What Is Marijuana Kief?

Whether you are new to using cannabis, you may have noticed that that bud has small, sticky crystals on it. This is known as kief, or dry sift. The kief is the resin glands that have cannabinoids and terpenes in them. This is what makes the herb unique. Even though weed without the kief still has cannabinoids in it, the resin glands are where most of them are.

Kief refers to the crystal formation that is on the tip of the gland. However, the substance is one part of a trichome. Different algae and plants have trichomes on them, as well. For example, a carnivorous plant uses sticky trichomes that can trap the prey.

The name of “kief” came from an Arabic word. It means “pleasure” or “intoxication.” You most likely know what marijuana is and what cannabinoids, such as THC and CBD, can do. Although these are some of the most well-known substances, they are not the only ones in the plant. You can also find compounds such as trichomes, terpenes, flavonoids, and other cannabinoids. So, you might be wondering what kief is and how it is linked to cannabis.

What Do the Trichomes Do for Cannabis?

On the marijuana plant, the trichomes can keep away many different herbivores. They create a strong psychoactive experience for the predator, which can disorient it. Because of the distinct, strong odour, many pollinating insects are attracted to it.

Understanding Kief

Kief refers to crystals that you can find on the buds and flowers of cannabis plants. In many cases, kief completely covers the buds. This gives them a crystalline, shimmering appearance. When you grind up your cannabis buds, you might find that some kief accumulates in your grinder, assuming you have a filter in the grinder to catch it. 

It takes a while for kief to accumulate in your grinder, especially if you want to use the compound as the main ingredient in a recipe with cannabis. Many people enjoy creating marijuana products using kief. This helps them get the most out of their cannabis. 

If you want to collect every bit, you can get a kief box or a similar tool. Using these, you can shake the compound off your marijuana bud. However, you might even be able to purchase kief by itself. That way, you will not have to wait as long to start using your kief. 

Separating Kief From Cannabis

If you do not have an herb grinder that has three chambers, you may end up wasting the kief. It ends up sticking to the grinder. However, you can sift your kief if you like concentrates but do not want to purchase expensive equipment.

The resin glands have a high concentration of cannabinoids and terpenes. If you separate the kief crystals from the plant, then you can increase the amount of cannabis that you are consuming.

It is fairly simple to extract the kief. The best way to do it is with an herb grinder that has three chambers. That way, you can grind it finely and allow the kief to move through the screen. A small compartment will collect the crystals. Many people find that investing in a three-chamber grinder is worthwhile.

If you want to extract a larger amount of kief, you can use some screening materials to easily accomplish this. Some people use layers of kief screens to create their own sifters. You will want to have at least three or four layers of the screens on top of each other to get clean kief and avoid wasting anything.

Many home extractors use different sizes of screens. They are then stacked from the largest one to the smallest one. You will want to look at the number of wires per centimetre each screen has. The smaller the number, the larger the screen will be.

You might decide to purchase extracted kief from a dispensary. Remember that you want a lighter colour, which means it will be purer. If the kief is still green, there is a lot of plant material still in it. Purer kief is whiter.

How to Use Kief

Now that you know how you can collect your kief, you might be wondering what you can do with it. Luckily, you can use your stockpile in many ways. By choosing the right method, you can refine the consistency and make it more potent.

Put It on a Bowl of Cannabis

This method is known as “crowning” your bowl. This is a fairly easy way to use your kief. When you sprinkle kief on your bowl, your cannabis will become much more potent. Cornering your hits involves using a quadrant of your bowl each time. That way, you can get many hits out of one bowl.

Make Kief Hash

One of the oldest types of cannabis is hash. The first step involves extracting the kief from the plant matter. You can think of hash as pressurized and heated kief. It forms a soft ball. The reason you want to heat and pressurize it is that this changes the kief’s composition. The resin glands rupture and bring out different effects from the extract. The colour will darken when you apply pressure to it.

Making Moonrocks

A moonrock is covered in oil and coated in kief on the outside. These have a strong potency and are easy to make yourself at home as long as you have the right supplies.

First, heat up your choice of oil and coat your buds in it. Next, sprinkle the kief over the buds, or just dunk them in a bowl of kief. Once you let them harden, you can break them up with your hands and put them in your bowl. You should avoid using a grinder, which can make them a bit too fine.

Make Rosin

Many people enjoy using the extract rosin. It does not use a solvent for extraction, and it can easily preserve the cannabinoids. Usually, a flower will be used, but if you press kief, you can get an even high concentration and yield. All you need to do it at home is a vice and a hair straightener. A professional method would involve using machines to apply a high level of pressure.

Make Cannabutter

There are many uses of cannabutter, including making edibles, and adding kief to it can make it stronger without adding extra steps to your process. Remember that if you choose to decarboxylate the cannabis, you will want to mix in the kief before beginning.

Use a Kief Press to Make Disks

A kief disk is a small disk that has compressed marijuana crystals in it. If you already have a kief press, it is not difficult to make a disk yourself. You can then use the disk by breaking it up and smoking it bit by bit. However, many people choose to smoke the entire disk at one time.

How to Use Kief Medically

There are many ways that you can use kief medically, so trying them can help you decide which one is right for you. A popular method involves sprinkling it on your ground marijuana. Then, you can vape or smoke it. When you add the substance before you use it, the flower will become more potent. That way, you do not need to vape as much.

You can also sprinkle it into your tea or coffee in the morning. Because of the heat of your beverage, the cannabinoids in kief will be activated. All you need to do is place it in your mug and stir it up. You might find that the effects are delayed, but they will last longer and might even be stronger.

You can also blend your kief into some butter. Then, you can use this to create edibles such as brownies or cupcakes. This is easy to do with a slow cooker. Simply place it on medium heat and add your butter and kief. 

The right amount will depend on how potent you want it to be. Let it cook for five hours and stir it several times each hour. You will want to let it harden in the refrigerator before you use it. You might use it to cook or bake or put it on your toast just like you would with regular butter.

Closing Thoughts

Don’t throw away the bits of kief that collect inside your grinder. If it is stuck to the grinder, try to remove as much of it as possible. Consider investing in a three-chamber grinder, so you can more easily get every last bit out of your cannabis.

There are many fun ways to use this cannabinoid-rich substance. Sprinkling it on your joints can help you get a more potent hit. If you like kief enough, you might just find yourself purchasing it for yourself.