Concentrate Types

What Are Concentrates?

Cannabis concentrates are products made by extracting the most desirable compounds — cannabinoids and terpenes — from the plant material. The result is a highly potent product that typically ranges from 60-99% THC, compared to flower's typical 15-30%.

The name of each concentrate type usually refers to its texture and consistency, which is determined by the extraction method, post-processing, and starting material.

Solvent-Based Concentrates

These are made using chemical solvents to strip cannabinoids and terpenes from plant material:

Shatter

Glass-like, translucent, and brittle. Breaks into pieces when handled. One of the most stable concentrate forms with a long shelf life. Typically 70-85% THC.

Wax

Soft, opaque, and easy to handle. Has a waxy consistency (hence the name). Less stable than shatter but easier to work with when dabbing.

Budder / Badder

Creamy, butter-like consistency achieved by whipping the extract during purging. Very smooth and easy to scoop. Popular for its terpene retention.

Crumble

Dry, crumbly texture that breaks apart easily. Made by purging at lower temperatures for longer. Great for sprinkling on bowls or joints.

Live Resin

Made from flash-frozen fresh cannabis (not dried/cured). This preserves the full terpene profile, resulting in exceptional flavor and aroma. Often considered the gold standard for flavor. Usually has a sauce-like or sugary consistency.

Sauce / Diamonds

Sauce is a terpene-rich liquid containing small THCa crystals. Diamonds (also called THCa crystalline) are large, clear crystals of nearly pure THCa (95-99%). Often sold together as "diamonds in sauce" — the crystals provide potency while the sauce provides flavor.

Distillate

Highly refined oil that's been distilled to isolate specific cannabinoids. Usually 85-95% THC with almost no flavor or aroma (terpenes are stripped out). Used in vape cartridges, edibles, and topicals. Botanical or cannabis-derived terpenes are sometimes re-added.

Solventless Concentrates

These use only heat, pressure, ice, or mechanical agitation — no chemical solvents:

Hash (Traditional)

The oldest form of concentrate. Made by collecting trichomes through sieving or hand-rolling. Ranges from pressed blocks to loose powder. Potency: 30-60% THC.

Bubble Hash / Ice Water Hash

Made by agitating cannabis in ice water and filtering through mesh bags of decreasing micron sizes. High-quality bubble hash ("full melt") can rival solvent extracts in potency and purity.

Kief

The simplest concentrate — loose trichome heads collected in the bottom of a grinder or through dry sifting. Typically 40-60% THC. Great for topping bowls.

Rosin

Made by applying heat and pressure to cannabis flower, hash, or kief. No solvents whatsoever. Can be made at home with a rosin press (or even a hair straightener in a pinch). Live rosin — made from fresh-frozen bubble hash — is considered one of the most premium concentrate forms available.

Key Takeaways

• Concentrate names describe texture, not potency — shatter, wax, and budder can all have similar THC levels
• Live resin and live rosin use fresh-frozen cannabis to preserve the full terpene profile
• Solventless concentrates (hash, rosin, kief) use no chemical solvents
• Diamonds are nearly pure THCa crystals, often paired with terpene-rich sauce