Live Resin (BHO) vs Live Rosin (WPFF) & What's the Difference?
Todde Philips
🇺🇸 Retired veteran, father, rock-climbing expert & rosin connoisseur
✅ Updated 11/22/21
Live rosin and live resin, two words that look and sound nearly the same, but represent distinctly contrasting cannabis concentrates. To add to the confusion, the term “resin” by itself has multiple meanings in cannabis.
It turns out that there’s more than a subtle difference between these two types of cannabis concentrates. So what’s the difference between live rosin and live resin? Why are they both called “live”, and which one is better? Knowing the difference can help eliminate confusion at the dispensary while giving you a better understanding of the differences in how various cannabis concentrates are made.What live rosin and live resin have in common:
- Live rosin and live resin are dabbable cannabis concentrates.
- Both are extracted from plant material that’s kept frozen from harvest all the way through extraction. By freezing cannabis immediately after harvest, the plant is preserved in such a way that only a minimal amount of terpenes are lost to evaporation, and cannabinoid degradation is dramatically slowed. A quick, thorough, and sustained freeze allows the plant material to maintain much of the same qualities it had when it was "live".
- Live rosin and live resin contain high concentrations of cannabinoids and terpenes, capturing the unique flavor profile and overall quality of the cannabis plant. Both are a top choice among cannabis connoisseurs.
The main difference is in how live rosin and live resin are made...
Live Rosin
Live rosin is a solventless extract made with ice water bubble hash that’s been washed from fresh frozen, “live” cannabis material. Although the water used in bubble hash extraction is technically a solvent, it evaporates away without a trace and doesn’t leave behind any chemical residuals. Therefore, both bubble hash (source material for the live rosin) and the live rosin itself are solvent-free.
One important note: live rosin is NOT rosin made by pressing fresh frozen flowers. The flowers must be washed to extract bubble hash and the hash properly dried before pressing the material for rosin.
In short, live rosin is a solventless extract. Live resin is not.
Live Resin
Live resin is also made using fresh frozen cannabis material, however the extraction process occurs with the use of solvents, generally butane. BHO (short for Butane Hash Oil) is the term commonly used to refer to cannabis concentrates extracted using butane as a solvent.
Live resin is BHO extracted from frozen cannabis material, similar to live rosin. The difference is in the use of a chemical solvent to extract the desirable oil from the fresh frozen cannabis source material.
What Is Resin?
To further complicate the matter, the term “resin” also refers to the oily substance inside the trichomes that cover the surface of cannabis flowers. Resin carries the highest percentage of cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids made by the cannabis plant. A plant that generates a high number of trichome heads is said to produce a lot of resin, a desirable trait in plants that are being grown for the purpose of extraction.
Conclusion
So which is better, live rosin or live resin? We at The Press Club are unequivocally biased toward solventless extracts, making live rosin the clear winner in our minds. However, a live resin dab has its place, and at the end of the day, it’s all about personal preference. Without a doubt live rosin is the easier of the two to make at home. The purity and potency of live rosin is undeniable, while live resin can sometimes capture flavors that alludes its counterpart.
Which one is your favorite, live rosin or live resin? Let us know in the comments!
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is live rosin?
Live rosin is rosin that's pressed from bubble hash which was extracted using fresh frozen cannabis as starting material.
What is live resin?
Live resin is BHO extract that's made with fresh frozen cannabis as starting material.
Is live rosin the same thing as live resin?
No, live rosin is not the same as live resin. Live rosin is solventless, resin is made using butane.
What is better live rosin or live resin?
Live rosin is made without the use of solvents, therefore it's seen as a cleaner product.
Can you make live rosin at home?
Yes, you can make live rosin at home. First make bubble hash using fresh frozen cannabis as starting material, then press that hash into rosin.
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