Another celebration of weed is rolling around! In July, we celebrate 710 day also known as “National Dab Day”. This day serves as a celebration for our Dab gods and goddesses to bring out their rigs and concentrate and glob it up! When 710 is flipped around, you get the word “oil”.
Let’s discuss the varieties of different concentrates so you can feel prepared to join in on this cannabis “Oil Day” celebration!
This holiday has been known to be celebrated since 2012 in Colorado, shortly after their legalization. We can acknowledge it as a significant day to honor a sect of the cannabis community that many enthusiasts still may not know much about. Dabbing is a modern form of consumption where cannabis concentrate is dropped onto a heated banger (some might refer to this as a nail) and inhaled through what is referred to as a dab rig. The cannabis extract has high levels of THC, so it is more embraced by those with higher tolerances.
To get ready to celebrate 710 day it is important we discuss the different types of concentrates that are on the market. There are many different types, varying in consistency, extraction method, and potency. Dabbing has a reputation of being too much work and hassle, but with the right guidance and education, the world of concentrates can be life changing for your daily cannabis use.
What Are Cannabis Concentrates and Oils?
To understand concentrates it is important to understand how they are made. Cannabis concentrates utilize a variety of methods to extract. One of the most popular ways to make marijuana concentrate is through the use of hydrocarbon extraction. Hydrocarbon extraction involves washing plant material with a solvent such as butane or propane. There are various results of concentrate texture based on the extraction method used.
Concentrate such as shatter and wax will be formed through the use of butane hash oil or BHO. BHO extraction utilizes the trichomes of the cannabis plant, the frost you feel after handling some nugs, those are trichomes! The trichomes are separated from the flower through a solvent known as butane. An extremely flammable and hazardous gas, that can be dangerous to work with in an unprepared setting.
Once the trichomes are isolated, they are collected and heated to remove the butane. The result is a smooth texture that hardens into shatter. Shatter is a highly potent form of THC concentrate, ranging from 80-90% THC. Shatter is the most solid form of BHO with its clear, amber color that is liable to “shatter” like glass. It has a fast activation of effects which can last for several hours.
Shatter
Shatter can be consumed in pipe, bong, hash pipe, vape, or a dab rig. It is one of the more potent concentrates and holds its place amongst the more experienced users. It can also be hard to manipulate with a dab tool so be sure to either heat up your tool or invest in a hot knife!
Wax
Wax is a concentrate that is reminiscent of candle wax. It varies from a wet and smooth texture like budder, to a dry one like crumble. Wax is a malleable concentrate that can be used with a rig or dab pen.
Resin
Resin is what you can consider the fresh squeezed juice of cannabis oil, in contrast to distillate which is more similar to juice from concentrate. Live Resin refers to the process of freshly harvested plants immediately being frozen. The marijuana plant is frozen for this process so the “live” cannabinoid profile can be preserved throughout the extraction process.
Extractors produce live resin oil pretty similar to that of shatter, by using butane as a solvent. The butane is chilled, through a closed loop hydro-carbon extractor, frozen plant material is washed with the solvent. This process allows the trichomes from the plant to mix with the solvent.The mixture is then moved to a collection vessel where heat is applied to remove any excess solvent. The oil continues to be purged through the use of a vacuum oven.
Live Resin
Live Resin can be used to describe carts, sugars, waxes, budders, and badders galore! What we understand when it comes to resin, especially live resin, is that the plant was live when they extracted the oil, and that the full cannabinoid and terpene profiles will be expressed when we go to dab. You should be able to taste those terpenes and enjoy a full-bodied high.
When it comes to cannabis oil, carbon dioxide or CO2 extraction is utilized. CO2 extraction aims to capture CO2 as a solvent from converting it from a gas to a liquid. This happens by enduring a supercritical phase where heat and compression is used to create that conversion. CO2 does not do the best job of extracting the cannabinoids because it is known as a weak solvent, so it takes a lot of power and pressure to get it to extract the cannabinoids we need to make a potent cannabis oil.
CO2 Extracts
One result of CO2 extraction is Full Spectrum Hash Oil, or FSHO. FSHO is dispensed out of what is called a “dablicator”. You twist the dablicator to the desired amount of oil you want, then plunge the syringe for the oil to come out. Each tick mark on the dablicator is equivalent to 55 milligrams of THC. FSHO is one of the most versatile types of concentrates because it can be smoked, dabbed, or eaten! You can wrap your joint, put a nice strip of oil inside of your joint, or add it to some sauce for a meal you are cooking for an infused dinner.
One of the purest forms of concentrate is live rosin. Live Rosin is a solventless concentrate. This signals that no butane or propane was used in the extraction process. To make live rosin, extractors will wash frozen plant material into bubble hash. Next, the bubble hash will be filtered and freeze dried. Once the bubble hash is dried, it will require gradual heat and pressure to squeeze out the oil. Live rosin provides a cleaner smoke, and preserves that full spectrum strain profile that will not require you to ingest any residual solvents.
The Benefits of Cannabis Concentrates
Cannabis concentrates have solidified their spot as a legitimate form of consumption.Gone are the days of obscurity writing dabbing off as a burnout activity. We see more people investing in electronic rigs such as the Puffco Peak and Carta to bypass the drama of a butane torch.Cannabis concentrates allow users to experience strains in ways they might have not before.
When consuming cannabis concentrates, a light scoop is a good place to start. One dab hit is equivalent to several pulls of a joint. When comparing 80% THC in a concentrate compared to 26% THC in flower, one can understand how it becomes a whole different experience quickly.
At a low temperature, concentrates can be better for your lungs, instead of smoking a whole joint to get stoned, a dab hit or two, will definitely have you right where you need to be.
Dabbing can also be a beneficial medicinal product because of how quickly the effects set in. For a medical patient, this is critical to relieving symptoms such as nausea and pain within a few hits off the rig. Dabs can be a great way to stimulate appetite to get someone ready for breakfast in the morning. If someone wakes up in the middle of the night, a quick dab hit will suffice to get back to bed.
How to Safely Enjoy Cannabis Concentrates
Purchasing dab equipment can be overwhelming. People who are new do not necessarily want to invest in a whole rig. When it comes to concentrate tools, you want to invest in products that make sense for your frequency of consumption. For people who are new to dabbing, nectar collectors would be a great place to start. A standard glass one requires a blow torch to heat up the tip of the nectar collector. You can gently touch the tip to the concentrate and dab successfully that way.
A blowtorch would also be necessary with a glass dab rig. A glass dab rig is essentially a bong for dabs. Instead of it being a bowl piece sticking out of it for flower, there is a “banger” or nail where the concentrate is placed. When using this apparatus, be sure to allow the banger to cool down before placing the dab inside. Hot dabs can burn off terpenes and even your throat!
Electronic rigs or “E-rigs” eliminate the hassle of a blowtorch. Devices such as the Puffco Peak or the Carta 2 allow you to set the temperature from an app or on the device itself. These devices can preheat for you and signal the perfect time and temperature to hit your dab, how convenient!
If you do not have an E-rig you can obtain a thermometer to keep track of the right temperature you want to hit your dab at. Low temperature dabs rank from 315 F to 450 F and are a great way to really taste those terpenes and allow more control over the intensity of your high. Medium temps range from 450 F to 600 F, this offers a good balance between flavor and intensity. High temperature dabs are between 600 to 900 F, there can be more of that coughing and tearing up that can really add a rush to your dab high.
It is possible for dabbing to be a simple process, it’s just a matter of what you are using and understanding how different dab accessories work. Awareness of what temperatures work for you is key. You want to dab at a place where you can get a good high, without burning off the terpenes that will guide you to that great high.
You want to get your concentrate from the dispensary to ensure that your product has been tested for any impurities, it can get be dicey purchasing concentrate through other sources because you cannot always ensure that a solvent like butane or propane is not left in that oil that you are about to ingest.
Our Top Picks for 710 Day
One of our AICs, Marcellus Sneed, recommended a strain he enjoyed called Moroccan Bubble Hash, “Moroccan Bubble Hash has a thick crystallized texture. It made me feel very uplifted and energized. You can dab bubble hash, but to get the best use, you should add it to a joint or a bowl.”
Tim Gillen sang praises of the Fruit Stand Jam a Live Rosin Extract by Revolution. “Beautiful scent of tart, citrusy orange comes through. More of an orange rind. Very tart on the exhale, and an enjoyable, relaxing indica. Complete body relaxation and slows the mind down. Perfect end of day smoke.”
A concentrate that I personally enjoy is Cresco’s sativa Breakfast Bubba THCA sand. THCA sand can be sprinkled on top of another concentrate to add potency, or it can be mixed in with flower for an infused joint or bowl pack. The Breakfast Bubba is a nice sativa and is great for spicing up your sativa weed, or adding another element to some indica bud. It is one the easiest types of concentrate to maneuver. It is essentially dab powder, and you do not want to dab this by itself, be sure to have another type of concentrate in your banger to give that sand something to mix with.
Our General Manager, Quinn Winters is a fan of the T.I.T.S from IC Collective, “It has a gassy and sweet profile, best texture rosin I’ve had from them yet!”.
Colette Nowicki a team member from (location) enjoyed the Pheno Hunt #93 concentrate, “I find myself coming back to this one consistently! It is very good! It’s a cross of Ice Cream Cake and Sour Diesel. It has a smooth inhale and exhale that is perfect for calming your anxiety without putting you to sleep, and has helped me fall asleep in the past.”
DIY Concentrate Experiences
DIY or at-home extraction does not have this same technology, so at-home extraction is not advised in order to prevent bodily harm or a fire. The advantage of lab-made extracts are rooms such as C1D1 rooms that can detect when butane is in the room. When butane evaporates it becomes solid and can linger on surfaces, creating a flammable environment. This is the danger that is created at home if butane lands on a stove-top surface or near a bong you are about to use a lighter to get going, this can turn into a traumatizing smoke sesh!
Some people like to press their own hash through the use of a dab or heat press. You can press concentrate like bubble hash by packing it into parchment paper bags. Next, the bag of hash is placed in the dab press and through the use of gradual heat and pressure. Pressing concentrate can be a safer way to maximize your concentrate and explore safe extraction techniques.
Celebrate 710 Day in Illinois with Ivy Hall
710 Day allows cannabis enthusiasts to experience weed in a different way. Ivy Hall has a wide range of options for our guests wherever they are in experience level. Dabs can be intimidating until a friend offers you a hit off of their e-rig, you might protest at first, but stoner friends are extremely persuasive. Insist on starting with a low temperature, and ease your way in like that. Dabbing concentrates can be a tasty and pleasurable experience, the flavor and effect nuances in the terpenes can really cultivate a new different impression of strains, of different brands even.
Please visit the closest Ivy Hall near you to ask any of our team members about 710 day or even about their favorite concentrates. We have a great group of individuals who can guide you to the type of concentrate you feel will work best for you and your needs. The world of dabbing can be a daunting culture to learn about, but it is worth it when it comes to experiencing the marijuana plant in its truest essence. Between terpene profiles, strong effects, and fun gadgets to explore, 710 day is like 420 all over again! Yay!
