If you step foot in a dispensary you’ll see numerous concentrate products marketed as THC live resin. A budtender will probably tell you they offer a premium vaping or dabbing experience, but do you know why?
It comes down to the fact that authentic 100% live resin products preserve all of the additional cannabis plant compounds like terpenes and flavonoids. This allows you to experience the true benefits of the entourage effect and enjoy the natural plant aromas.
Unfortunately, there’s a lot of confusion around what constitutes a true top-shelf live resin cart. That’s why we distinguish our true-to-strain vape products as, Live Resin Carts.
Continue reading to learn more about why URSA’s Live Resin Cartridges are made and why they are so special.
The 100% live resin in a Live Resin Cart is a form of cannabis concentrate extracted from fresh frozen cannabis plant material. When made correctly, it is taken from plants that are not dried or cured, but at peak freshness.
The end result is a concentrate that is 100% true to the original strain of the plant. More specifically, a true live resin extraction process allows you to more or less capture the strain’s original aroma. If you’ve never tried a Live Resin cart, just imagine amplifying the taste of your favorite bud, by about 30%.
The increased flavor in the Liquid Diamond Sauce Cartridges is the main reason they are becoming so popular among cannabis consumers. Especially among seasoned smokers, who have an additional appreciation for the natural taste of the plant.
Now that you know what it is, we’ll tell you a little bit about how we make it. The right way!
How is the Live Resin in Live Resin Carts Extracted?
The characteristic feature in the live resin extraction process is the ability to capture all of the plant’s chemical compounds at peak freshness. This means, unlike normal cultivation, the plants aren’t dried or cured prior to extraction. Therefore, the highest quality live resin cartridges need to be flash-frozen at the plant’s peak freshness.
The plant then remains chilled throughout extraction to maintain all the various trichomes, terpenes, and other plant compounds. From here, the procedure isn’t too different from other extraction methods. The plant material is passed through a solvent, which in our case would be a natural butane (BHO) to separate the oil from the actual plant matter. The major difference in live resin manufacturing is that the butane temperature is turned way down to reach temperatures that preserve all plant materials.
Live Resin products like our Live Resin Carts don’t need additional refinement. They’re at their purest, without. At URSA, we are capable of naturally achieving a live resin consistency with true color that’s exceptional on looks, alone. This means there’s no need for added terpenes, additional artificial flavoring, and especially not Vitamin E acetate.
What is the Difference Between Live Resin & Cured Resin?
Another important distinction to make is between live and “cured resin”. More specifically, “cured resin” or just “resin” simply implies that the input plant material was not fresh frozen or derived from fresh cannabis. Knowledgeable and higher-end consumers tend to prefer live resin to cured resin because the curing process damages the trichomes.
When the plant is cured, it is hung upside down in a dry space and forced to dry out. The benefit of curing a cannabis plant is that you avoid fungal or microbial growth within the bud. The problem with curing is that over-dried cannabis lacks smell, taste and burns hotter and faster. Instead, we prefer preserving our flower at the peak of freshness.
What is the Difference Between Live Resin & Distillate?
Another popular form of THC extract is distillate. This type of concentrate uses heat to strip the plant of everything besides THC. The stripping occurs in a refinement process where the terpenes and flavonoids of the original plant are destroyed. Once extracted, you’re left with a potent concentrate high in THC that is taste and odorless.
This is why brands using distillate then add back additional terpenes that often come from non-cannabis plants. This is an important distinction to make when considering the difference between live resin and distillate. Distillate concentrates will indeed get you very high, but you’ll miss out on the benefits of the full spectrum of plant chemicals.
With botanically derived terpenes (used in distillates), it’s impossible to achieve the exact flavor profile of the original flower. These outside terpenes are used because non-cannabis plants are less expensive to grow and easier to buy in bulk. This results in a cheaper price for the consumer and manufacturer, but a less authentic experience.
Why Do Cannabis Lovers Choose Live Resin Carts?
If you want the closest vaping experience to smoking fresh flower, Live Resin is the way to go. If you don’t like the natural tastes and experience of flower, then a distillate flavored with outside terpenes may be your preference. On the other hand
Distillates will test higher in THC than live resin products, but this ratio doesn’t necessarily tell the whole story. This is due in large part to the entourage effect. People often think distillates make you more stoned, but a live resin extract with lower THC levels may just provide a more intense high than an extremely concentrated distillate.
On the other hand, consumers who enjoy smoking flower will enjoy live resin concentrates for their true to flower and pungent aromas.
How to Avoid Knock-Off ‘Live Resin’ Products
‘Live Resin’ products are known as the top-shelf premium option when it comes to vape cartridges and dabbable concentrates. Unfortunately, that means there are plenty of knock-offs using ‘live resin’ or just ‘live’ as a marketing term when their products aren’t truly live resin.
This happens without much if any oversight as there are no industry regulations or standards with regards to product names. This results in countless products marketed as ‘live resin’ when they’re nothing more than a refined distillate that has additional ‘live terpenes’ added in. If you’re looking for a top-shelf experience out of your vape or dab, make sure to only purchase products that are clearly labeled as 100% live.
