Table of Contents
- What is Live Resin?
- Turn Down the Heat: How to Smoke Live Resin
- The Best Methods for Smoking Live Resin
- Keep Live Resin Good Longer
- Live Resin to Buy Online
- Smoking Live Resin FAQ
Ever get a strong whiff of great-smelling, fragrant weed, only to discover it’s coming from the vibrant profiles of live resin? THC consumers are flocking to live resin thanks to the rich, flavourful experience.
So, if you’re wondering how to smoke live resin, we have the answers. Just like there’s more than one way to you-know-what a cat, there are different ways to smoke live resin.
From dabbing, vaping, and topping off, here are some of the ways to smoke live resin. Whether you’re new to concentrates like resin (or new to cannabis altogether), or a seasoned pro, you’ll find some great tips for consuming live resin here.
What is Live Resin?
Live resin is one of many cannabis concentrates that is made by extracting and refining the cannabis plant to make use of specific cannabinoids and create concentrates products. Cannabis extracts, such as live resin, retain higher levels of terpenes and cannabinoids, providing a richer and more flavorful experience compared to more refined forms like distillates. It’s commonly made from fresh cannabis plants.
Unlike dried flowers, live resin is a stickier, waxy substance that contains concentrated plant terpenes. It’s typically yellow in colour. Full live resin (or terp sauce) will contain about 50% Cannabinoids, 20-30% Terpenes, and 20-30% other trichrome materials.
How It’s Made
Live resin can be distinguished by its method of extraction using butane hash oil. The live resin process involves harvesting fresh cannabis and flash-freezing it to preserve its trichomes.
When live resin is made, freshly harvested cannabis plants are first frozen rather than dried and cured to protect the delicate trichomes and their terpenes. After that, the extraction process happens in a lab.
The Effects and Benefits
Live resin is a popular choice for cannabis consumers because of its full-spectrum flavour profile and its reputation as a potent concentrate. It’s a vibrant experience, and the aromas are unmatched among cannabis concentrates and extracts.
Though Live resin can be pricier than dried cannabis flower, the experience is, in many people’s opinion, somewhat elevated and worth the extra work and cost.
Turn Down the Heat: How to Smoke Live Resin
A huge benefit of choosing live resin as your go-to cannabis concentrate is the full spectrum of flavours and smells. Live resin is known for its full-spectrum experience.
In order to preserve the rich smells and flavours, it’s important that the resin is not burned at a temperature that is too high. Terpenes, when burned at high heat, can evaporate! You definitely don’t want that.
High heat can burn the live resin, ruining the flavour. Inhale slowly to ensure a more comfortable experience, especially if you are new to using a dab rig.
Instead, dabbing with live resin should be done at a low temperature and pulled slowly. Turn the rig down to the lowest temperature, and keep it below 350 degrees. Take it easy to enjoy the wonderful aromas and flavours of the live resin.
The Best Methods for Smoking Live Resin
There are multiple ways to consume live resin concentrates. Live resin extracts can be used for vaping and smoking, offering versatility in consumption methods. We’d recommend dabbing or vaping it, but it can also be added to a joint or bowl.
Dab Rig and E-Nail
Using a dab rig is the first way to smoke live resin – and the one most consumers turn to. Cannabis enthusiasts have played a significant role in popularizing this method, especially with the recent legalization allowing access to potent products. Even if you’re new to using a dab rig, it’s simple to get started and understand.
A dab rig is similar to a bong, except that instead of burning cannabis flowers, the goal is to evaporate the resin. To smoke live resin using a dab rig, you must first fill the rig with water. Since live resin can be sticky and difficult to manage, it’s best to use a scooper or resin dab tool to load the bowl. After that, you heat the nail (the piece holding the bowl) – this is what makes the dab rig evaporate the product.
E-nails are a popular type of device that lets you carefully control the temperature. The e-nail is an add-on piece that connects to the dag rig on the bottom of the bowl. When you turn it on, it regulates the temperature to the desired heat.
E-nails make the whole process easy, as many also come with a pre-setting designed for dabbing at low temperatures, which is necessary for smoking live resin.
Vape
Live resin can easily be vaped using live resin cartridges. Since it doesn’t involve much setup, vaping live resin via cartridges is becoming a popular method of consumption. Live resin cartridges are just like cannabis oil cartridges but with live resin inside.
Live resin cartridges can be used with compatible vapes simply by screwing the cartridge onto the battery or device, activating the heating, and inhaling. If you are wondering how to use vape pens, read our article.
Sprinkle
Want to use live resin to add an extra kick?
The third way that you can consume live resin is to sprinkle some on your existing joint or bowl. This method is also known as “topping off”, and is an easy way to incorporate the benefits and effects of live resin into your regular cannabis routine.
You can sprinkle the live resin material on top of a packed bowl of flowers. You can also add it into a joint or blunt. This combination of dried flowers mixed with live resin extract allows for a heightened experience.
Keep Live Resin Good Longer
Since live resin is a waxy material, it tends to get liquid and sticky if it’s stored in a warm climate. The curing process is crucial in cannabis production, but for live resin, avoiding this phase helps retain its potency. Keep live resin good to use for as long as possible by storing it in a cool, dry place. A sealed, air-tight container in your refrigerator is ideal.
Keep live resin away from direct sunlight, as this can liquify, evaporate, and damage the product. Just take out what you’re doing to consume from your container and replace it in the fridge or cool storage location immediately.
Live resin that is well stored can last for around six months. After a certain period of time, even well-stored live resin will begin to degrade – this is normal. The good news is that live resin is so good, you probably won’t have it hanging around that long!
Live Resin to Buy Online
Ready to try live resin for yourself? We’ve compiled a few great options for live resin that you can buy online. Here are some of the best live resin products to try:
- LIVE RESIN (LUCKY EXTRACTS) – Premium cannabis full-terpene, full-spectrum extract.
- LIVE RESIN (JUNGLE RIDGE) – Made from fresh cannabis plants that have not been dried. Available in multiple strains with a great value for the price.
- LIVE RESIN (KLEERX) – High-quality live resin made from craft cannabis products. Kleerx has the highest standards to ensure the best quality products.
- LIVE RESIN (KOOTENAY LABS) – Live resin from craft cannabis grown in British Columbia’s Slocan Valley (Kootenay Labs). Tasty live resin ideal for dabbing created through rigorous testing and research (i.e., getting high).
In addition to these awesome live resin products, you can also check out Live Rosin, Terp Sauce, and other cannabis concentrates and extracts available through Kootenay Botanicals’ online dispensary.
Smoking Live Resin FAQ
Are you sold on live resin? With flavour and aroma profiles to write home about, we wouldn’t see why not! If you still have questions about
Is live resin better to smoke?
Live resin is preferred over smoking dried cannabis flowers by many. The drying and curing process, which is essential for preparing cannabis plant material, often leads to the loss of terpenes that are vital for the plant’s aroma and therapeutic effects. Live resin offers a broader and richer profile of flavours and aromas that add an elevated experience to cannabis consumption. You can get high, and feel like you’re sampling fine wine while you’re at it.
How do I store live resin?
Keep live resin in a cool, dry location. High temperatures can cause the resin to become liquid and change its consistency. Invest in a good silicone container with an air-proof lid to keep resin, and other cannabis concentrates good longer.
What is the best temperature to smoke live resin?
Dabbing live resin at too high a temperature can burn the product and ruin the flavour profiles. The drying process that fresh marijuana plant material undergoes before being processed into cured resin can affect the potency of the final product. Live resin should be dabbed at low heat to preserve the full spectrum of the flavour and aromas.
Use the lowest temperature setting on your dab rig – around 350 degrees- and keep it under 400 degrees.
How do I activate live resin?
Live resin can be activated and consumed by heating it at a relatively low temperature and evaporating and inhaling the terpenes found in the cannabis extract. This can be done using a dag rig, vape, or by sprinkling the resin onto joints and blunts.
How do you smoke a live resin without a rig?
Live resin can easily be smoked using a dag rig. Since it’s a sticky material, it’s best to use a dab tool to place the resin in the bowl. The dab rig then works by heating the nail at a low temperature (use an e-nail to moderate the heat if you’re not sure how to control this) and inhaling. Enjoy!
Sources:
https://www.leafly.ca/learn/consume/dabs/what-is-live-resin-cannabis-concentrate
