trichomes. Since terpenes are volatile compounds, they quickly evaporate when the buds are hung up to dry. The tricky part is to separate the trichomes from the plant without compromising the terpenes.

When William Fenger attempted to produce live resin, he froze the fresh cannabis flowers at a critically low temperature and used butane to separate the beneficial compounds from the trichomes. The result is a liquid gold concentrate that is fresh and terpy.

Many producers use liquid nitrogen or dry ice to freeze freshly harvested cannabis flowers. Within 24 to 36 hours, they use specialized lab equipment to extract the live resin from the flowers. Live resin cannabis concentrates require a lot more sophistication than other concentrates, but the result is worth it.

How to Consume Live Resin

Please remember that each state has its regulations regarding cannabis consumption methods. Please check with your local laws to determine which legal and illegal methods are in your area. Also, determine whether recreational cannabis is allowed or prohibited in your location. If recreational marijuana is not permitted, you should only consume products derived from hemp.

Live resin is most commonly consumed through dabbing. You use a dab rig and a nail to heat the live resin until it turns into vapor. This consumption method is more common if the resin is in its solid form.

If you want to enhance your cannabis bowls or flowers, you can add live resin to them before consumption. The live resin adds more potency to the experience. There are other methods available, but that depends on your live resin type.

Some of the common types of live resin products include:

Badder, Butter, Crumble, and Sugar

Live resin can have different appearances and textures depending on how they were extracted. While the potency is pretty much the same, the textures differ. Hence, it can be made with different textures to accommodate the preferences of many users.

Shatter

Shatter concentrate is hard but brittle. However, it is difficult to find live resin shatter because terpenes are almost liquid. If you overheat the live resin, it will allow more terpenes to evaporate.

Carts and Dab Pens

Live resin can be placed in vape cartridges and dab pens. The cartridge heats the resin and vaporizes the cannabinoids and terpenes when connected to a battery. Dab pens provide a lot more flexibility because it allows you to control temperature. You can make the vapor a lot lighter or harsher, depending on the temperature.

Sauce

The sauce has a sticky liquid consistency because it contains more terpenes. You can dab it or vaporize it, depending on your preference.

Frequently Asked Questions 

What is flash freezing?

Flash freezing refers to the preservation method of freezing the cannabis flower immediately right after harvest. It is done at critically low temperatures using liquid nitrogen or dry ice. Flash freezing the cannabis flowers preserves the natural compounds and aromas to make a more enjoyable cannabis experience. Although flash freezing was invented decades ago, it is a relatively new technique for producing quality cannabis extracts.

What does live resin look like?

When you look at pictures of live resin on the Internet, they usually have a signature golden color. However, that depends on the strain of weed used to produce it. Live resin can have a yellow to almost white color. The appearance and consistency of the concentrate depend on the raw materials used.

The consistency of the concentrate can be as soft and fluid as a sauce. It is due to the tendency of terpenes to be liquid-like. Hence, the final product’s texture depends entirely on the number of terpenes present in the concentrate.

How do you store live resin?

Extreme heat and direct sunlight can harm the taste and potency of the product. You should store the live resin, like other cannabis concentrates, in a cool dark place away from direct sunlight and heat. If you wish, you can store it inside a fridge.

Should I decarb live resin?

It is not advisable to decarb live resin. However, if you wish to use live resin to make edibles, you must decarb it first. Like all other cannabis products, the THC and CBD content have to be activated to produce the desired effects of the cannabinoids. Decarbing requires heat. You have to place the liver resin in an oven. Heat it to 240 degrees and let it bake for 30 minutes.

Can I make live resin at home?

Producing live resin is not an easy task, even if you grow cannabis at home. The process requires the necessary skill, knowledge, and equipment. You have to freeze fresh cannabis in dry ice or liquid nitrogen. Within 24 to 36 hours, you have to extract the frozen plant material with butane or a similar solvent. All of these procedures are not only difficult. They could also be dangerous, especially if you handle flammable solvents like butane. We recommend that you leave the live resin production to the professionals.

What makes live resin and cured resin differently?

The main difference is the production process. Live resin is made by flash freezing the cannabis flowers right after harvest. The cured resin is produced from flowers that have been dried and cured. Live resin preserves a lot more of the terpenes from the cannabis plant. Cured resin loses at least 50 to 60% of the aromatic terpenes.

As a result of the preserved terpenes, live resin retains most of the aroma of fresh flowers. Hence, it is deemed more valuable and desirable than cured resin. However, it all boils down to preference. While some prefer to get more terpenes from their cannabis product, others do not mind the loss of terpenes at all, as long as they get the desired effect of the potent cannabinoids.

Is live resin suitable for me? 

If you care about the taste and aroma of your concentrate, you should consider consuming live resin. It is both flavorful and potent. In addition, trying out a new kind of concentrate can expand your experience of cannabis. As a cannabis connoisseur, you should try new ways to enjoy cannabis. You may find your ideal cannabis product. Who knows.

Key Takeaways

Live resin is a relatively new kind of cannabis concentrate. Flash-freezing freshly harvested cannabis flowers make it. Within 24 to 36 hours, the frozen plant material is extracted using solvent extraction techniques. The result is a highly potent and terpene-rich concentrate that is fresh and aromatic.

Terpenes are responsible for the flavor and aroma of cannabis products. However, they may also provide therapeutic benefits. Try dabbing or vaping live resin if you wish to have a more thrilling cannabis experience.

At CannaClear, we care about your cannabis experience. Check out our THCV isolate if you want to try out other cannabis products made from 100% hemp. While you are here, why not learn more about the difference between Live Resin vs. Rosin as well.