Live Resin vs Rosin – What’s the Difference?
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When live resin and rosin are only a vowel apart, you might not expect to notice much of a difference. Despite being derived from the same plant, they are made using distinct methods. Both rosin and resin have garnered considerable popularity among stoners and medical patients in recent years, primarily due to their potency, robust aroma, and distinct flavor profile. Given their similar names, it’s understandable that they often cause confusion. That’s why we’re going to explain everything in great detail and clear up any confusion once and for all.
Key Takeaways
- Live resin and rosin are cannabis concentrates made using different methods, with live resin produced through solvent-based extraction and rosin made using heat and pressure without solvents.
- Live resin is flash-frozen after harvest to preserve cannabinoids and terpenes, while rosin can be made at home using a DIY technique or purchased from a reputable source.
- Differences between live resin and rosin include production methods, texture, taste, and cost, with live resin typically being more affordable due to its production efficiency.
- The choice between live resin and rosin depends on personal preferences, with factors like solvent use, taste, and cost influencing the decision. Ultimately, experimentation is key to finding the preferred concentrate.
What is Live Resin?
Live resin is a cannabis concentrate made through a solvent-based method on flash-frozen cannabis flower. Butane, ethanol, propane, and supercritical CO2 are common solvents used in the production of living resins. What distinguishes live resin is the method used to flash-freeze cannabis soon after harvest.
Cannabis is often dried and cured before it is sold or turned into other products. However, this traditional approach can degrade the cannabinoids and terpenes included in the flower. Flash-freezing cannabis helps to preserve more of the desired plant materials in our weed before the extraction process begins.
What is Rosin?
Rosin is a cannabis concentrate created using heat and pressure, with no solvents necessary. It can be made from either dried and cured flowers or flash-frozen flowers. Unlike resin, which is normally not created at home due to the combustible and dangerous nature of solvents, rosin can be made in the privacy of your own house.
Some crafty stoners use a DIY technique, leveraging wax paper and a hair straightener. The flower is pressed between the paddles of a hot iron, and rosin is extracted. However, because this procedure is unregulated and you might end up creating a not-so-potent batch of resin, it’s recommended that you get rosin from a reputable source.
What’s the Difference Between Live Resin and Rosin?
Live resin and live rosin are premium concentrates that are known for preserving the aromatic characteristics and aromas of the living cannabis plant. The extra terpenes kept frequently lead to more bright and powerful aromas and flavors. This sounds great but what’s the difference? Well there are multiple things to look into.
Production
Live rosin is produced using high heat and pressure rather than solvents, hence it is categorized as a concentrate rather than an extract. A variety of procedures can be used to separate trichomes from plant material. One method includes stirring frozen plant material to separate trichomes before submitting it to heat and pressure. Another approach uses water and ice to keep trichome structure intact during separation, resulting in ice water hash. Alternatively, plant material can be exposed to heat and pressure in a micron bag, however this may result in a lower-quality product with more contaminants.
Live resin, on the other hand, dissolves the resin with a solvent that must then be purged, in a vacuum chamber to remove remaining solvents, ensuring compliance with regulatory restrictions on solvent residues. Some users prefer live rosin because of its solventless extraction procedure, which they view to be a more natural option.
Texture
Live resin and live rosin can be recognized based solely on appearance. Before being processed into a specific form of concentration, live resin has a sweet and versatile texture. This versatile extract comes in a variety of forms, including sticky granules, whipped budders, and smooth oils. Its color usually runs from golden to amber, however, changes in production methods might provide varying colors.
On the other hand, live rosin is more opaque and has a creamy or honey-like consistency. The exact texture and tone of live rosin might differ according to the manufacturing and finishing processes used.
Taste
Live resin maintains the cannabinoids and terpenes found in fresh, frozen flower, providing an experience that closely resembles the original plant. The use of hydrocarbon solvents in the extraction process helps preserve sensitive terpenes due to their low boiling points. As a result, live resin concentrates consistently offer some of the best-tasting experiences available. Many consumers rank live resin at the top of the list for its exceptional flavor, aroma, and color.
While live rosin can also deliver excellent taste, its terpene profile relies heavily on the quality of the cannabis flower used. If low-quality bubble hash is used to produce live rosin, the final product may have less flavor, aroma, and overall taste.
Cost
Live resin stands out as one of the most potent and highest-quality concentrate options you can find at your local dispensary. The good news for consumers is that it tends to be more affordable compared to live rosin.
The reason for this price difference lies in the production process. While live resin has become more cost-effective to produce over time due to market demand and refining extraction techniques, live rosin remains relatively expensive. This is because creating live rosin requires more time and labor compared to solvent-based processes. For example, a manufacturer might be able to produce only a few pounds of solventless live rosin per hour, whereas they could produce several dozen pounds of another concentrate using solvents.
Final Verdict – Live Rosin vs Resin
Unfortunately, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to know which one is better. Each extract has its own unique qualities that set it apart, and your preferences as a consumer will ultimately determine which one you prefer.
While solvents are removed from the final product, some consumers prefer to avoid products made with propane and butane. If you’re someone who prefers a more natural approach and wants to avoid chemical solvents, live rosin might be the better option for you.
On the other hand, if the cost is a concern for you, live rosin might not be the best choice, unless you’re willing to spend the time and effort to make it yourself. Live resin production is becoming more efficient and cost-effective, making it a more budget-friendly option. However, keep in mind that live resin extraction can’t be done at home Ultimately, the best way to determine your preference is through trial and error. Stay lifted!
