The cannabis market offers a greater array of increasingly purer and more potent extracts. Take, for instance, the star product that has revolutionized this year's cups and festivals: the so-called diamonds or crystals. What are they? Super-concentrated THC-A and CBD-A extracts topping out at 99% purity. Ordinary extracts are terpene-free, fat-free and lipid-free, meaning they have no taste, color or aroma. The popularity of Live resin sauce (or just "sauce") has also been rising during the last years because, besides offering a spectrum of almost 100% pure cannabinoids, it is amazingly flavorful and smelly thanks to its high terpene content. We'll go over everything you need to know about this groundbreaking universe of cannabis super-concentrates.
Cannabis extracts are currently in vogue, particularly in the U.S., where 'dabbing' is almost a religion. Maybe that's why during this year's Emerald Cup, the world's largest cannabis event, the attendants couldn't take their eyes off what it's known as the most potent dab on the market: the diamonds. They're 99% THC-A or CBD-A crystalline dabs that look like super-potent ultra-processed diamonds.
Dazzling cannabinoids at their purest state
Seeing these diamonds for the first time is always a bit of a shock. No wonder many refer to them as crystals for they really look like clear quartz chunks. With the help of a microscope, the rigid structure of these cannabinoids becomes evident. Yes, they're very much like snowflakes. These extremely pure THC-A and CBD-A isolates don't contain any impurities such as lipids, fats, flavonoids or terpenes, which is why they are almost tasteless, colorless and odorless.
Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THC-A) and cannabidiolic acid (CBD-A) are the precursors of their analogues, THC and CBD, the most widely consumed cannabinoids of all times. Basically, they're non-active cannabinoids that turn into THC and CBD when they're subject to long periods of intense heating during the drying phase. This process is known as decarboxylation. Therefore, the little diamonds have to be vaporized or burnt for the psychoactive effects to show up. They'll be unnoticeable if consumed orally.
Many regard crystalline as some sort of whim rather than a useful cannabis product. However, what these people don't see is that the isolation of cannabinoids brings about greater flexibility to make the most out of the plant. Their being pure and isolated means that we can select the exact proportion of THC, CBD or terpenes that we wish to consume, instead of a random proportion as we're used to. This debunks the belief that diamonds are just for thrill-seekers looking for high-flying experiences.
The truth is that crystalline allows many patients to better measure out their dose of cannabinoids, for the effects to be exactly the ones they need. In fact, one of the most interesting aspects of THC-A is that, unless heated or decarbed, it's got no psychoactive effects, which means that patients can enjoy its endless therapeutic properties without having to go through a psychoactive high. If you decide to heat it, though, be ready for a soaring head high. Like a real cannabis shot!
These diamonds have to be refined by a series of chemical reactions so that cannabinoids are fully isolated. It's more or less like distilling a beverage repeatedly for the alcohol rate to be higher. A complex process for which a rotary evaporator and some solvents are needed. In short, haute cuisine for a few ones only. The cannabis industry is increasingly aware of the interest this kind of concentrates is raising, though, and so more and more companies are creating their own products.
How are these cannabis extracts made?
Everything starts with an ordinary cannabis extract where, besides THC-A and CBD-A, we'll have other compounds such as terpenes, fats or lipids, together with some particles. The aim is to get rid of all that unwanted matter so that purity is as close to 100% as possible. For the first wash, we need both hydrocarbon hexane and acetic acid, two powerful chemical solvents that help remove plant impurities when combined.
We also need a rotary evaporator, most commonly known as rotovap. This device is used to separate solvents from laboratory samples through a slow process of heat, pressure and rotary motion. It's more or less like a washing machine, but this one needs to be used repeatedly for a perfect finish.
The remaining cannabinoids have to undergo a process called Preparative Chromatography, which is used to isolate pure cannabinoids from an existing mixture. It basically consists in separating individual compounds by moving them at different speeds. This can also be done with the help of the rotovap, although several chemicals have to be used. The final step of this process is to make the product fit for human consumption.
At this point, the extract will only contain pure cannabinoids and a tiny amount of lingering impurities. These small particles have to be removed using solvents such as methane or pentane during individual mixing and separation phases. After the solvent's been used, we need to get rid of it with the help of the rotovap. The result: 99% pure cannabinoid crystals.
Sauce, a mix of cannabinoids and terpenes
Another cannabis extract that is driving many cannabis users crazy is the one known as Sauce or Live Resin Sauce. It is a concentrate with isolated cannabinoids and loads of terps, the compounds that provide plants with its amazing tastes and aromas. This sauce is a full-spectrum cannabis extract with all the potentially therapeutic biomolecules in it. It's also lipid-free, fat-free, wax-free… For all these reasons, sauce is one of the healthiest ways to consume marijuana, together with crystals, of course.
However, while crystals are pure cannabinoid isolates, sauce strives to include multiple cannabinoids and terps that cooperate with one another to offer large amounts of therapeutic benefits, according to several research studies. That's why many users love making full-spectrum extracts with those little semi-transparent balls found all over the buds where cannabinoids and terps are locked in.
It's quite common to find people posting pics of crystals floating in a rather dark liquid. Seasoned dabbers say pure Sauce doesn't look like that. Dr. Daniel Hayden, who coined the term "full-spectrum extract", points out that sauce must look like small white and yellow diamonds swimming in a golden liquid. "These are the only indicators of a full spectrum extract", explains the plant molecular biologist of Extractioneering, one of the few companies bringing pure cannabis sauce to the market.
For an extract to be a full-spectrum extract it has to contain at least 13% terps and 45% THC or CBD. The percentages can vary, but this information may help you identify a real sauce. If the terpene content is higher than 30%, we should act with caution. When popping the lid off a jar full of sauce, we see at once where its name comes from, for its aromas are absolutely overwhelming.
Bottom line, these super concentrates are haute cuisine. Undoubtedly, two incredible products that are revolutionizing an ever-growing cannabis market that keeps surprising everyone with its ground-breaking creations.