Cannabis gummies come in all types of shapes, sizes, flavors, and (perhaps most importantly), cannabinoid extracts. The large amount of different options may make you wonder, where should I start? In this article we will compare live rosin and distillate gummies, from flavor to effects.
Live Rosin and Distillate Explained
Live rosin and distillate are two concentrates made through very different extraction methods, and depending on which one you use can impact every aspect of the gummy in the end.
Live rosin is made using either the whole plant, or the isolated trichomes found on the flower of cannabis, from flower material that has not been cured. The flower is either frozen as soon as it is harvested, and stays frozen until it is extracted, or is extracted immediately after it is harvested in order to create a “full spectrum” extract. This means that very few of the compounds found in the trichomes of cannabis, including the cannabinoids and terpenes, are lost or separated out through the extraction process. These compounds can make live rosin extremely flavorful.
Additionally, when trichomes are isolated to press into live rosin, water is used as the solvent to isolate them, which means there are no potentially harmful compounds used in the process.
To many rosin enthusiasts, it is the cleanest, purest form of cannabis extract.
Distillate uses a vastly different process compared to live rosin. Using a solvent such as butane, ethanol, or CO2, the THC and other cannabinoids are dissolved off of the plant material. Through multiple methods of purification, including distillation in the final step, the cannabinoids can be isolated and concentrated into a refined oil.
The resulting oil, often called THC distillate, can range in potency from 80-95% THC. Comparatively, live rosin typically ranges from 40-70% THC due to the leftover terpenes and remaining plant material, which make up the remainder of mixture.
But what happens when you put these different extracts into gummies?
Live Rosin vs Distillate Gummies
When using these two extracts to make gummies, the end results can differ significantly. Since live rosin carries the natural terpenes and cannabinoids of the plant, those flavors can be carried over into the gummy. This can result in the gummies having more of a “weedy”, or “hashy” flavor to them. High quality distillate on the other hand, such as The Clear, is designed to be completely flavorless and odorless. This allows for uniquely curated gummy flavors that are more consistent and less likely to taste like weed.
In other words, using distillate allows for more customization of gummy flavors, which means more flavorful gummies with less of an earthy or medicated flavor.
The effects of the gummies are also uniquely different. While rosin gummies and distillate gummies can generally provide similar experiences in their ability to deliver THC, the effects may still vary. Since live rosin includes a wide range of terpenes and cannabinoids from the original plant, the user could feel those effects in gummy form. For example, CBD, CBG and CBN are common minor cannabinoids that occur in cannabis, and they may be carried over in ranging potencies to the gummy. However, due to the nature of genetic degradation and the numerous factors that influence the cannabinoid and terpene profiles in cannabis plants, live rosin products are inconsistent between batches, and it can be challenging to find rosin gummies that reliably create the same effects and user experience each time they are purchased.
It is also worth noting that live rosin extract is, by design, subjected to low heat exposure in order to prevent burning off the flavor compounds. Because of this, live rosin typically contains more THCA, which is the inactive and non-psychoactive version of THC. In essence, any THCA consumed in an edible format will not provide the psychoactive effects typically associated with cannabis.
In products using high-THC distillate, purified forms of minor cannabinoids have to be individually incorporated into the product mixture in order to create a specific effect. As a result, many distillate gummies simply contain high-THC distillate, terpenes for flavor, and generic gummy ingredients. However, some brands have used the purity of distillate to create a wide selection of gummies with unique, consistent effects by adding minor cannabinoids at specific ratios to harness the power of the entourage effect.
Live rosin gummies will include whatever was in the original plant the extract was derived from. Distillate can be highly customized to provide a wide range of effects and experiences.
Which Should You Choose?
When it comes time to choose between live rosin and distillate gummies, it really comes down to preference. The consistency and range of options for distillate gummies make them a great choice for beginners or consumers who are looking for a specific experience, whether it’s recovery, sleep or relaxation. Live rosin may be more appealing to the “connoisseur” crowd that wants the full spectrum flavor and the effects that the natural cannabinoid and terpene content from a specific strain may provide.
Find The Clear products here. If you are a purchasing manager for a dispensary interested in carrying The Clear, contact us here. Are you a dispensary owner or larger-scale operator looking to bring The Clear to your state? Contact us here.
