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The world of cannabis concentrates is vast, which makes it somewhat intimidating for a newcomer to explore the many options available. From rosin to distillate, shatter to wax, these vocab terms all refer to different things in terms of texture, how they’re made, and even how they smell. Those new to extracts may browse the shelf and wonder, “What is live resin?”

Live resin, simply, is one of the latest types of cannabis concentrates to hit the market. To make it, producers extract the cannabinoids and terpenes directly from fresh cannabis plants, which were frozen and preserved immediately after harvest. Live resin has become increasingly popular among connoisseurs for its ability to maintain each strain’s fragrant, flavorful, and delightfully complex sensory experience.

Read on for our full breakdown of everything you need to know about live resin, including how it’s made, how to use it, the potential benefits of this type of extract, and more.

What is Live Resin?

Live resin is a type of cannabis concentrate that extraction artists use freshly frozen flowers — rather than dried and cured weed — to create. These craftspersons use chemical solvents to isolate the cannabinoids and terpenes from the leftover plant matter.

Compared to other types of concentrates, which use dry cannabis as their source materials, the “live” and fresh flower is better preserved in live resin. As such, these extracts are often praised by connoisseurs for smelling and tasting better and even producing a more complex or more potent high.

History of Live Resin

Live resin was only created in the last fifteen years, following a regular renaissance of creative extraction artists experimenting with ways to improve their craft.

In 2010, breeder William “Kind Bill” Fenger opened the first legal cultivation center dedicated to producing extracts in Colorado. He toyed with the idea of using fresh cannabis plants as source material, veering from the established method of processing dried and cured buds. A study from the University of Mississippi found that cannabis loses nearly 50% of its terpene content during curing – Fenger thought he could beat those odds.

Following a few years of experimentation, Fenger met Jason “Giddy Up” Emo, who was responsible for installing an EmoTek Labs OBE-Dos extraction unit at a Colorado Springs medical dispensary. Fenger was hired as the consultant for the job, which led to their future collaboration.

Over the next several weeks, the duo worked with different strains and extraction techniques using the newly installed machine. Soon, they produced the first-ever live resin batch using flash-frozen cannabis, successfully preserving the source strain’s smells and flavor.

Thus, “live resin” cannabis concentrates joined the world.

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How is Live Resin Made?

Live resin is crafted in a similar process to other non-live resin cannabis concentrates, though using fresh cannabis flowers is the crucial qualifier that separates it from other types. Extractors use chemical solvents, of which there are a few different options, to separate the active cannabinoids, terpenes, and other cannabinoid content from the stems, leaves, and plant matter.

Processors often use butane (BHO), propane, or CO2 to separate the desired compounds from cannabis flowers. However, these chemicals are highly volatile and dangerous to ingest, so concentrate-makers must be sure to thoroughly remove leftover chemicals from the final product before finalizing. They do so via evaporation.

Following the removal of solvents and any other materials, concentrate makers pour the extracted compounds into a processor to craft many different kinds of live resin extract textures, such as:

Badder
Shatter
Wax
Oil
Crumble
Diamonds
Sauce

Live Resin vs. Live Rosin

As we’ve described, live resin refers to the freshness of the source cannabis materials used at the extraction point. One can have live resin shatter, badder, and so on. However, those who’ve heard of the phrase “live rosin” may be confused here, so we’ll take a moment to clarify the difference between these two similarly-spelled but distinct extract types.

As its name suggests, live rosin also uses fresh cannabis plants to create concentrates. However, live rosin is typically made without solvents, whereas live resin crafters use chemicals to create their finished products.

Producers can use ice baths, presses, and other solvent-free materials to create live rosin while preserving most of the flavor and aromas saved by not curing the buds. It can take longer to complete these products, but they are just as nose- and taste-worthy as their live resin counterparts. However, due to the extra effort required to make these solventless concentrates, they can sometimes be more expensive.

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Terpenes in Live Resin

We have chemicals called terpenes to thank for the unique, enticing aromas produced by live resin extracts. Terpenes are natural compounds found in cannabis (and all other plants) responsible for the ever-unique smells of each strain. Scientists separate these terpenes in cannabis into two main groups: monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes.

Monoterpenes are smaller chemicals that produce fresher and more “light” aromas like myrcene, limonene, and linalool. We smell these, respectively, in mangos, citrus fruit, and lavender flowers.

As smaller molecules, these are usually the first to break down during the curing process. Live resin extraction techniques preserve many of these aromas by skipping drying and curing, producing more nuanced and lighter smells.

Sesquiterpenes are slightly larger molecules that yield heavier, denser aromas in some cannabis strains. These include humulene, which smells like hops, and caryophyllene, which gives strains peppery scents.

Each cannabis variety has its unique blend of terpenes, of which there are dozens, and they all interplay to produce distinct aromas. Further, terpenes have their own effects on humans, like THC, and are responsible for shaping the experience of a high much more than a product’s cannabinoid content.

Benefits of Live Resin

Now that we understand the components of live resin let’s explore why you’d want to consider adding a live resin dab to your rig.

More flavorful experience

During a typical extraction process, drying, curing, handling, and processing can cause a product to lose many of its natural terpenes and compounds before it makes it to your dispensary’s shelf.

With live resin, extractors minimize processing to the plant and skip straight to processing while being able to retain many of the original strain’s more subtle flavors and aromas. The result is a more complex, nuanced sensory experience with every inhale.

The entourage effect

Not only do live resin extracts delight the senses more than typical concentrates, but the highs are also more complex and, often, stronger. As mentioned above, terpenes and additional cannabinoids are retained during live extraction. When consumed together, these compounds yield a phenomenon called “the entourage effect.”

The entourage effect means that the sum total of different compounds, like THC, CBD, and different terpenes, will produce a different high and even enhanced medicinal benefits compared to those compounds consumed by themselves. Live resin’s ability to preserve these chemicals means you’re more likely to benefit from their working in harmony and experience a more potent high.

Cost-effectiveness

Live resin is surprisingly cost-efficient, given its high-quality yields. Instead of taking the extra steps to dry, cure, and trim cannabis flower, artists can simply harvest the whole cannabis plant and freeze them until its time to process. They then use a chemical solvent to quickly strip the beneficial compounds, which only requires a bit more processing to yield a final concentrate.

These quick methods pass down to the consumer, who can enjoy delectable concentrates more reasonably priced than live rosin products.

Potential Side Effects and Risks

Live resin has many positives, but there are some considerations to keep in mind when exploring this type of concentrate.

Uses chemicals

Extractors use chemicals such as butane and propane to separate cannabinoids from plant materials efficiently. These must be thoroughly purged before consumption, as igniting or ingesting these chemicals can be very dangerous.

Reputable manufacturers will ensure no trace of solvents in their extracts, but less trustworthy businesses operating in the black market may not be as ethical. It’s important to purchase lab-tested live resin from a licensed operator before putting any such concentrate in your rig.

High potency

Another consideration with live resin is the high THC concentration typically found in such products. Usually, THC content in concentrates ranges from 65-95%, which is extraordinarily potent even for seasoned consumers. These highs last long and are extremely powerful, best reserved for those needing heavy THC doses.

Beginners or those who only want small doses of cannabis may want to wait until they’ve built up a tolerance to approach extracts, and even then, should proceed with caution.

How to Use Live Resin

Most often, live resin is consumed by vaporizing, either in a device called a dab rig or a portable or tabletop vaporizer.

Dabbing is one of the most common ways of using live resin, especially in a more solid form like shatter, wax, or budder. Unlike smoking from a pipe, dabbing requires a dab rig (pipe-like apparatus) and a nail (a flat bowl), which can be heated to higher temperatures than typical glassware.

Using a torch, one heats the nail until it reaches the desired temperature, quickly drops the live resin onto it, and inhales the resulting vapor. A portable vaporizer works in much the same way, but the machine does much of the heating and vaporizing work for the consumer.

Finally, some consumers even sprinkle a bit of live resin on their flower before they smoke to take advantage of the extracts’ potency.

Keep in mind: different states enforce different regulations on what consumption methods are allowed. Be sure to make sure concentrates are legal in your state before considering your next product.

Live Resin vs. Other Concentrates

Live resin vs. distillate

Distillate is pure THC’s crystalline form, without terpenes or other cannabinoids. Due to its terpene content, live resin has much more flavor and varied effects.

Live resin vs. rosin

Live resin and live rosin both come from fresh cannabis plants but differ in extraction techniques. Live resin uses chemicals to separate the desired compounds, while rosin uses solventless methods.

Live resin vs. sauce

Sauce is a more liquid form of concentrate and can be made using live resin techniques or from cured, dried buds.

Live resin vs. shatter

Shatter is another glass-like texture in concentrates but can be crafted using either live resin or typical extraction methods.

The Bottom Line: Should You Use Live Resin?

Deciding whether to try live resin is entirely up to the individual in question. Those seeking a higher potency concentrate with richer, more complex sensory experiences often seek live resin extracts. They also reportedly produce more nuanced highs and match the profile of the source strain, making them a favorite of connoisseurs. However, if you’re new to cannabis or prefer not to become totally stoned, you may want to opt for a lower-potency option.

Evn’s variety of live rosin products, infused with fresh-frozen cannabis extract that captures the flavor and experience of the individual strain, all free from solvents.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is live resin stronger than dabs?

Live resin refers to the extraction method used to create a dab rather than it being separate from a dab. Live resin doesn’t necessarily have higher THC content than other concentrates, but the flavor difference and entourage effect can make the high feel more unique to each strain.

Is live resin healthier to smoke?

Terpenes produce their own health effects, which make consuming live resin healthier than other dabs. However, vaping live resin is much better than smoking, as users avoid inhaling harmful carcinogens when the plant is burned.