Even for those who are up to speed with the ins and outs of the cannabis industry and its products, there are plenty of concentrate variations and innovations that its tough to keep up with!
Take live rosin, for example. This is a variation of rosin, and even live rosin has its own iterations. And when you’re shopping for a concentrate, it’s important to understand that there is indeed a distinction between products like warm and cold cured live rosin.
Cold cured live rosin is our focus today. This is a distinct curing method, and while it may not seem incredibly unique, understanding the process of cold curing is integral to knowing exactly what product you are taking home its potential benefits.
Key Takeaways
- Cold curing and warm curing generally apply to rosin concentrates specifically, coming into play after the pressing process.
- A cold cure takes place between 40 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, leading to changes in consistency, color, and potentially distinct effects on cannabinoids and terpenes.
- The effects of cold and warm curing can vary immensely, depending on the specific temperature, time cured, and the unique attributes of the rosin.
What is Live Rosin?
Live rosin is essentially an enhanced version of rosin. Rosin is made with cured or dried cannabis flower, while live rosin is made from flower that is immediately frozen and turned into bubble hash. Both concentrates are made through solventless extractions, using only heat and pressure, which makes it a notably appealing option for health-conscious consumers.
Consumers often report that rosin and live rosin tend to maintain much of the cannabis plant’s initial essence, namely the flavor profile and terpenes, but because the flower is frozen before extraction, live rosin retains more of those precious cannabis compounds. Ultimately, this makes live rosin one of the most potent concentrate options, with not only a complex array of cannabinoids but one of the richest terpene profiles you’ll find.
SHOP COLD CURED LIVE ROSIN GUMMIES
What is Cold Cured Live Rosin?
“Cold curing” generally applies to rosin concentrates specifically. This process comes into play after the pressing process, resulting in the extracted concentrate material. After this step, extractors will place their rosin in a sealed container. What happens from there ultimately determines the final result of the concentrate.
This is where cold curing comes in. Cold curing rosin means that the curing took place between 40 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. This may not seem “cold,” though you may change your tune when you see the temperatures used in warm curing.
Cold curing rosin often means just leaving rosin in a sealed glass jar in that temperature range for anywhere between one day to one week. The consistency will transform as time progresses, and cold curing leads to a distinct final product as opposed to warm curing.
There are a number of variations when it comes to cold curing techniques, and each can lead to different rosin transformations.
While plain rosin can be cold cured, this process can also be applied to live rosin.
What Does Cold Curing Live Rosin Do?
While it’s not definitive, some consumers and extractors believe that cold curing can help to further retain terpenes. The thought process behind this assertion is that cold curing minimizes degradation and evaporation of terpenes.
Cold curing also often leads to more milky colors and a crumbly consistency. Obtaining a specific, even consistency and badder-like texture is also an aim of cold curing, increasing the stability of the concentrate. Whipping rosin is also often done in conjunction with cold curing.
What is Warm Cured Live Rosin?
To better understand cold curing, it helps to look at the alternative: warm cured live rosin. This process starts at the same time as cold curing, after the pressing process.
These cures occur in temperatures between 90 to 135 degrees Fahrenheit. The heat may expedite the degradation of both terpenes and cannabinoids in rosin, though it can also lead to highly sought-after textures and flavor profiles.
Like cold curing, there are a number of methods for warm cured rosin. These can be simple, like tabletop heating pad or rosin press plates. Unlike cold curing, warm curing is a several-hour to a day-long process. However, like cold curing, it’s generally recommended to whip the mixture with a dab tool every so often to uncover a variety of consistencies.
It’s common to see the consistency change over the course of several hours, as the buildup of pressure inside a sealed jar of rosin helps the terpenes and cannabinoid-rich oil to separate.
Higher temperatures are usually used specifically for hash rosin, specifically to create diamonds and jams.
Which is Better: Warm Cured or Cold Cured Live Rosin?
Ultimately, this is up to the consumer, and many will have their own preferences.
While some will argue that cold cured live rosin leads to a more terpene- and cannabinoid-rich product, you can achieve some pretty amazing flavors with a warm cure as well. Also, live rosin as a whole is often known for having some of the most abundant cannabinoid and terpene profiles. So either way, you’re getting a great product with warm or cold cured live rosin.
The textural differences are a main distinction between these two curing methods. Cold curing often leads to a smoother, badder-like consistency, while warm curing often creates more jam-like concentrates and even crystalline products resembling that of a live resin.
It should be restated that there is also variation of what textures and flavors can be achieved among cold cured and warm cured live rosin in their respective categories, depending on how long the curing process is, the temperature (even within those respective ranges), and how often the rosin is agitated.
More on Live Rosin Curing
A few more things to note about the curing process for live rosin:
Cold curing is often a good choice for rosin made with flower, while hash rosin can respond better with a warm cure. During the curing process, it’s also important to avoid reintroducing any moisture to the extract. For example, a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator should remain closed at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before opening the lid due to condensation.
There are many methods to curing, and the method used may be determined by the specific characteristics of the rosin you have on hand. They cure at different speeds and may react differently to a warm or cold cure.
Whether your rosin is cold or warm cured, it should be kept in the refrigerator for long-term storage.
Final Thoughts
One of the amazing things about cannabis is the variation just a few changes in the process can offer when it comes to a final product. This is evident when we look at the vast world of cannabis concentrates. A space that was once limited to hash has now evolved into a vast array of options.
Whether you’re purchasing live rosin from a dispensary or have made rosin for yourself, understanding the distinction between cold cured and warm cured rosin can make a big difference when it comes to the final product, flavor, and consistency!
