Seeking the pain-relieving power of cannabis without any of the pungent odour or harsh smoke? THC distillate might be your best bet. If you haven’t heard, THC distillate is the purest form of THC available for consumption. Boasting purity rates over 90% and generally held in cartridges and consumed through vape pens, it’s greatly effective in delivering THC’s therapeutic value.
What is THC distillate? Where can you get it and how can you use it in the most responsible way?
Read further as we break down these questions while providing you with a simple to follow recipe so you can make distillate at home.
What’s THC Distillate?
Although it sounds scientific, THC distillate isn’t some new-wave substance. The concentrate is named after its extraction process, which involves using short-path distillation technology in its production.
The cannabinoid concentrate is glassy-like and amber-coloured in its appearance, having no color, odor nor flavour. Cannabis flower is used in the initial stages of production but all of the plant’s undesirable compounds such as its chlorophyll, lipids and fats are distilled out of the plant material.
This also means that the distillation process removes the flavonoid and terpene compounds that are responsible for marijuana’s odor and flavour. Many distillate producers opt to reintroduce these compounds back into the finished distillate, giving the substance a variety of different flavours and aromas.
How is THC Distillate Different From Oil and Isolate?
If you thought that cannabis oil, distillate and isolate are identical, then you wouldn’t be far off. Although different in many ways, they do hold very similar characteristics and represent different stages within the process of creating distillate.
Here are three main ways to tell the three concentrates apart:
Consistency
Cannabis oil’s texture is a light, runny liquid that’s usually the result of mixing cannabis with either MCT/coconut oil or alcohol. Since post-processing has not been conducted, whether it’s CBD or THC will carry the same consistency as its primary carrier oil.
On the other hand, cannabis isolate has a fine texture, similar to salt. Its crystalline structure is indicative of its high purity and potency, as all of the plant’s undesirable compounds have been removed during post-processing. THC isolate is THC crystals that have been isolated completely from the source material, leaving nothing behind except flaky THC crystals.
As for cannabis distillate, it’s neither a runny liquid or fine-like in texture, but thick and syrup-like. Quality distillate will be viscous, thick and slow to pour.
Flavour
The flavour of cannabis oil varies on the strain its extracted from, but generally, it has a pungent aroma and a vegetal, herbaceous flavour. This is due in part to the high concentration of chlorophyll and other plant matter present in the solution.
Since isolate has already had all of the source plant’s compounds removed, it remains largely flavourless. This opens the door for a variety of innovative consumption methods. You can incorporate isolate into your cooking or add a pinch to your beverage of choice for a medicated kick.
THC distillate that has not been processed further will remain flavourless just like isolate. However, reintroduced terpenes and flavonoids can recreate the flavours of fruit and cannabis strains. Many manufacturers do opt to reintroduce terpenes to their distillate, with some opting to keep theirs flavourless.
Colour
Cannabis oil is generally more of a dark and murky green than cannabis distillate, which tends to be more translucent and almost golden-like in color.
Since the plant’s fibre, chlorophyll and lipids have not been removed from the cannabis oil, the liquid tends to be murky and dark-green in colour. As for cannabis isolate, the pure THC crystals extracted from the plant with every undesirable plant compound removed will be a silvery-white powder.
How Can You Use THC Distillate?
Cannabis distillate, whether of the THC or CBD variety, is consumed in a variety of ways thanks to its flavourless, odorless and decarboxylated nature.
From including the concentrate into your current smoking ritual to picking up a specialized vape pen, here are 5 ways of how to use distillate.
Dabbing
Dabbing isn’t for novice smokers. This consumption method involves heating a dab “nail” to red-hot temperatures and running it over your concentrate of choice in order to vaporize it for consumption.
Dabbing is difficult to set up and learn, but is probably the most effective way to consume distillate and other cannabis concentrates.
Vaping
Vaping is the one of the most convenient ways to consume cannabis distillate, given its discrete nature and near odorless smoke. Also known as “dab pens,” these pens are usually outfitted with interchangeable cartridges of cannabis distillate in a variety of flavours.
Topicals
Cannabis distillate creams and lotions do exist, and they are effective in treating a wide variety of ailments. Just ask the many athletes, both professional and amateur, and the skincare industry. With the right product, you’ll be able to use distillate as a topical to treat inflammation or acne.
Smoking
You can’t roll an entire joint or have a bong bowl full of THC distillate, but you can dispense a bit of the concentrate down the length of your joint before rolling it up or a small amount in your bong bowl before taking a hit to give your smoking ritual a super-charged kick.
How Can You Make CBD/THC Distillate?
Thinking of putting your lab coat on and creating the best darn cannabis distillate there is?
Okay, you might not create the best cannabis distillate, but you sure will have full control of the final product, including its flavour and potency.
Here’s a simple 3-step recipe for how to make cannabis distillate.
Ingredients and Materials Needed:
- Winterized cannabis oil (Here’s a recipe)
- Short-path distillation kit
- Vacuum Pump
- Fractioning Column
Directions
1. Heat your winterized oil to 130-180 degrees celsius
2. Take your vacuum pump and pull the oil via your fractionating column
3. Distill the remaining distillate from your fractionating column and gather your distillate
Does it sound too easy to be true? Well, there’s only one way to find out. Tell us about your experience!
Final Thoughts on THC Distillate
Odorless and flavorless THC distillate is one of the most in-demand concentrates used by recreational and medical consumers alike. The concentrate can be consumed in a variety of ways and is extremely potent in tackling the most stubborn of ailments.
Just remember these three key points:
- Distillate, whether THC or CBD, is flavorless, therefore its taste will depend on the producer
- High quality cannabis distillate will be similar to viscous syrup and have a translucent, amber-like colour.
- Distillate is already decarboxylated (activated) and can be consumed directly through the mouth or vaporized.
Stay tuned for more about cannabis!
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