What Is Live Resin and How Is It Made and Used?

Live resin is a cannabis concentrate made from fresh cannabis flowers instead of dried or cured buds. This way, the terpenes won’t be eliminated, creating a high-quality, connoisseur-level, and flavorful product like this Pineapple OG Live Resin by Heat Makery.

New to the cannabis industry? In this article, you will find everything you need to know about live resin, including its history, extraction process, uses, and other frequently asked questions about the product.

History of Live Resin

William “Kind Bill” Fenger, a cannabis grower, and Jason “Giddy Up” Emo, the founder of EmoTek Labs, created the current way of making live resin in 2013. In 2010, during a harvest, Fenger thought about what might happen if he used the cannabis plants he was trimming to make extracts. 

Fenger thought the smells from plants that had just been picked were better and more appealing than those from dried nugs. If he could get the terpenes before the drying and curing process, when their flavor profile was at its best, he could make a concentrate with the same strong smell as the live plant.

The Original Diesel cultivar was the first plant Fenger used to try to make live resin. Even though the extract was tasty and smelled good, it was dangerous to make, so he did not make much. Moreover, the technology to improve yields and make production safer didn’t exist yet.

In September 2013, Emo put in an extraction unit where Fenger is based. It was a closed-loop extraction device for businesses that make high-quality wax and shatter. Since the people who worked at the dispensary were having trouble with the new unit, they hired Fenger as a consultant to help with technical issues.

Emo and Fenger worked together on the extraction method for over a month, trying different strains and processes. Using flash-frozen cannabis plants, they could make a successful batch after 24 hours of extraction. The batch yield had the smell and taste Fenger had been looking for for years. He called the process of getting the concentrate and the concentrate “live resin.”

What Does Live Resin Look and Feel Like?

Live resin comes in many different forms since a lot of the chemical and physical properties of the extract depending on the cultivar or strain used to make it. Terpenes are found in higher amounts in live resin than in other concentrates. 

Because of the added essential oils, the consistency of the concentrate is usually thick. Most of the time, live resin looks like sap, sugar, or sauce. It is a more malleable concentrate that is not quite like taffy and is not too wet.

How thick a live resin is depends on how many terpenes are in it. Some only have lighter terpenes like pinene and myrcene. Variations can also happen because some extracting methods don’t get all the terpenes.

Usually, the live resin has a dark yellow color, but it can also be light yellow or white. People who like to dab concentrates tend to like it because it is more flavorful and smells better. Check out some available Live Resin products here at Budlyft.

How Is Live Resin Made?

In contrast with many cannabis products, live resin is made from parts of the cannabis plant that haven’t been dried or cured. Fresh cannabis flower buds and sugar leaves are the parts of the plant used to make live resin. 

The process of producing live resin is done through flash-freezing to keep the cannabis plant’s full flavor and retain the compounds that users want. This means the plants are frozen as soon as they are cut down at harvest time. During the extraction process, these plants are kept frozen, so the drying, curing, and trimming steps are skipped. 

Through flash-freezing, manufacturers can capture the whole essence and scent of cannabis, leading to high-quality and tasty concentrates like this live resin by Peach OG. Skipping the usual drying and curing stages allows more essential oils to be kept. These essential oils, called terpenes, give the final product unique flavors and smells.

The Live Resin Extraction Process

Only professionals should make live resin, and other cannabis concentrates because these processes can be hazardous. Moreover, the safety precautions and equipment needed for the live resin production process must be used with precision and care.

To make a live resin, you will need a solvent such as butane or propane. Extracts can also be made with ethanol or carbon dioxide (CO2), but these are used less often.

First, the parts of the cannabis plant are picked and flash-frozen right away by dipping them slowly into an insulated cylinder filled with liquid nitrogen or by putting them in a cooler with dry ice on the bottom. The cannabis is put into a tank throughout the process. Before putting butane or another solvent through the tank, the tank must be purged of any oxygen to ensure there won’t be an explosion or too much pressure.

After freezing the solvent, it is run through the starting material, which releases the trichomes from the plant matter. The mixture is then heated, turning the solvent into a vapor and separating it from the product. 

The temperature is always something that you must pay close attention to. An extraction can fail if there is too much heat. Heat makes the volatile terpenes evaporate and starts the decarboxylation process. This removes the concentrate’s transparent look and turns it into a darker oil.

What Makes Live Resin Different From Sauce?

The plants used to make the product can determine whether it is live resin or sauce. Live resin is always made from fresh weed plants that are frozen quickly. On the other hand, the sauce can start with either fresh plant matter or dried bud. There won’t be as many terpenes in the dried plant matter as there are in live resin.

What Makes Full-Spectrum Extract Different From Live Resin?

Full-spectrum extracts are concentrates that try to get as much of the raw cannabis plant’s full cannabinoid and terpene profile as possible. On the other hand, live resin can be a full-spectrum extract, depending on how the plant is processed. However, not all full-spectrum extracts are made from frozen plant material.

What Makes Live Resin Different From Distillate?

The distillate is an oil made from cannabis that is produced by refining a resin to eliminate impurities or separate a specific compound. It is not made from cannabis plants that have been frozen like live resin is.

When distillate is made, it usually has no terpenes, so it has no smell, taste, or flavor. Some people might like this neutral taste in a vape cart, but it differs significantly from the flavorful, terpene-rich live resin.

How to Store Live Resin

When storing live resin, keep it away from heat, light, water, and open air to keep its potency and quality. Store it in an air-tight container to protect the cannabinoids from breaking down and the terpenes evaporating. Use containers made of silicone or glass that can hold concentrates to make it easier to get sticky live resin out of them.

Light and heat can speed up how fast your resin breaks down. Thus, ensure that the live resin is in a cool place, preferably in the fridge or any cold room. Make sure to close the live resin container well after each use. If you leave it out in the open, it can lose its effectiveness and change in color, texture, and taste.

How to Use Live Resin

Dabbing is a popular and most common way of using live resin. To do this, you will need a dab rig, a type of water pipe, and a nail, a flat bowl that can handle higher temperatures.

You can also sprinkle live resin on a bowl of packed flowers in a glass pipe or wrap it around a joint or blunt. When you use dried flower and live resin extract together, you get a stronger high and more flavor.

Another way of using live resin is to use them with a vaping device to inhale cannabinoid and terpene-rich vapors. The easiest way is to use a vape pen with a live resin cartridge. You just need to buy a live resin cart and connect it to your battery.

Cartridges or carts are pre-filled vape cartridges used to smoke marijuana concentrates. They are attached to a vape battery. Live resin carts are vape oil cartridges filled with live resin instead of cannabis concentrate. To use a live resin cart, simply screw the cartridge onto a battery, turn on the heating mechanism, and inhale through the mouthpiece.

Live Resin FAQs

Is a live resin HIGH better?

Customers like using live resins due to their powerful, high-THC content and the potent smells and scents retained from the original plant. You may experience a mild psychoactive high from live resin concentrates because live resin contains THC levels between 20 and 50%. Thus, if you are looking for a stronger high, opt for live resins instead of distillates.

Is live resin stronger than dabs?

There is one primary distinction that can be made between traditional dabs and live resin. The standard dab is created from cannabis buds that have been dried, cured, and ground, while live resin is made from freshly picked marijuana flowers. Both are simple to use and produce a smooth and effortless dabbing experience. However, live resin will still be more potent because it has more terpene profiles.

What is the difference between live resin and regular?

There are two main types of resin: live resin and cured resin. The main difference between the two is where they come from. Cured resin is made from dried plants, while live resin is made from plants that have been frozen throughout the extraction process. Cured resin is a more general term for an extract made from dried cannabis that can be made into shatter, wax, batter, or other concentrates.

Does live resin make a difference?

Due to its high THC content, you will get a significantly intense high when live resin. Thus, it is an excellent choice if you seek a high with more natural flavors. Due to its potency and the synergistic combination of terpenes and cannabinoids, live resin will likely help you with pain management or aid you in sleep.

How much does it cost to buy live resin?

Most of the time, live resin products will cost more than other types of concentrates. It’s hard to give an exact price because prices vary from place to place, and the market is constantly changing. At Budlyft, quality live resin costs as low as $30, while live resin cartridges can cost as much as $192.

Why doesn’t live resin need to dry and harden?

Usually, drying or curing the raw plant material is the first step in getting the weed ready for extraction. However, drying the harvested cannabis removes the moisture buildup during the growing process, eliminating some terpenes and changing the overall flavor of the flower. 

Moisture and chlorophyll leave the plant as it dries and cures. This can let heat, oxygen, and light into the trichomes, breaking down the terpenes. By freezing the plant right after harvesting, the cannabis plant keeps its valuable terpene profile, original flavor, and scent.

Is live resin dangerous to consume?

You can’t consume live resin. You can only use it for dabbing or vaping. When bought from a legal market, live resin is just as safe to use as any other dab or extract. It is much stronger than a flower, so a little goes a long way. However, you should only buy products from a licensed dispensary in a legal market to ensure that the products meet the health standards set by the state.

Conclusion

Live resin is popular and sought-after because of its strength, terpene profile, and flavorful richness. It is a relatively new type of cannabis concentrate or extraction but has become popular with consumers and producers because it keeps the tastes and smells of the cannabis plant better than other extractions. 

In addition, live resin made from fresh cannabis plant matter with the right terpene profile gives dabbing more floral, fruity, and spicy flavors than concentrates made from nug run or trim run cannabis.

Buy Live Resin and Other Cannabis Concentrates at Budlyft

Whether you are simply searching for live resin or planning to try one, Budlyft is a great place to be. You can include our products on your websites or social media accounts to get commissions through our affiliate program. 

If you are planning to buy live resin or other cannabis products, we suggest you order now for a chance to receive the items within the day if you are in Vancouver or Lower Mainland Canada. Check out our same-day weed delivery Vancouver page to learn more.