BUDTENDER INSIGHT ►
Rosin
Making Gold from Green by Sean Keast , contributing writer
Hash , the oldest form of concentrated cannabis , has been crafted by artisans for thousands of years . In regions like Himachal Pradesh in India , rural farmers have turned hash making into a cultural tradition , deeply rooted in the mountainside farms that are a haven for the ideal conditions that cannabis needs . Once harvested , the highest quality buds are selected to be turned into Charas , a hand-rolled technique passed down for generations . This technique , and others like it , were the norm until “ Solvent ” based extraction came about in the late 1800s . This process has been scientifically refined until the modernday version , where now cannabis extractors use high-tech , butane and alcohol-based extraction methods that have represented the pinnacle of cannabis concentrate on many occasions .
Corey , the head man of ComoTent- Grow demonstrating a rosin press for a few enthusiastic onlookers .
However , in recent years , the order of things has begun to shift back to its roots . Solventless extraction , through a technique called “ Ice-Bubble ” hash-making , has taken the cannabis industry by storm . By washing freshly frozen cannabis surrounded by a filter bag , in an extremely cold ice bath , the resin glands of the plant are frozen and broken off . This is then collected and dried . Since the Mid-2010s , however , another step was discovered in this process . By taking the dried Ice-Bubble Hash and heat-pressing it under heavy pressure , a solventless , beautiful golden rosin can be made , quite possibly the most flavorful and full spectrum experience one can find in concentrated cannabis .
Fast forward to 2022 here in Missouri , hash rosin has finally made its way into the market . Driven by community demand and contest results , manufacturers like Proper Cannabis are slowly
Fatso but surely hitting the shelves with fresh rosin batches to meet its wave of popularity . Its first strain pressed , named “ Fatso ,” has the trademark earthy and terpene-filled taste that a good hash has while doubling up on its bodily effects for a warm feeling throughout the body . One of the
key points of hash rosin is its smoothness . A lot of concentrates can hit rather hard on the smoke , but rosin has a smoothness that lends to the smoking experience as a whole . Rosin must be dabbed at a lower temperature than most concentrates , as the flavor is unmatched . It also tends to burn at higher temperatures , so I like to smoke mine at roughly 430 degrees Fahrenheit .
The Heady Park Henchmen ; the winners of the MidMo 4 / 20 Expo , working with their rosin press .
A wide selection of different rosin flavors were on display in July as ComoTentGrow — a caregiver operation providing education and awareness to patients — hosted the MidMo 710 Expo , an event primarily dedicated to concentrated cannabis as a whole . One of the primary focuses of the event was educating attendees about the rosin-making process , with more than one press and method on display . Solventless hash was judged next to Solvent extracted cannabis oils , with many being made by hobbyists or caregivers within the local area . Seed to Solventless took the top spot in the Solventless category , with a positively smashing entry named Deep Fired Crepe ’ s Rosin (@ seed _ to _ solventless on Instagram ).
With patient demand and reallife results combined , rosin is clearly the hot item on the market right now . By nature , it is very pure , and comparatively , little equipment is needed to produce it . However , I ’ ve experienced that making a proper hash takes an artisan ’ s touch , which separates
Hand-rolled Brown Charas it from other concentrates . Like
Charas in the Himalayas , these skills can be passed from generation to generation , creating lines of craftsmen dedicated to cannabis . This will only refine the process in the future , and that future looks exciting indeed .
See Rosin Heat Presses and Extractors on page 61 .
Sean Keast is a Navy Veteran Mass Communications Specialist , cannabis educator , and advocate documenting the Missouri cannabis industry in all its forms and general purveyor of tomfoolery . He ’ s currently enrolled at MU , working towards a communications degree . He can be found @ givviehash on social media .