Solventless Extractions

These naturally pure extractions do not rely on volatile chemicals, ensuring a safer production process and a cleaner final product that preserves the full terpene and cannabinoid profile. The key is the separation of trichomes (resin glands) from the plant material using only physical methods like water, cold, or pressure.

What is Rosin?

The rosin technique has revolutionised the world of concentrates due to its simplicity and safety. Unlike BHO, rosin requires no solvents, only heat and pressure. It can even be made using a hair straightener, but for professional-quality results, a specialised press is recommended.

The process is straightforward: high temperatures (between 80°C and 110°C) and controlled pressure are applied to the plant material (flower, hash, or kief) for a few seconds. The heat softens the trichomes, and the pressure squeezes them out, resulting in a golden, dense, and flavorful concentrate. It is one of the fastest ways to obtain a high-quality, chemical-free extract.

Flower Rosin is the most basic form of rosin, made by pressing dried and cured buds. While the yield is low, the flavour is excellent.

Hash/Kief Rosin is a more advanced method where already separated plant material (kief or bubble hash) is pressed. This increases the yield considerably and produces a purer product.

What is Bubble Hash?

If rosin is the entry point to solventless extractions, Bubble Hash and Live Rosin are the final destinations for flavour purists. Both methods utilise the same principle: using cold to separate trichomes, which become brittle and detach from the plant material.

Bubble Hash is made using ice, water, and filter screens of varying microns. The mechanical agitation in ice water causes the trichomes to dislodge and sink, while the plant material floats. The trichomes are then recovered through the screens, resulting in a high-purity resin that can be consumed directly.

What is Live Rosin?

This is where the process transforms completely. Live Rosin is a concentrate obtained by pressing Bubble Hash made from freshly harvested and frozen plant material (hence the term "live"). Since it has not gone through a drying and curing process, the terpenes remain intact and fresh, resulting in a concentrate with an unparalleled flavour and aroma profile. High-end cannabis connoisseurs consider Live Rosin the ultimate expression of a strain.

How Pure is Each Type of Concentrate?

The following classifications are based on industry standards for evaluating the purity and quality of concentrates:

Flower Rosin (Medium Purity): While this is a solventless extraction, the application of heat and pressure directly to the dried flower can extract small amounts of plant matter along with the trichomes. This affects the final purity of the product. It is an excellent extract, but not the most refined.
 
Bubble Hash (High Purity): This method uses cold water and screens to physically separate the trichomes from the plant material. It is a filtering process that leaves unwanted plant matter behind, resulting in a purer product (hashish) with fewer contaminants than flower rosin.
 
Live Rosin (Very High Purity): This method represents the gold standard of extractions. Its superior purity is due to the use of Bubble Hash made from freshly harvested flowers, ensuring that the flavour and aroma are at their best without the loss of terpenes.

More From Soft Secrets:

The Difference Between Flower and Concentrates

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