Given the emphasis on locating the most powerful marijuana strains, it was only a matter of time before breeders began developing cannabis products with as many cannabinoids as possible. It’s no secret that today’s marijuana has more THC than it used to when “free love” was popular. However, some users want a higher concentration of THC, which is where concentrates come in.

The CBD market has also made strides, with medical patients demanding for a cannabidiol delivery method that can provide them the most relief in the shortest amount of time. As a result, CBD concentrates have grown in popularity owing to their high potency. Cannabidiol is derived from cannabis or hemp plants by specialists and filtered to the greatest degrees.

CBD Concentrates: What Are They?

CBD isolate is a high-concentration extract of the hemp plant that contains a lot of CBD. There are CBD isolate products on the market that contain 99% CBD!

When you consume a CBD concentrate, you can eat substantial amounts of the cannabinoid fast. CBD is non-intoxicating and is said to help with a variety of medical issues, so it’s been dubbed a safe and effective medicine.

How Is CBD Concentrate Made?

There are a number of ways to extract CBD, including the use of solvents such as ethanol, hexane, or butane. Non-toxic supercritical CO2 extraction is, however, the cleanest and safest technique for extracting CBD available. This is a quick rundown of how experts transform CBD cannabis oil into concentrate:

After the CBD-rich hemp is harvested and dried, it’s ground up to be used in the oil extraction process. The grounds are put into a big container (often 20 liters) linked to supercritical CO2 extraction technology. Carbon dioxide is utilized under high pressure and low temperatures in this procedure. This helps to isolate, preserve, and maintain the purity of the oil by separating it from other substances.

When using toxic solvents, the main concern is that some of the unpleasant and hazardous components may be absorbed by the finished product. There is little danger of exposure to dangerous residues when supercritical CO2 extraction is used. The residual oil and wax are removed from the machine after many hours of extraction.

The paste is then ‘winterized,’ or stripped of plant waxes that are unsuitable for specific goods, in order to prepare it for the next stage. The oil is purified using ethanol and combined in a vacuum filter before being spun in a rotary evaporator. The ethanol is recovered and reused, while the oil settles at the bottom of the container.

The cannabinoids and overall strength of high-quality oils are determined with expensive liquid chromatography equipment. The oil is subsequently converted into sublingual sprays, edibles, capsules, and other lower-concentration pharmaceuticals.

However, due to differences in the substance’s texture, moisture, and heat levels before purging (when impurities are removed), various types of CBD concentrates can be manufactured. To distinguish their products as CBD concentrates by another name, CBD producers may give them various names.

Here is a quick list of terms you’ll see on CBD selling websites:

• Wax: It solidifies into an opaque oil that is more solidified and crystallized than normal oil.
• Shatter: When a solvent or other substance doesn’t become too crystallized during extraction, this happens. As a result, it has an opaque and hazy appearance. When heated, it has a glass-like appearance and is reminiscent of thick honey in its viscosity.
• Live resin: This is due to the fact that the buds are cryogenically frozen rather than cured, dried trimmings. The freezing process preserves a greater number of terpenes and cannabinoids, resulting in a more flavorful experience for users.
• Budder: When extracting the oil, it is necessary to eliminate at a high temperature and air pressure. The end product is a buttery, fluffy substance with a texture similar to that of butter.
• Crumble: This method involves the use of a pre-purged CBD oil that is thicker and has more moisture. It creates a smooth cheese-like texture.

Is It Possible to Make Your Own CBD Concentrate?

Yes, you may, but unless you have hundreds of dollars in supercritical CO2 extraction equipment, CBD-rich tincture from a trustworthy vendor will not be the same. Choose 100 grams of a high-CBD plant like Cannatonic, ACDC, or Harlequin to begin. Make sure the herb has been decarboxylated, dried, and crushed first.

You’ll need high-quality alcohol like Everclear, which is at least 90% alcohol. Other items include:

• Plastic, wood, or silicone kitchen utensils.
• Several containers.
• A glass temperature resistant bowl.
• A double boiler.
• An electric heat source, because using flames is dangerous!
• A mask to avoid breathing in the alcohol fumes.
• A cheesecloth or other type of filtering equipment.
• A funnel.

How to Make CBD Concentrate:

• Cover the dried bud with the alcohol until it is an inch above the plant matter in your bowl.
• To extract the resin, stir the combination for up to three minutes.
• To separate the solution from the remaining plant material, use a cheesecloth or coffee filter. Allow the liquid to flow through the funnel and into the second container after pouring it from the bowl.
• Remove all of the water from the filter. Squeeze out any remaining liquid to ensure you get as much as possible.
• Place the liquid in a glass container that is temperature resistant and set it in water in the double cooker.
• Stir the water until it begins to bubble. It should begin to bubble at a temperature of about 168 degrees F.
• The water is heated until the alcohol has entirely evaporated. When it bubbles, it is approaching its boiling temperature of 193 degrees Fahrenheit.
• If you’re using a decarburization oven, start raising the temperature as soon as possible. It should reach approximately 230 degrees Fahrenheit, but be sure there’s plenty of water since it boils at 212 degrees and begins to evaporate.
• The extract will begin to bubble as a result of the heat. Continue until no more bubbles form.
• At this stage, you should have a thick, tar-like substance. Even while it is liquid now, it will harden into a resinous paste when it cools.
• You’ve produced CBD concentrated oil.

Purchasing CBD Concentrate: What to Consider

It’s also important to seek for CBD concentrates produced through supercritical CO2 extraction, as we previously stated. You can’t be sure of the quality if you use other methods. Also, why pay a lot of money for butane-extracted CBD concentrate when you can produce your own at home?

Pay close attention to the CBD concentration. The best isolates on the market have a CBD concentration of 90% or higher. Any product containing less than 80% CBD contains a substantial amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids. A concentrate with 60% CBD, for example, has up to 40% waxes, which are not necessarily beneficial.

When it comes to taking CBD, there are a few things you should know. Be cautious when dosing because dabbing CBD wax, for example, is simple to do. Although you won’t get high from using a strain like Charlotte’s Web, you may end up using far more cannabidiol than required.

CBD pills are an expensive and time-consuming procedure. A gram of 99% CBD isolate might cost upwards of $30. Second, because CBD is being utilized as medicine, it’s best to start out slowly by microdosing to determine how it affects you. Your goal should be to incrementally increase the dosage until you discover the minimal effective dose. You’ll quickly develop a tolerance if you take too much too soon, reducing any therapeutic advantages.

Final Thoughts on CBD Concentrate

If you’re looking to use cannabidiol as a medical therapy, CBD concentrate might be an effective way to get pain relief, reduce anxiety, decrease inflammation, and more. You have the choice of dabbing concentrate or purchasing a dab rig and other equipment. Alternatively, you may choose to vaporize CBD instead using a vape pen. Vaping is said to be easier on the lungs by supporters.

Regardless of the method you choose, keep in mind that most CBD concentrates are quite powerful, so a little will do. There’s also the issue of the “entourage effect” to consider. According to this idea, cannabinoids function better when they’re combined. You’re just receiving cannabidiol and nothing else if you purchase CBD isolate. As a result, a concentrate combining CBD with flavonoids and terpenes might be worth considering.

Finally, be cautious about what you buy if you are concerned about obtaining high. Make sure the items you choose come from reliable businesses that provide lab reports on their websites. The amount of CBD and the presence of THC in the concentrate are outlined in these reports. It takes but a modest quantity of THC consumed daily to put you at risk for failing a drug test, so keep that in mind.