Even if you’ve heard of it before, you still might find yourself asking “what is rosin?” You may have even partaken of concentrates produced from the Rosin Technique and assumed you were enjoying BHO extracts. While Rosin Tech, the shortened name of the Rosin Technique, may sound like some sort of experimental body armor from a superhero movie, it’s actually the safest and easiest way to extract terpene-saturated resin from cured bud and hash.

Improving the Reputation of Concentrates

Unless you’re in a drug cartel, marijuana has always felt pretty safe. Concentrates didn’t necessarily change that impression, but adding toxic and often volatile butane to the mix definitely didn’t help weed’s reputation. While there’s still a gulf of difference between cannabis extraction labs and the precarious instability of meth labs, extraction techniques are nowhere near as safe as a classic marijuana grow operation. At least not until the Rosin Tech. The advent of the Rosin Tech offered a means of extractors and dab enthusiasts alike to shake the negative image that had crept in and lingered like residual butane.

Safe as Straightening Your Hair

So what is rosin extraction like compared to the often complex and lengthy process of solvent-based extractions? This is actually where rosin gets really appealing. Not only is it a solvent-free process but it’s also intuitive. You can produce some high quality resin using the Rosin Tech even if you have absolutely no extraction experience. I’d say it’s completely safe but you are working with compressed heated plates so it’s about as safe as straightening your hair. In fact, many novices to the Rosin Tech have become acquainted with the process by simply using a hair straightener.

How to Make Rosin

As a basic overview, the production of rosin typically involves putting cured flower or hash between rosin paper (common parchment paper) then using clamping, heated plates to squeeze the resin (sometimes referred to as rosin if obtained through this technique) from the rosin bag or packet. Rumor has it that the process originated as a means to convert non-melt hash to melt hash, possibly in an attempt to salvage quality. The resulting rosin wax can be used in the same manner as any concentrate, though you won’t be left wondering how much residual solvent you just hit. The product is created almost instantaneously whereas BHO extracts can take days if collected using all of the proper precautions.

What is Rosin Like When Compared to BHO?

But what is rosin like when compared to traditional BHO extracts? This depends heavily on the quality of the process used but if the Rosin Tech is executed properly, the flavor profiles and aromas should be the same. Of course, rosin is safer to procure and healthier to use. How can you ensure you’re making rosin at its peak quality? Many can skillfully produce it with a cheap hair straightener but there are precision calibrated machines on the market that use high pressure and low heat to efficiently produce rosin without sacrificing as many terpenes. Many of these machines feature generously sized plates for production of large quantities of rosin extracts. If you don’t feel confident about trying your own hand at rosin production, it’s often available in dispensaries. It’s expected that the growing interest in health consciousness in America will be reflected in marijuana products so this is probably just the beginning for rosin. But if you’re still not convinced, by all means, continue enjoying your dabs with a side of solvent.