Live rosin has taken the cannabis world by storm, appealing to enthusiasts who appreciate its purity and the high levels of terpenes it retains. This solventless extract can be produced through a relatively straightforward process that results in a potent, flavorful, and high quality product that doesn’t need any further remediation.

For processors, live rosin represents a premium product that can complement their other offerings, showcasing their artisanal capabilities when it comes to producing top notch extracts. This guide explains how processors can make live rosin, why it’s becoming so popular among consumers, and what’s needed (like Cryo Cured flower!) to create a live rosin that truly stands out from the crowd.

What is live rosin?

Live rosin is a solventless extract that is made by subjecting bubble hash sourced from fresh frozen cannabis to heat and pressure. This is typically done using a rosin press, which features two plates that can be heated and pressed together to squeeze resin from the bubble hash, resulting in live rosin. 

Live rosin is typically highly potent and retains a significant amount of the plant’s terpenes, making it a top choice for connoisseurs who want an extract as close to the natural strain’s compound profile as possible.

Live resin vs. rosin vs. live rosin

Live rosin is commonly confused with live resin or rosin, but those are distinct types of cannabis products. Rosin is extracted from hash made from dried cannabis flower, kief, or trim. Live rosin is extracted from hash made from fresh frozen cannabis flower. Like live rosin, live resin is also extracted from fresh frozen cannabis flower, but live resin is made using solvent-based extraction methods, usually employing light hydrocarbons like propane or butane as the solvents.

The rising popularity of live rosin

Live concentrates — a category that includes both live rosin and live resin —  are a small yet growing category in the cannabis market. In the U.S., concentrates represent roughly 9.5% of the legal cannabis market. Live concentrates make up a third of that segment, more than 3% of the total U.S. cannabis industry’s value. By that measurement, and given that the U.S. cannabis industry was estimated to be worth $10.8 billion in 2021, live concentrates were worth roughly $338 million in 2021.

But how much of that value can be attributed to live rosin? Rosins, which include live and otherwise, represented just 7% of the concentrates market. Compared to live concentrates as a whole, the sales numbers for rosin are a portion of this growing category. And within that, live rosin is a portion of that portion.

However, looking at sales data doesn’t tell the whole story. Live rosin consumers are loyal customers who prefer solventless extracts for their flavor due to preserved terpenes and high THC levels. They also want an extract that closely mimics that natural state of the cultivar from which it was produced. While live rosin may not be as famous as flower or edibles, cannabis connoisseurs and industry leaders alike appreciate this concentrate for its quality and potency.

Why is live rosin so popular?

Live rosin is a premium product, and as such it tends to fetch a higher price than other concentrates. In fact, rosins are typically the highest priced concentrates on the market, usually priced between $50 and $120 per gram. And while this premium extract doesn’t command the lion’s share of the concentrates market, it does demonstrate the quality a processor offers by creating that platinum level product offering for scrutinizing consumers.

Here’s a look at some of the benefits that drive live rosin’s premium price point and exceptional quality.

• Solventless production: The unique factor that sets live rosin apart, even from other live concentrates that come from frozen cannabis flower, is the solventless production method used to make it. Fresh frozen flower is made into bubble hash by way of ice water extraction, a method that requires no solvents and preserves compounds by using near-freezing water to separate trichomes from the plant. Then, dried bubble hash is loaded into a rosin press, which uses heat and pressure to squeeze the viscous live rosin from the bubble hash — no solvents required. No solvents means no remediation to remove residual solvents, and it means no left behind solvents that sneak by under state-mandated testing thresholds. The result is a smoother consumption experience.
  

• Superior terpene content: Live concentrates in general offer superior terpene content because they start with fresh frozen flower. Unlike conventionally dried and cured flower, fresh frozen flower is preserved as close to its just-harvested state as possible, leaving valuable terpenes intact and preventing them from degrading. Starting with fresh frozen flower, coupled with the solventless ice water extraction process, means live rosin is jam-packed with flavorful and aromatic terpenes that enhance the consumption experience and boost the extract’s therapeutic properties.
  

• Potent cannabinoid profile: Similarly, using fresh frozen flower and a solventless extraction process serves to preserve cannabinoids like THC and CBD. The end result is a more potent live extract. For discerning consumers who want the broadest possible spectrum of cannabinoids, live rosin can’t be beat.
  

• Similarity to natural plant: Many other extracts undergo significant winterization and remediation following extraction, but live rosin doesn’t require these steps. As a result, the compound profile found in live rosin is similar in the proportions of cannabinoids and terpenes to the source cultivar in its natural form. This gives consumers an unparalleled experience that keeps them as close to the plant as possible, while still enjoying the benefits of consuming a concentrated extract.
• Versatility: Live rosin can be used in a number of ways. While dabbing or vaporizing live rosin is the most common, it can also be used alongside cannabis flower or even in the production of edibles, as you’ll learn more about below.

These benefits are why live rosin fetches such a high price. While not every consumer will pay a premium for it, there are plenty that understand live rosin’s benefits. 

How to make live rosin

Live rosin can be made in the following easy (but important) steps, which makes it a great choice for processors who don’t want to add another complex process to their operations. Best of all, the equipment required to make live rosin is relatively simple.

1. Start with fresh frozen cannabis flower

The most essential step in the production of live rosin is to source fresh frozen cannabis flower that’s been properly preserved — otherwise, you’re not making live rosin at all. With a process like Cryo Cure, freshly harvested cannabis flower is dried and cured in an average of 11 to 14 hours, depending on the cultivar. Our technology, which creates Live Resin Flower, preserves flower at the peak of freshness, saving the maximum amount of cannabinoids and terpenes for the whole cannabis processing journey. Using fresh frozen cannabis flower like this ensures you start with the greatest possible amount of desirable compounds that the refined palates of live rosin consumers demand.

2. Layer micron bags in ascending order

In the production of bubble hash, the first step in producing live rosin from fresh frozen flower, a series of fine mesh bags are used to sift the trichomes that will be separated from the plant material during the wash. Before you begin the wash, layer your bags in ascending order so that they become increasingly fine. Typically, processors use a range of bags from 25 microns to 220 microns. 

3. Wash or agitate cannabis flower

The next step is to wash or agitate your fresh frozen cannabis flower in near-freezing water. This can be done manually in large buckets, though many processors today rely on wash machines. Wash machines can create a vortex that is optimal for separating trichomes from the plant material without damaging them, keeping the resin glands intact with the cannabinoids and terpenes inside. 

4. Strain trichomes through micron bags

Once the wash is complete, the mixture is strained through the micron bags layered together in the second step. Let the trichome and water mixture flow through the bags, ensuring you’ve captured every bit of solution from the wash before proceeding to the next step.

5. Remove micron bags and scrape trichomes

Remove each bag one by one, starting with the least fine mesh. As you pull each bag out, the water will flow out of it. In each bag, there may be some trichomes left behind; scrape them out and store them separately. 

Note that the finest “full melt bubble hash” has no residual plant material in it at all. This potent bubble hash is typically found between 72 and 120 microns, though this can vary depending on the source cultivar and the size of the trichomes you’re working with. Typically, processors will keep the full melt separate from the other extract, as it’s a particularly high quality extract. 

After you’ve collected all the extracted trichomes, freeze them into bricks of bubble hash by placing them in a freeze dryer for up to 24 hours.

6. Press bubble hash into live rosin

Once the bubble hash has finished freeze drying, place it in your rosin press to press it into live rosin. Ideally, you should press your bubble hash at temperatures between 160°F and 210°F. This will be warm enough to squeeze your live rosin from the hash while preserving valuable terpenes. Collect the resulting live rosin and prepare it for storage.

3 live rosin applications

Live rosin is a versatile extract that gives processors the opportunity to sell it for a variety of applications. Whether you’re a manufacturer at a vertically integrated organization with its own retail element or you’re pitching a dispensary on why they should choose you as a live rosin supplier, keep these three use cases in mind.

• Dabbing or vaping: The most common use cases for live rosin are dabbing or vaporizing. Unlike live resin, live rosin doesn’t contain any residual solvents. This results in a smoother dabbing or vaping experience for the consumer, with all the terpene-packed flavor that live concentrates offer.
  

• Enhancing flower: Sometimes called “twaxing,” live rosin can be added to smokable flower to enhance the experience and add more potency. Whether you paint a bit of live rosin on the outside of your joint or stick a bit of flower to it before packing a bowl, it’s a great option for taking your next smoke sesh to the next level.
  

• Cooking or baking edibles: Live rosin can be used to create infused butter or oil for the creation of edibles. There is a bit of a learning curve to this method, but it can end up making some unique tasting products. First, live rosin must be properly decarboxylated so the cannabinoids are activated for oral ingestion. Doing so without destroying cannabinoids and terpenes takes some knowledge. Additionally, live rosin is very flavorful, so it won’t mix well with every type of edible product; but if you combine it with the right ingredients, you may find some exciting new flavors.

Can live rosin use any fresh flower?

Fresh frozen flower is required for the production of live rosin, but if you want the best quality not any fresh frozen flower will do. To get the most out of your flower, it’s important that it preserve cannabinoids and terpenes at the peak of freshness, and that’s where Cryo Cure’s Live Resin Flower comes in. 

Using Cryo Cure’s patented process, freshly harvested flower can be dried and cured in anywhere from 11 to 14 hours, sealing in the perfect water activity levels and balancing out water activity to optimal levels. The result is what we call Live Resin Flower, an unmatched premium cannabis flower that retains the body, appearance, aroma, flavor, and potency of a bud freshly plucked from a mature cannabis plant.

In addition to providing a superior smoking experience, Live Resin Flower is also ideal for making live rosin. Not only is its shelf-life extended beyond that of conventionally dried and cured flower, allowing processors to store it without fear of degradation, it also gets the process started on the right foot, with the most possible cannabinoids and terpenes. 

When making live rosin, you’re producing a cannabis product intended for the most experienced, knowledgeable consumers. So, in order to gain a competitive advantage, you need the highest quality live rosin on the market. To produce a superior, premium live rosin means starting with a superior, premium flower — Cryo Cure can ensure you have just that. 

Live rosin delivers for the most discerning consumers

Live rosin is a premium cannabis product that’s becoming increasingly popular among consumers who prioritize quality, purity, and authenticity. That’s because live rosin blends its solventless extract process with fresh frozen cannabis, resulting in exceptionally potent terpene and cannabinoid profiles that replicate the natural state of the plant. But to meet these consumers’ expectations and create a top quality product, processors need to start with the best possible fresh frozen flower. For the absolute best live rosin, processors should start with Cryo Cure’s Live Resin Flower.

Solventless extracts create high quality concentrates without the use of solvents like butane or ethanol. Many consumers flock to solventless extracts for their purity and potency, as some compounds may be affected by the solvent-based extraction process. What makes these so unique? This guide to solventless extraction pulls the curtain back on how these products are made and the kind of flower that makes for optimal solventless extracts.

The basics of solventless extraction

A solventless extract is any type of cannabis concentrate product produced using heat, pressure, ice, or water to mechanically separate trichomes from biomass. The collected trichomes, which are densely packed with cannabinoids and terpenes, can then be used to produce concentrates or extracts.

Solventless extraction methods in the modern sense are relatively new, but the concept behind it dates back to ancient civilizations. The earliest forms of hash can be traced back to Persia and Central Asia, made by simply rubbing cannabis flower to gather trichomes and resin and press it into a brick. Later down the line, the development of sieves allowed manufacturers to more effectively separate trichomes from the plant and produce even purer versions of hash. 

Today, manufacturers are able to take these principles of mechanical separation to a new level by using modern extraction technologies and processes. This allows them to not only produce highly potent varieties of hash, but also turn them into solventless extracts like rosin.

What is the difference between solvent-based and solventless extraction?

Solvent-based extraction relies on the use of a solvent like the hydrocarbons butane and propane or the alcohol ethanol to separate cannabinoids and terpenes from the plant material. Solventless processes do not require the use of solvents at all. In most cases, means of mechanical separation, heat, and pressure are used to produce extracts. 

The key difference in the final product is that solventless extracts will contain no residual solvents at all. Solvent-based extracts are generally purged and refined to remove lingering solvents, which can result in an unpleasant aftertaste. In the most egregious cases, trace amounts of solvent may be detected on a lab test and make these concentrates ineligible for sale at a dispensary.

During the purging process of solvent-based extracts, the extract is exposed to some level of heat; the precise temperature depends upon which solvent is used. Skipping this process allows solventless extract manufacturers to preserve terpenes during extraction, which degrade when exposed to heat. The end result is a more flavorful and aromatic extract that may offer additional therapeutic benefits thanks to the entourage effect.

Is solventless extraction better?

Solventless extracts are considered a premium product because they typically offer higher terpene content than their solvent-based counterparts, delivering the natural taste and smell of the plant. This makes solventless extracts a top choice among cannabis consumers who like to try different cultivars and compare the overall experiences. You can also be sure solventless extracts contain no residual solvents, which reduce the quality of the extract. At the end of the day, it comes down to your personal preferences. There are plenty of solvent-based extract lovers out there, as well as fans of solventless extraction.

What about “solvent-free” products?

Note that you may sometimes see labels that read “solvent-free.” Generally, these are not solventless extracts, but instead solvent-based extracts that have been thoroughly purged to remove any residual solvent from the final product. If you want truly solventless products, look for labels that read “solventless” or “non-solvent” instead.

What types of solventless extraction methods are there?

There are many solventless extraction methods out there, and as the cannabis industry innovates new processes are being developed all the time. However, there are a few common solventless extraction methods that stand out, including:

1. Dry sifting

Dry sifting is a method used to produce the solventless concentrate hash. Relying on the original principles used by ancient civilizations, manufacturers agitate dried cannabis flower over fine mesh screens, separating the trichomes from the plant material to produce kief. The kief can then be subjected to heat and pressure to be pressed into potent bricks of hash.

2. Ice water extraction

Ice water extraction involves agitating freshly harvested cannabis flower in near-freezing water to separate the trichomes from the plant. The near-freezing temperatures make the trichomes brittle and snap off when agitated in a wash machine. The separated trichomes are then sifted through a series of fine sieves to separate them from the water. Once collected, the trichomes are scraped from the sieves and allowed to dry (often using a freeze dryer) into bricks of “bubble hash.” 

3. Rosin pressing

Rosin is a solventless extract that can be produced from kief or hash (usually bubble hash) by loading it into a device called a rosin press. A rosin press features two metal plates arranged like a vice grip, which are heated and then used to squeeze the bricks of hash. When pressed, a potent, viscous oil is squeezed from the hash; this is rosin. 

When using fresh frozen flower, like Cryo Cure’s live resin flower, the result of this process is called “live rosin.” That’s because it contains the optimal amount of cannabinoids and terpenes, captured from flower that is preserved to remain as fresh as the day it was harvested with a superior shelf life. 

What contributes to solventless extract quality?

Solventless extract quality is dependent on three major factors: the quality of the cannabis flower used as an input; the equipment used in the manufacturing process; and the techniques applied in the process itself. 

Product

The final product of any extraction process is only going to be as good as the quality of the flower that goes into it. Starting with high-quality, well-preserved flower is the only way to get top quality extract. That’s why we recommend working with Cryo Cured Live Resin Flower. The flower that results from our patented process is perfectly preserved following harvest, ensuring maximum cannabinoid and terpene content remains intact before the extraction process begins.

Equipment

The equipment used in any extraction process is also critical, as it should be efficient and well-maintained. Manufacturers have access to equipment like commercial-scale agitators and rosin presses to produce potent, pure extract at scale. Processing large volumes of biomass quickly is now possible thanks to this equipment, so incorporating it into the manufacturing process is key. Additionally, maintaining, sterilizing, and cleaning equipment after each production run ensures that every batch will be the highest possible quality.

Process

Extraction is both an art and a science, and every manufacturer will have their own unique twist on the process. However, once a process is developed, it can also be standardized so it can be easily repeated. This results in reliable quality products that are the same every time, which helps to support customer satisfaction and brand loyalty. So, when a manufacturer develops a process they feel sets them apart from the competition, they can develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) so their team is able to replicate the process time and again.

Solventless extraction results in clean, terpene-rich extracts

Cannabis enthusiasts love solventless extracts for their comparatively high terpene content and the aromas and flavors they produce. Additionally, consumers who prefer a clean product can rest assured that solventless extracts contain absolutely no residual solvents, because none are needed in their production. With these benefits, it’s no surprise that solventless extracts are becoming a hugely popular choice amongst consumers in every legal cannabis market. For manufacturers who want to stand out in this growing space, making the best solventless extracts is a matter of using the best flower, which is where Cryo Cure’s Live Resin Flower comes in. To maximize flavor and potency, you can’t do better than Live Resin Flower.

Ice water hash is gaining ground in the concentrates world, celebrated for its potency and flavor. But what you get out of this process is only as good as what you put in, making it critically important that the cannabis flower used to make ice water hash is fresh and of top quality. Read on to learn more about how ice water hash is made, how it’s different from other concentrates and extracts, and how Cryo Cure can help you get the most out of your biomass.

What is ice water hash?

Ice water hash is a cannabis concentrate made by combining cannabis flower (like Cryo Cure’s Live Cured Flower) and trim with ice water and agitating the mixture. Ice water hash is made by a mechanical separation process that captures a high amount of cannabinoids and terpenes, making for a potent and flavorful final product. Ice water hash is rated on a scale of six stars, with one star being the lowest grade product and six stars being the highest grade. Ice water hash can also be used to produce a solventless extract known as rosin.

How is this product made?

The production process behind ice water hash is relatively simple when compared to solvent-based extracts that require highly technical processes. It can be made in four easy steps.

• Combine cannabis flower and trim with ice water: Fresh cannabis and ice water are combined in a bucket or wash machine. Buckets are used in relatively simple DIY methods of making ice water hash, while wash machines are better for commercial production at scale. The near-freezing temperatures of the ice water freeze the resin glands of the plants, known as trichomes, making them very brittle and easy to break apart from the plant material.
  

• Agitate the mixture: Agitating the ice water and cannabis causes the trichomes densely packed with cannabinoids and terpenes away from the biomass. The cold temperatures also ensure cannabinoid and terpene potency is preserved during this process.
  

• Strain mixture to separate water and trichomes: The resulting solution of water and trichomes is then strained through a series of fine mesh bags, typically in descending order from 160 microns, 120 microns, and 25 microns in size. This separates the trichomes from the water, leaving them behind on the sieves.
  
  The 25 micron bag typically contains the purest ice water hash, which tends to be lighter in color than its lower-grade counterparts. The product collected from the larger diameter bags tends to be darker in color and slightly less potent due to the presence of fine particulates of plant material.
  
• Collect trichomes and dry: Once strained, the trichomes can be scraped from the bag and collected. At this point, the trichomes are still moist and need to be dried. Removing the moisture from the trichomes results in a dried brick of ice water hash.

Rosin and ice water hash

Once you have bricks of ice water hash, they can be used to produce a solventless extract called rosin. To produce rosin, dried ice water hash is placed into a rosin press, a machine that consists of two metal plates arranged in a vice grip. The plates are heated and the bricks are pressed at between 300psi and 1,000psi, melting and squeezing the trichomes and terpenes into a viscous, potent cannabis oil. 

Rosin, like other extracts, is highly potent in cannabinoids like THC and CBD. It also tends to have a heightened level of terpenes compared with other extracts thanks to the low temperatures at which it can be produced — after all, there is no need to evaporate residual solvents like there is in ethanol or hydrocarbon extraction. 

Where does Cryo Cure come in?

When producing ice water hash, Cryo Cure comes in after the wash is complete. During the ice water hash production process, manufacturers aren’t able to capture all the terpenes and cannabinoids from the biomass. Soaking wet biomass is at risk of microbial contamination, so leaving it to air dry is off the table. Unfortunately, without an effective alternative and despite knowing there are valuable compounds still locked inside the biomass following the wash, most manufacturers simply discard the wet plant material and cut their losses.

However, Cryo Cure makes it easy to quickly dry the wet biomass in a matter of hours while eliminating the risk of microbial contamination. This allows manufacturers to save the wet biomass and capture the remaining cannabinoids and terpenes via hydrocarbon, ethanol, or CO₂ extraction. The result is less waste, allowing manufacturers to squeeze every dollar out of material they were simply throwing away beforehand. 

In this way, a Cryo Cure machine is an investment that quickly generates a return. The amount of additional cannabis oil manufacturers can capture with Cryo Cure adds up to a significant revenue stream, easily covering the costs of acquiring and running Cryo Cure’s freeze drying machines. That’s not to mention the sustainability benefits that come from reducing massive waste that is currently the norm in the industry.

Eliminate ice water hash waste with Cryo Cure

Ice water hash and rosin are immensely popular with consumers who prefer solventless concentrates and extracts packed with flavorful terpenes, so manufacturers are increasingly adopting ice water hash as part of their process. Unfortunately, the process of producing ice water hash leads to significant waste, as manufacturers are discarding wet biomass that still contains precious cannabinoids and terpenes. If you’re ready to get the most out of your cannabis flower and stop leaving money on the table, it’s time to try ice water hash the Cryo Cure way.