Budder
Budder is a cannabis concentrate that is soft and flexible containing 70%+ THC. This potent concentrate is designed for use in a dab rig or pen.
What is Budder?
There are many varieties of cannabis extracts and many different techniques for making concentrates. The results of these procedures can vary greatly from each other depending on the extraction technique used. From the texture to the flavor to the percentage of active ingredients, each technique leads to a different result.
Budder, or badder, is one of the most popular types of concentrates today. Due to its consistency, similar to a buttery cream, and its truly remarkable power, this type of extract can reach an active ingredient percentage of up to 90%.
The budder is a BHO which stands for butane hash oil, like shatter or crumble. These products derive from the same separation process, the substantial difference is in the consistency of the final product. The name BHO comes from the extraction technique used to obtain the product. With this method, in fact, it is butane, a gas normally found in lighters, that is the extraction solvent inducing the separation of the active trichomes constituents from the plant.
How budder is made
Budder is obtained with an extraction process that is not excessively complicated, but which can be dangerous. Butane is a highly flammable gas, and it is not recommended to undertake home production as the quantity of gas needed to obtain even a fair amount of budder is not small.
The very low temperature is one of the key elements for the effectiveness of trichome separation, so buds that have already been cooled are usually used, it is not essential but this helps the process of separation and extraction. Once cooled, the buds are chopped and placed in a special container.
This container allows the butane to enter from one side and exit from the other with enough pressure to cover the entire surface of the plant inside, thus being able to absorb and separate as many trichomes as possible.
Then the butane, now in liquid form due to pressure, comes out of the container and is deposited in another vessel taking with it all the absorbed trichomes. What is obtained from this process is a dark green liquid, which must be purified until no trace of the gas is left.
Once the gas has been purified, a cream similar to butter remains, which must be whisked several times to allow the cannabinoids to crystallize better and make everything creamier, just like with mayonnaise.
To best purify the budder, the vacuum chamber is often used: the very low pressure created inside allows even the smallest gas residues to evaporate. Once everything has been purified and whipped, a cream is obtained.
The color, as well as the power, obviously depend on the initial product, but usually the product obtained is very powerful, and the colors go from dark green to golden yellow. We remind you that as simple as it may seem, this is a potentially very dangerous procedure and it is absolutely not recommended to reproduce it at home.
Budder crumble or shatter, which is better?
As we mentioned before, budder, crumble, and shatter are three types of BHO that are obtained from the same extraction process. So what is the real difference between these products, and which is better? As we have already said, the substantial difference between these products is only in their consistency.
Budder is dense and creamy, similar to butter, from which the name takes inspiration, crumble has a significantly drier consistency, and shatter is very delicate, thin, and fragile.
There is no better product than the other, the difference lies entirely in the quality of the initial product and personal taste. The experience we seek and the concentration of the active ingredient we need are entirely subjective and depend exclusively on us.
The benefits of budder
If purged correctly, budder is certainly among the purest and most powerful products on the market. The ability of the gas to also capture the terpenes (those responsible for the aromas and flavors of the plant) as well as high concentration of cannabinoids, makes the product very tasty, with nuances that you might not find elsewhere.
It is interesting how the opinion of this product has changed considerably in recent years among smokers, thanks to improvements in extraction techniques. Gases are used, which, by leaving fewer residues in the final product, make it purer, drastically lowering the possibility of inhaling harmful substances.
If vaporized, the budder does not cause almost any irritation to the throat despite the very high power, as well as obviously guaranteeing experiences that cannot be reproduced with any other type of concentrate.
Health risks
Just like edibles, this is not a product to be taken lightly. It is very high potency and it can catch inexperienced smokers off guard, and if taken lightly, a pleasant experience can easily become one to forget. Furthermore, if not purified correctly, there is the risk of inadvertently inhaling residues of chemical compounds.
Smokers around the world have understandably expressed concerns about this. The consequences of inhaling these substances are obviously very serious, but there are very effective precautions that can be taken.
For example, it is always advisable to buy the budder from authorized retailers, the production process must maintain very strict safety standards and the final product must be analyzed before reaching the consumer. Another equally effective way to produce budder is with carbon dioxide (CO2), which leaves less residue and makes the product cleaner.
The risks of home production
In addition to health risks, there are also risks to one’s own safety and that of others. In recent years, along with the increase in the use of budder, there has been an increase in cases of fires and explosions triggered by improvised home brewers.
As already mentioned, butane is a highly flammable gas, and you should never try to produce budder yourself. If the right tools are not used with the right precautions, it is not difficult to trigger an explosion, even from a simple spark. It is always safer to buy budder from an authorized retailer to avoid the risks of home explosions and inhalation of chemical compounds.
How to use budder
The budder can be taken in different forms, from the classics such as the joint or blunt to the bong or vaporizer. To smoke it with a blunt or a joint, all you have to do is prepare them as we are used to doing.
Once the joint is ready, we must add small pieces of budder to the mixture. You can also choose to apply the budder to the outside of the joint once it is closed, it all depends on the consistency of the budder. Budder can also be inhaled with a bong or dab.
The processes are always the same: load the brazier with tobacco or chopped buds, create a cavity in which to insert the portion of budder (usually 0.1g is the right amount for a dose), and light with a blowtorch. It can also be consumed via vaporizer, which could prove to be the best method.
By avoiding combustion, all the aromas of the terpenes can be fully savored, improving the experience. You just need to make sure that the vaporizer you use is suitable for concentrates, or you risk ruining it. Don’t go above 200°, or you risk ruining the flavor.
How to store budder
Budder, like most concentrates, should be stored in an airtight container in a dark, cool place. Light and humidity accelerate the deterioration process of the cannabinoids present in the extracts. If correctly stored, the extracts can last 1 year before losing their properties. They do not necessarily become un-smokable or rancid, but they lose the aroma and potency of the active ingredient.