Which Concentrate Products Can You Dab?

Dabbing is a method of consuming cannabis concentrates like wax, sauce, or live resin. Typically this is done with a “dab rig” or an “e-rig,” heated with a torch or electricity, respectively. The heat vaporises the cannabinoids and terpenes in the substance, and the resulting vapour is inhaled. Any concentrates consumed by dabbing are colloquially referred to simply as “dabs,” but this does not mean that all concentrates are dabs, or that all concentrates should be consumed via dabbing.

Below, we review the various types of cannabis concentrates, what concentrates you can dab, and which ones you can’t or shouldn’t.

Types of Concentrate Ideal for Dabbing

Before we dive in, a quick note: Some consumers suggest that the quality of dabs can be determined by their colour, with darker concentrates indicating contamination from plant material, but most connoisseurs disagree. In general, concentrates should be judged by their cannabinoid and terpene profiles, not their colour.

Wax

Many concentrates are specifically labelled “wax,” but the term has also become a colloquialism for any soft solvent extract. Subsequently, budder, badder, sap, sugar and sugar wax are often included in this category. 

No one is better than another, rather the differences are simply the result of the extraction method, including any thinning agents or emulsifiers used, and post-extraction processing, such as whipping or pressure control. 

Sauce

Sauce concentrates are notably thinner than waxes, appearing more like applesauce. This consistency is actually caused by the separation of THC from the terpenes among it, resulting in small (or sometimes large) THC crystals bathed in a terpene-rich oil. This oil is sometimes referred to as “terp sauce,” while the THC crystals may be called “crystals” or “diamonds.”

Sauce is designed solely to be dabbed and could hardly be consumed any other way.

Shatter

Shatter is a relatively solid concentrate that appears translucent like stained glass. This consistency is achieved by maintaining a homogenous structure throughout the extraction process that then cools like hard candy. That said, shatter is still malleable, and can be warmed and rolled between the fingers into other shapes. A softer form of shatter is called “pull and snap.”

Shatter is designed to be dabbed, but pieces of it are also sprinkled into joints, or even wrapped around them in a trend called “twaxing.” Unfortunately, as interesting as twaxing can be, it is a poor fate for shatter, which is meant to be vaporised between 400-500℉. Open flames and joint cherries burn at over a thousand degrees, and will obliterate most of the cannabinoids and terpenes in THC oils. 

Live Resin

Live resin differs from many other concentrates because it is not extracted from dried and cured buds, but rather from buds that have been flash-frozen upon harvest. Technically there is nothing alive in live resin, but this cryogenic freeze causes minimal damage to the plant by preventing the formation of ice crystals, which are the damaging agent of frost at the cellular level (you may be familiar with this phenomenon in the form of “freezer burn”).

The whole process preserves the cannabinoid and terpene profiles of the fresh plant more completely than cured extracts. Because of this, live resin should only be dabbed or otherwise vaporised. Subjecting live resin to an open flame or any temperatures over 600 ℉ will destroy the delicate terpenes and minor cannabinoids that make live resin unique.

Rosin

Rosin is a solventless extract, as opposed to other hash oils which are extracted by the application of butane or liquified CO2. Instead, rosin is extracted with only heat and pressure by a specialised machine called, aptly, a rosin press. The result is a potent, full-spectrum extract without the use of solvents or other chemical agents.

Rosin should not be confused with live resin, which refers specifically to flash-frozen cannabis and is extracted using solvents. The similarity between the names is purely coincidental as rosin gets its name from violin bow rosin, which is pine sap produced by a similar extraction process.

Rosin is a pure and delicate extract that should only be dabbed and never touched with a direct flame. 

Types of Concentrate Not Ideal for Dabbing

Hash

Hash should not be confused with “hash oil,” which is another broad term for concentrates derived from THC oil like those listed above. Here, hash refers to the collection of cannabinoid-rich trichomes which are separated from the plant by physical agitation. 

Most consumers may know dry-sift hash as “kief,” or the potent cannabis dust that falls to the bottom of many herb grinders. Bubble hash is an increasingly popular form of hash that is harvested by churning cannabis flower in ice water. By this method, the trichomes freeze and break free from the plant, and the water is then sifted through a series of fine screens to separate the material.

Technically hash can be dabbed, but unless it is incredibly pure (also known as “full-melt”), probably shouldn’t be. Dab rigs are designed to vaporise oil-based concentrates which melt cleanly with minimal residue. Hash, on the other hand, contains a higher amount of plant material that may not burn away but instead stain and stick to the inside of the banger. This plant residue can then affect the flavour and chemical composition of future dabs.

That said, the finest bubble hash is sometimes called “full-melt hash” for its ability to evaporate completely, leaving behind no residue. Full-melt (also called 6-star) bubble hash can be dabbed like an oil, but this is the exception to the rule.

Hash is more commonly smoked, such as by being sprinkled over bowls or into joints, though some consumers enjoy it by itself.

Where to Buy Concentrates

Fire & Flower has a wide variety of cannabis concentrates that are great for dabbing. Check out some products below and order your favorites online!

Summary

Dabbing is a consumption method whereby “dabs” of loose THC concentrate are vaporised for inhalation. These oily extracts come in various consistencies from soft waxes to “shatter” which is brittle at room temperature. Regardless of consistency, all of these weed extracts are commonly referred to simply as “dabs” and are most effectively consumed via dabbing. But not all concentrates are oil-based.

Hash, including kief and bubble hash, contain THC oil, but they also contain more raw plant material that should not be dabbed. Dabbing hash can stain and fuse residue into the banger, and releases unnecessary chemicals like benzene. That said, the purest hash, like full-melt bubble hash, may be dabbed because, as its name suggests, it will melt away completely leaving no residue. Otherwise, hash is typically smoked.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can All Concentrates be Dabbed?

No. All oil-based concentrates like wax, shatter, and rosin can be dabbed, but hash concentrates like kief, charas, or bubble hash should not be.

What Type of Concentrate is Best?

Rosin is currently regarded as the premium oil-based concentrate because of its solventless extraction process and its full-spectrum terpene profile. Rosin should be dabbed.

Bubble hash is equally renowned for its purity and potency, and is sometimes used to produce rosin, but hash should not be dabbed.

Can you Dab Hash?

Technically yes, but it will probably not burn cleanly and may ruin the nail it’s being dabbed from by staining it with burnt plant material. Dab rigs are only designed to vaporise oils that evaporate with minimal residue.

Does the Colour of Dabs Matter?

In general, no.