What Is Rosin and How to Use It

Imagine that you can enjoy using a type of marijuana extract without using a solvent. Luckily, you can do that today.

Marijuana extracts are quickly becoming more popular when it comes to using the herb for recreational and medicinal purposes. But creating a pure and stable concentrate is still a fairly new concept. If you want to know more about what this practice involves, you might want to know what rosin is. This extraction process is a fairly simple mechanical method that has been around for many years and has become more preferred by users. You do not need to be an expert in chemistry or extraction methods to get a good result when making rosin. 

What Is Rosin?

This is a potent and clear extract from the marijuana plant that can have a potency level of as high as 80% THC or higher. It became more mainstream after it was popularized in 2015 by a cannabis connoisseur. But the extraction method used to produce the extract might have been around since the early 2000s or even the 1990s. 

This type of extract is considered to be purer than other forms of concentrates since it does not have any solvent in it. Instead, you are ingesting the pure form of marijuana. Unlike other concentrates made using BHO extraction, such as shatter, rosin does not need a solvent for production. As a result, it will not likely contain any harmful chemicals if it is done correctly. 

Instead of putting it through solvents such as CO2 or butane, rosin is made with a combination of pressure and heat. This is applied to a high-potency plant material, such as hash. In the end, the result is a gooey and thick extract. It will have a mix of cannabinoids and terpenes in it. Because of the terpene content, it is delicious and potent. 

What Do They Put in Rosin?

This product is very versatile because kief, cannabis flower, or hash is used to create the extract. It is then transformed into hash oil that you can fully melt. The end result is a sappy and translucent material that some people believe is similar to shatter. You can use the extract as rosin dabs. If you do it right, rosin might have similar yield, flavour, or potency as other extraction products based on solvents. 

Is It Full-spectrum?

As you research cannabis products, you may come across full-spectrum variants. They are called that because they can retain the entire profile of the marijuana plant, and they contain many terpenes, cannabinoids, and other components. They can be hard to make since many types of extraction methods can filter out these components during the extraction process. 

Depending on the extraction method used, rosin, such as that from flowers, can be full-spectrum. However, hash rosin is often a select-spectrum extract. It might not have all of the original cannabinoids and terpenes in it. 

Resin Vs. Rosin

You might have encountered the terms, rosin and resin, in the past and wondered if they refer to the same thing. There are a few differences between the two of them. Resin refers to a slightly more viscous substance that comes from cannabis plants. 

You can make live resin from a cannabis concentrate by taking a freshly harvested marijuana plant and freezing it until it reaches subcritical temperatures during and before the extraction process. That way, the live resin can retain the original terpenes in the plant. On the other hand, certain types of extraction processes can cause the rosin to lose some of its terpenes. 

One of the reasons that rosin is becoming popular is that it does not require the use of a solvent to create. This means that no foreign substances are introduced during the extraction process. Instead, the process uses both pressure and heat to get the resin out of the marijuana plant. 

With other methods of extraction, propane or other light hydrocarbons are used. The mechanical and complex systems need to have a purging period to get rid of some or all of the solvents remaining in the final product. However, there can still be some traces of the chemicals left after the process. 

On the other hand, you do not need to worry about this with rosin. The method entails the use of pressure and heat, and no cleaning is needed after the process. The product will be ready and clean in just a couple of minutes. 

When you compare it to butane hash oil, they look similar. If you make it right, rosin can have as many terpenes that give it the flavour and aroma. But in the lab, rosin will not have any remaining hydrocarbon. You are getting shatter that does not contain any solvents. 

Why Is Rosin So Popular?

One of the most important reasons that rosin is popular is because the technology used to make it is simple. Even if you have no background in botanical extractions or chemistry, you can still try it out and not have as many risks. You can make it yourself at home with a few simple household items. For example, making rosin dabs can be a fun afternoon project.

It can take days to make a BHO product safely, and it is not always an easy task. Plus, it often requires specialized equipment. This is what makes rosin popular when it comes to the marijuana culture. 

In the past, there have not been efficient, safe, and versatile methods of making quality solventless hash oils besides rosin. You can even find industrial presses that can get through a lot of hash oil to create rosin in just a few seconds. The machines can put several tons of pressure on the extract at even a low temperature, which is more likely to preserve the terpenes. 

A Simple and Low-cost Solution

If you are familiar with violins, then you might know that rosin is a process that can convert your resin to a substance that will coat your bows. This way, you can reduce the amount of friction on the strings. 

But rosin is also what it is called. When it comes to cannabis, rosin is a method of getting the substance distilled out of the plant with pressure and heat. It is easy to do, and the process is straightforward.

Making Your Own Rosin

To get started, you will need to gather a few tools that you can most likely find around your home. You will need a hair straightener, a metal dabber, a parchment paper, and a heat-resistant glove, such as an oven mitt. 

A closed-loop extraction system will need to have professional pumps and might cost you a few thousand dollars to get your hands on. But it is inexpensive to get the tools that you will need to create rosin. The product that you end up with will be somewhat similar to butane hash oil, but there is less likely to be the potentially cancer-causing hydrocarbons remaining in the end product. Propane and butane are not necessary for this process. 

Depending on the number of flowers you will be pressing, the process might just take a few minutes. There are a few things to consider first, though. If you do the process in bulk, you might find that the effort is not worthwhile. Instead, consider processing around seven grams or less during one sitting for better results. 

Most types of hair straighteners can work, but you’ll likely find that it is easier to use the one that can display the temperature on a digital screen. That way, you can avoid the risk of overheating the cannabis and burning off the terpenes.

Making Your Extract

First, heat the straightener and make sure that your buds are slightly moist. They do not need to be wet. Wear gloves when you handle the straightener since your fingers might get burnt otherwise. To get the best press, place the straightener down like you are using it as a stapler. Have one of the paddles on a flat, sturdy surface and place the other one in the air. With a harder press, you might get better returns. 

Then fold your bud once and cut a piece out of the paper. It should be around four times longer than the folded cannabis. Put your flower on the paper and line up your new pouch with the cannabis between the two paddles of your hair straightener. It is important to wear gloves for this process. Next, snap the pieces of paper together by using the hair straightener. The paper with the flower in it should be on the bottom plate and flat between your paddles. You should try not to clip your fingers between the plates, even with the gloves on. 

When the plates are together, you will hear a sizzling sound. Press them for around 5-10 seconds, and you might need to experiment with different pressing times depending on how fresh it is and what strain you have. 

Then remove the bud from your paper and see how much oil there is. Depending on how successful you are, you might need to fold your buds over and press them again. Some people like to press the bud around two to three times or more. 

Once you have around 20% of the oil on your parchment paper, use your dabbing tool to pick up the rosin. You can use the oil on your tool to pick up even more oil. This is an extract that is known as rosin. While it can take some time to make your own, you might find that the rewards make it worthwhile. Once you have completed this process, you can use it in many ways. 

How Do You Use Rosin

This is a very versatile concentrate that you can enjoy in many different ways. 

Dabbing

Dabbing your concentrates can bring out the terpene content, allowing you to enjoy the many aromas and flavours from each of the strains. Because rosin contains so many terpenes, you can have even tastier dabs. If you want to maximize the taste and the flavour, dabbing your rosin is the right way to do it. 

Vaping

If you have a vaporizer that you can use with concentrates, then add the rosin and vape away. You can also prepare an e-juice infused with rosin at home. No matter what kind of vaporizer you have, ensure that it is safe for concentrates. Vaping out of a vape for dry herbs might cause a mess and some damage. 

Rolling

It might not seem intuitive because of how sticky it can be, but you can crush and roll your rosin into a spliff, blunt, or a joint. Just ensure that it is dry, so you do not end up with a mess. You could also apply heat to melt it and then spread it on the rolling paper using a tool. You might find that when stickier, it is easier to roll crushed rosin. 

Adding It to a Bong

If you do not want to roll up a joint, then sprinkle some rosin on your favourite type of a bowl. You can place it on the bud in the bowl and then light it. When exposed to heat, it can turn into oil that will melt in the bowl, covering the bud with a glow. Just remember that adding some concentrate to the bowl or joint will make it more potent. 

Closing Thoughts

More and more dispensaries are using the rosin technology and adding rosin to their shelves. Today, rosin is available in nearly every type of legal market. The future is bright when it comes to rosin, and it will bring excitement to the industry for many years to come.