In recent years the cannabis industry has exploded and one of the products quickly gaining popularity is cannabis resin which is a concentrate. [1] Cannabis concentrates are available in many colors, chemical profiles, and consistencies.
Unsurprisingly, understanding what cannabis resin is can be challenging since there are different types. In our article, we’ll discuss the difference between live resin and cured resin to better understand which is right for you.
Before identifying what live resin and cured resin are and the difference between the two, we want to briefly detail what exactly resin is. In the case of cannabis, resin is a blanket term for concentrates. A resin is typically a waxy and sticky substance that is produced by the trichomes of a cannabis plant. A cultivator will extract the resin from cannabis plant’s trichomes, the tiny frost-like crystals found on a bud.
What Is Live Resin?
Live resin is made using a cannabis flower that has been flash-frozen almost instantly after harvesting. Flash-freezing the flower preserves the freshness. This means that live resin is made from the trichomes of a cannabis flower that has not been trimmed, dried, cured, or aged.
One of the biggest benefits of live resin is that with freshly frozen cannabis, the terpenes are perfectly preserved, and the trichomes deliver the full spectrum of cannabinoids. This means that live resin has the same aromas and flavors as the cannabis variety it originated from.
Additionally, live resin save cultivators and growers money and time: it requires less labor during harvesting because cannabis plants do not need processing operations such as trimming or drying. However, a drawback to live resin is that the freezing process requires specialized equipment and incredibly low temperatures. These factors push the price up, making live resins particularly expensive.
What Is Cured Resin?
Unlike live resin, cured resin is not flash-frozen. Many choose to cure cannabis because it helps prevent mold growth on the flowers, and it assists with the development of potency and flavor.
Another difference between live resin and cured resin is that the cannabis flowers are trimmed and dried before they can be made into a cured resin.
For a few weeks, the cannabis will cure in a humidity-controlled environment so that it can mature. Once it’s matured, the flower is then put through the extraction process to make cured resin.
Rather than preserving the freshness of a cannabis flower, the cured resin process aims to use time, temperature, and controlled humidity to bring forth the taste and potency of the cannabis. In addition, some people choose to add different botanical terpenes into cured resin for enhanced flavors.
What Are The Differences Between Live Resin And Cured Resin?
- The flavor: For most, there is a flavor difference between cured and live resin because of their different production methods. Some find live resin to have a bolder flavor that tastes almost exactly like the strain it is derived from. On the other hand, cured resin is believed to have a subtler flavor profile.
- The flower: Cured resin is made from cannabis plants that have been trimmed, dried, and cured. In contrast, live resin is made from cannabis plants that have been freshly flash-frozen.
- The potency: Live resin is believed to be more potent than cured resin, giving people a stronger high.
- The Price: Since live resin involves a flash freezing process and specialized equipment, it is more expensive to make and buy than cured resin.
References:
[1] Cinnamon Bidwell L, YorkWilliams SL, Mueller RL, Bryan AD, Hutchison KE. Exploring cannabis concentrates on the legal market: User profiles, product strength, and health-related outcomes. Addict Behav Rep. 2018 Aug 17;8:102-106. doi: 10.1016/j.abrep.2018.08.004.
[Journal Impact Factor = 3.299] [Times Cited = 59]
[2] https://blog.lunatechequipment.com/live-resin-vs-cured-resin
[3] https://blog.heyemjay.com/live-resin-vs-cured-resin/
Image: https://www.bigstockphoto.com/it/image-310930975/stock-photo-macro-detail-of-cannabis-concentrate-live-resin-extracted-from-medical-marijuana-on-a-pot-leaf
