How to Use Rosin in Your Canna Routine

Cannabis concentrates have generated a great deal of buzz in recent years. This can be attributed partially due to their tremendous diversity—but also because they are a flavorful way to achieve some pretty powerful effects. Concentrates even have a reserved day of celebration, 7/10 Day. While shatter, budder, badder, and everything in between are a fine way to experience cannabis, many circles consider cannabis rosin to be the true “creme de la crème” of cannabis concentrates. Learn more about rosin, how to use it, and how to incorporate it into your canna routine.

What is Cannabis Rosin?

Not to be confused with string rosin, which is used to lubricate horsehair bows for stringed instruments, cannabis rosin is a potent cannabis concentrate. More specifically, cannabis rosin is a type of solventless concentrate that is made by applying extreme temperatures and pressure to cannabis flower or hash to extract the resin, or "rosin," from the plant material. Surprisingly enough, rosin appears to date back to 2006, making it a relatively new method of making cannabis concentrates. In recent years, this potent concentrate has become a favorite of consumers and producers alike due to its simplicity and the fact that it does not require the use of solvents like butane, propane, diethyl ether, ethanol, or CO2.

Instead of a solvent, the plant profile is extracted using only heat and pressure, creating a pure and potent concentrate. This process allows rosin to retain the full spectrum of cannabinoids and terpenes present in the plant, resulting in a concentrate that is rich in flavor and psychoactive effects. It is also a versatile product that can be used in a variety of ways, including as a topping for bowls or joints, as an ingredient in edibles or topicals, or as a stand-alone dab. Whether you're a seasoned cannabis connoisseur or a beginner looking to try some quality concentrates, cannabis rosin is definitely worth your time.

Why Should I Use Cannabis Rosin?

There are many reasons cannabis connoisseurs might choose cannabis rosin over typical solvent-based concentrate extractions or even over cannabis flower, vapes, or edibles. Many traditional cannabis users are well-attuned to cannabis culture, and many aspects of cannabis culture are in line with the organic movement. For some, this mindset carries over into the cannabis processing realm as well.

Most cannabis concentrates are created using solvent-based extraction techniques.

To put solvent-based extraction simply, one must remember the basic chemistry premise that "like dissolves like," which means:

• polar substances dissolve polar substances
• nonpolar substances dissolve nonpolar substances, but
• polar and nonpolar substances will not dissolve one another.

Factors such as the temperature of the solvent and the time the flower is exposed to the solvent impact the overall extraction; a slight variation in either will impact the amount of cannabinoids, terpenes, and more that are extracted. For many cannabis connoisseurs, this means that solvent extraction can seem like something less than a true expression of the flower that it came from in comparison to non-solvent-based extractions.

In addition, solvent-based extractions—even though they are referred to as solvent-free extractions to denote that a solvent was used but the finished product is free of them—may still harbor a bit of residual solvent content; and, even further, each extraction method lends its own unique “flavor.” Solventless extraction processes completely remove this factor from the equation. In short, many people prefer cannabis rosin because it is a pure concentrate that retains the true nature—and therapeutic benefits—of the flower strain it came from.

For more information on these extraction methods, head to our post: “Solventless vs. Solvent-Free Cannabis Products — What’s the Difference?”

How is Cannabis Live Rosin Made?

The quest for quality cannabis rosin starts with cultivators and ends with a quality rosin pressing process.

Let’s explore both stages.

All cannabis products start with great genetics, and rosin is no exception. After a cultivator has identified a strain for rosin production, the strain is then grown into full flower, then dried and cured. From there, the plant profile can be extracted one of two ways: dry sift or ice water extraction.

Dry Sift Extraction

Dry sift extraction is a very manual process that involves dried and cured flower and screens. The bud is sifted on mesh screens to isolate the resinous trichomes. Multiple screens are used, starting with a wide-net mesh that gets smaller in an attempt to capture solely the trichs. After the trichomes are collected and placed in a bag to express the plant profile–cannabiniods, terpenes, flavnoids, and more–by applying only heat and pressure.

Because the flower is dry, it is not uncommon for dried bits of flower to make their way through the screens as well, which is why many prefer ice water extraction.

Ice Water Extraction

The ice water extraction process involves the plant being submerged in–you guessed it–an ice water bath, then agitated to knock the trichome heads off the other plant matter and into the water bath.

The water bath is then poured through a series of filters to collect the desired trichomes. Trichome heads are filter-sorted by size to isolate desirable trichome heads based on quality. The trichome heads are then typically freeze-dried and put into another kind of filter bag. This type of filter bag is designed to withstand the pressure created by a machine called a "rosin press," which exudes the desired oils trapped in the trichome heads and filters them away from the plant matter. This process is what changes "hash" to "rosin."

How Do I Consume Cannabis Rosin?

While cannabis concentrates have attracted a stigma in the past, mostly owing to the rumor that dabbing is a complex, advanced method of cannabis consumption, more and more people are discovering just how accessible cannabis rosin really is.

There are many different ways to use cannabis rosin, and each method offers its own unique set of benefits and drawbacks.

Here are some of the most popular ways to use this unique concentrate:

Dabbing Rosin

Dabbing is a method of consuming cannabis rosin that involves heating it on a hot surface and inhaling the resulting vapors. Dabbing is considered an efficient way to consume cannabis rosin because it allows you to get the most out of your product, as a small dose goes a long way, but it can be intimidating for beginners because it requires special equipment and a high level of temperature control. Thankfully, new technologies and devices have made dabbing more accessible than ever.

There are two primary ways to dab cannabis rosin: with a dab rig or a dab pen.

Using a Dab Rig:

A dab rig is an apparatus that resembles a traditional bong in the way that it has a stem and a bowl, but instead of containing dry herbs, it holds the cannabis concentrate in the form of wax or oil. To use a dab rig you'll need a nail (the heating element), a torch lighter, your desired concentrates, and a dab tool or dabber to transfer your product to the nail. 

Steps for dabbing with a Rig: 

1. Start by heating the nail head until it’s hot enough to vaporize your concentrate. 
2. Once the nail has reached the desired temperature, remove the heat source and let it cool. If you are using a metal nail, let it cool for approximately 10 seconds; if you are using glass or quartz, allow it to cool for around 60 seconds before vaping.
3. Place the concentrate onto the heated nail using your dabber and inhale through the mouthpiece at the top of your rig.

Using a Dab Pen:

Dab pens, also sometimes referred to as "wax pens" or "wax vaporizers" are distinct from vape pens, since they use cannabis concentrates instead of prefilled cartridges. When heated, the concentrate is vaporized and inhaled for a more potent and clear high than smoking offers.

Steps for Dabbing with a Pen:

1. Start by adding your desired concentrate using a dab tool to apply the product onto the heating element (usually a coil).
2. Once your extract  is loaded, turn your device on and set it to the desired temperature.
3. When heated, inhale from the mouthpiece at the top of the device and enjoy!

Vaping Cannabis Rosin Cartridges

It is also possible to vaporize cannabis rosin using a traditional cannabis vape pen. Cannabis rosin cartridges appear almost identical to traditional vape carts, but they are filled with potent, full-spectrum, rosin. They’re favored by many because they’re easy to use, as you’ll just need to screw the cartridge into your 510 battery and press the button. Like dabs, cannabis rosin cartridges can have you experiencing the full benefits of rosin in just a few minutes.

Cannabis Rosin FAQs

Rosin: A Perfect Cannabis Concentrate

Cannabis rosin is an incredibly versatile and desirable concentrate for medical cannabis users, as it provides unsurpassed potency and purity. After all, a little bit of rosin goes a long way - it can be dabbed, smoked, vaped, or even used to create edibles. When you want a powerful, solventless experience with cannabis, rosin should be at the top of your list!

If you’re ready to add rosin to your cart, find the MÜV Medical Cannabis Dispensary near you to start shopping for top quality cannabis concentrates.