Shopping For Legal Cannabis
Ask a Bud: Shopping Concentrates
Because concentrates come in different formats and higher potencies and can require special equipment and accessories to consume, there’s a lot to consider when venturing into this category. Stephen Mooij, budtender at Red Rock Cannabis, shares answers to the top questions customers ask and his approach to shopping for the right cannabis concentrate.
“Vape carts are currently the most popular form of concentrates for beginners.”
Stephen Mooij
Budtender at Red Rock Cannabis
Similar to other concentrates like instant coffee, bouillon cubes or frozen juice concentrate, cannabis concentrates come in a condensed form. They consist of the cannabinoids — and sometimes terpenes — extracted from plant matter. The term “concentrates” refers to a class of potent cannabis products that includes flavourful hash, rosin, waxes and shatters, as well as distillates.
We asked Stephen Mooij, budtender at Red Rock Cannabis, to fill us in on some of those options and what consumers need to know before trying cannabis concentrates.
What type of concentrates are appropriate for beginners?
Mooij says that vape carts are currently the most popular form of concentrates for beginners, adding, “I always direct customers toward live resins and full-spectrum concentrates, and infused pre-rolls are gaining interest fast.”
“I try to help customers choose the right product for them by evaluating their level of experience with cannabis. For example, an infused pre-roll is much more accessible for the curious consumer than, say, a gram of rosin.”
Do I need any special equipment to consume concentrates?
“Some concentrates are meant to be vaporized with a dab rig or handheld device. However, most concentrates can be added to traditional methods and smoked in an infused joint or pipe.”
How are cannabis concentrates made?
“It depends on what kind of concentrate you’re talking about. There are a variety of methods: from hydraulic presses [rosin] to distillation apparatuses [distillate], ice water and bubble bags [bubble hash], silk screens [dry sift hash], hydrocarbon extractions [shatter and live resin], CO2 extractions [wax, crumble]. Each process creates differences in the colour, texture, viscosity, smell, taste and the experience.”
Dabbing is one way to consume cannabis concentrates, which include shatter, rosin, wax, live resin and distillate.
Learn more about dabbing and get some tips to help you get started here.
How should I store cannabis concentrates?
“Concentrates are best stored in a cool, dry and dark place to avoid degradation of terpenes and cannabinoids. This is particularly true of rosins and live resins due to the high terpene content.”
How much should I consume?
“As with everything, start low and go slow. All concentrates are made from the most potent part of the cannabis plant: the terpenes and cannabinoids.”
How do I keep my accessories (dab rig, vaporizer, etc.) clean?
“There are a few glass cleaning products on the market, but I find that isopropyl alcohol, hot water and cotton swabs work just fine when maintaining accessories — just make sure you opt for the swabs with paper or wooden sticks to avoid damaging your glass.”
Are concentrates more expensive when compared to the other categories?
“Concentrates are now available in a wide range of prices and are much more accessible to those who want to try without spending too much. Due to the efficiency, if used properly, concentrates can be just as affordable as flower.”
