Live Rosin vs. Live Resin: What’s the Difference?
Written by Chris Weatherall on Mar 9, 2021
If you are a cannabis user who doesn’t know the difference between resin and rosin, you aren’t alone. In fact, for many cannabis and non-cannabis users, the words tend to conjure up a mental image of that stuff violinists rub on their strings, not a cannabis product. However, live rosin and live resin are two different forms of cannabis, and the confusion is nothing to be embarrassed about when there are so many new forms of cannabis hitting the market.
While rosin and resin sound and look quite similar, that one letter makes all the difference. These two unique products are quite distinct from one another and it is worth knowing why and how. As cannabis concentrates become a hotter and wider-ranging niche in the marijuana world, it can be more difficult to make heads or tails of all the products on the market. In particular, knowing all the terminology necessary, how each works, how they feel to use, and more can help you decide what you might personally be interested in trying. This informative post will break down the various differences and similarities of live rosin vs. live resin.
What is Live Rosin?
Rosin is one of the newer cannabis products on the market. It is the result of a new technique of extraction that is a superior method for preserving the cannabis plant’s natural properties, as rosin extraction doesn’t use chemicals, solvents, or additional substances. Rather, the extraction process uses pressure and heat. For that reason, you could say rosin is the diamond of the cannabis world.
By using such a method, a highly concentrated and potent sap can be quickly extracted from various forms of the cannabis plant, including dried marijuana, kief, or pre-made hash. The result is a viscous, honey-like hash oil. Rosin requires no further chemical processing or purification, which makes it an ideal hash for purists and those who are conscious of clean, chemical-free living.
The flavor is strong and pleasant, and the THC content is quite high. This is due to its concentration and pure form. Rosin is rich in terpenes and is well-loved by marijuana users who appreciate that it is a cleaner full-spectrum option. It’s perfect for lovers of all things “crunchy,” but it’s such a phenomenal product, anyone is bound to love using it.
What are Live Resin Cannabis Concentrates?
What is resin cannabis? Several popular types of hash fall under the resin category, including shatter and wax. These compounds are extracted using hydrocarbon solvents, often butane when used in the common Butane Hash Oil (BHO) extraction method. Similar to how rosin is made, pressurization is an important part of the process.
The process begins with a cured plant matter that uses many parts of the plant. With BHO, plant matter is hit with a blast butane solvent solution. What comes out at the end of the extraction process is, like rosin, a very viscous, sticky, and honey-like substance with a yellowish coloring.
When resin is fully processed through drying, it is a more appealing amber color and harder in texture, actually quite similar in appearance to what violinists rub on a bow. Next, it is processed again to remove and recycle the solvent, via pumping through a vacuum. It is important to note that of all the BHO concentrates, resin forms preserve the most terpenes.
What is the Origin of Resin?
Resin, particularly live resin, is a relatively new cannabis concentrate in terms of both the extraction technology it uses and the popularity it has attained. In fact, the process was developed in the early 2010s here in the United States and promoted by growers and extractors in the well-known Colorado cannabis scene. They developed a special resin extraction process with a unique BHO that could maintain lower temperatures needed for the “live” classification.
Keeping temperatures low helps to preserve flavor and aroma provided by the all-important terpenes. Terpenes are what sets live varieties of resin and rosin apart from other popular concentrates like run-of-the-mill wax and shatter types. This technology changed the game for cannabis concentrates across the board.
Why are Concentrates Called “Live”?
If you enjoy consuming concentrates but don’t know much about them, or if you are looking into concentrates for the first time, you may be wondering just what the term “live” actually means. Are there organisms within the products that are still living? Could it even be an ethical question for some vegans? In reality, the term “live” simply means that the resin, rosin, or hash product has been extracted from recently harvested plant matter.
Again, live concentrates are a very efficient use of the harvested marijuana plant itself, as so much of the plant can be used. Conversely, other concentrates can only be made from plant matter that has been dry-cured. Since dry curing is already a common way that many farmers prep marijuana plants of various types to be sold, the familiarity with the process may be reflected in lower prices for wax and shatter.
Why Are Live Products Preferable?
Typically, the drying and curing process, which spans several weeks, is necessary for the production of certain cannabis products and produces a good flavor and potency. With dry curing, after the bud is first trimmed it may be left to dry for as long as eight weeks before it is sold. While this may seem like a long time, drying and curing is essential to the formation of many products.
However, products extracted from fresh plant matter rather than dried are able to maintain the freshness and other elements of the live plant. That is why live concentrate products, while somewhat similar to wax and shatter, are of a higher potency, have more flavor, and are generally less processed. As fresh extraction is a process that requires access to fresh cannabis plant matter, producers usually use local sources of plant matter. This makes both live rosin and live resin fresher, more community-oriented products.
What are Terpenes?
Terpenes are aromatic oils that create the flavor profile of cannabis and are secreted from the glands of the plant that also produce THC and CBD. These aromatics can actually range from fruit-like scents of citrus or berries to woodsy aromas of pine. Some strains even smell a bit minty. Much like the principle ideas of aromatherapy, the scent of the product (which is heavily influenced by terpenes) can determine what sensations and emotions consumption may promote. For example, a minty aroma may promote clarity and focus, while a pine aroma might encourage stress reduction or sleep.
The various marijuana plants developed terpenes as an evolutionary process in the same way other flowers developed their scents. The aroma is meant to ward off living predators for sake of the plant’s survival and attract pollinating insects to help spread the species. Terpenes are also a major part of what makes marijuana products more enjoyable and unique for use by humans. The types of terpenes and their effects are largely influenced by where the plant comes from, as climate, soil, and plant age also play a role in their individual development. In fact, over 100 different terpenes have been detected in cannabis products.
Are Live Rosin and Resin Considered “Upscale” Cannabis Concentrates?
Live rosin and live resin are considered to be high-end concentrate varieties. As previously mentioned, their status is earned because they must be produced via freshly harvested plant matter, using specialized extraction methods. Though the methods vary for live resin vs. live rosin, both preserve THC potency, terpenes, and aroma profiles better than other forms of marijuana concentrates, making them preferable for many users.
Though typical wax and shatter and other types of hash can be used similarly, depending on the client and the desired effect, live rosin and/or resin are ideal for regular use or as a special treat. Early in their Colorado inception period, the price per gram of resin could exceed $100 premiums. Often, rosin would be more expensive, due to its incredible purity and lack of chemicals. However, while live resins and rosins still exceed the price of more inexpensive waxes, both are now more affordable than they once were. Long story short, live resin and live rosin may be upscale, but both are just as attainable as they are enjoyable and beneficial.
Live Resin vs. Live Rosin
The words rosin and resin may only be differentiated by one tiny letter, but that doesn’t mean they are the same product. To recap, live resin is a concentrate extracted through a solvent-based process. Although solvent methods that use BHOs are made in a closed-loop system that extracts that recycles the butane (or another solvent), they still use a chemical compound to get the job done. Live rosin, on the other hand, does not use solvents but involves an extra step of creating a full-melt hash that is then pressed again into the final form for consumption. The most significant difference between the two is the purity, which is primarily due to the extraction method.
They are, however, similar in that both resin and rosin are created from freshly harvested live plant matter, despite the differences in extraction methods. The simplest way to remember is that resin uses solvents while rosin does not. Both are high quality, upscale products that are considered “live” and, in some cases, full-spectrum. Both are great choices as a frequent-use product or special treat, but rosin is the purest concentrate on the market, especially for those who are chemical-conscious.
Learn More About Your Cannabis Options in Arizona
If you are an Arizona medical cannabis patient or a recreational user 21 or older and would like to explore the full variety of both live resin and live rosin products available today, Kind Meds is here to help. It is our priority to help you build a thorough understanding of the products available to you, so you can make informed decisions about the ones you choose to use. Browse our current cannabis product menu, request more information online by completing our contact form, call our dispensary at (480) 686-9302 or visit our dispensary in Mesa, AZ today!
