When I first learned of concentrates as an alternative to smoking flower, it opened up an entire new world of options to this smoking connoisseur. My initial experience was with shatter, as I took a massive rip and immediately could tell what all the fuss was about. As a regular flower smoker, this gooey substance that I was loading into my banger led to a much stonier high that left me locked on the couch. For a relaxing afternoon, it was exactly what I needed.
Unlike it’s flower counterpart, concentrates aren’t categorized into just one category. While there are sativas, indicas and hybrids, you can also find concentrates in a variety of forms. Some of the most common types of concentrates include:
- Wax
- Shatter
- Hash
- Oil
- Budder
- Crumble
- Honeycomb
- Crystalline
This is just the beginning when it comes to concentrates, and new forms are regularly being created. It’s pretty amazing when you consider all that can be done with the cannabis plant as we learn more uses for cultivation.
For those that are new to using concentrates, it can be an overwhelming list of options to consider. To help simplify things, here’s a simple explanation of some of the most common types of concentrates you’ll find at the dispensary.
Wax
One of the most popular forms of cannabis concentrate, wax can be whipped into a number of different forms. After blasting cannabis with a solvent, a waxy material is created when a low-temperature heat is applied during the extraction process. Wax can be smoked out of a banger and dab rig.
Shatter
Shatter is more potent than wax. This potency increase is due to an additional step that rids of waxes and fats from the original plant. You’ll probably see a lot of shatter at your local dispensary. It looks like little pieces of broken glass, which load up nicely into your bowl.
Hash
Hash is oftentimes the first type of concentrate that people smoke. It comes from the THC trichomes of the flower, which are then pressed into a compressed form. Many smokers save the kief that’s in the bottom of their grinder to load on top of a bowl, which is similar to what you’ll get when you buy a gram (or more) of hash.
Oil
There are a number of popular cannabis oils, including popular options like CO2 extracted oil and BHO extracted oil. These oils come in varying viscosities, which determines how they can be smoked. Thicker oils can be put on top of a bowl or even wrapped around a joint, while thinner oils can be loaded into a cartridge for an electronic vape pen.
Budder
Cannabis budder is similar to its wax counterpart, but it gets an extra process of whipping while being made. This potent concentrate has a tasty-looking consistency, similar to that of cupcake batter before going in the oven. Load some budder in a bowl for a chill smoke sesh.
Honeycomb
Honeycomb concentrates have a unique form and consistency. If the name didn’t give it away, this honeycomb-like substance is a concentrate that crumbles up nicely onto a nail for smoking. These smaller pieces can also be mixed into a bowl of flower.
Crumble
Looking for honeycomb that’s already been broken into pieces? Crumble is another high-potency option that you can find at the dispensary in the concentrate section. A lot of the crumble strains come from their honeycomb lineage.
It seems like everyone is loading up their rigs with concentrates these days. But while flower might be something that old smokers and new smokers are all familiar with, there’s a lot of new options out there for concentrates. While this isn’t an exhaustive list, the concentrates mentioned here are some of the most popular available and some that you can smoke out of your dab rig tonight.