Sometimes flower just doesn’t cut it. Maybe you’ve built up a tolerance, or maybe you’re just looking for a better high. Good thing for concentrates. These are the best concentrates in Denver.

What are Concentrates?        

Whether you're a first-time or experienced dabber, you might still be wondering exactly what concentrates are. Deciding what concentrate to choose and knowing how to use it properly takes a little background knowledge.

Concentrates are where you isolate the most desirable parts of the cannabis plant through a process of heat and extraction. Basically, concentrates are the best part of marijuana in a convenient package. Scientifically, it’s a bit more complicated. Suffice it to say concentrates will get you higher than the average flower.

Types of Concentrates

         Concentrates come in a variety of forms:

·         Live Resin

·         Shatter

·         Wax

·         Budder

·         Crystalline (Diamonds)

Though there are many different types of concentrates, they are essentially all the same product—extracted, compounded marijuana oils. They are named differently based on the consistency, density, and texture of the end product, as well as differences in how the concentrates are prepared.

How are Concentrates Used?

Some concentrates can be used topically or taken orally, while others are used in a vaporizer commonly known as a vape pen. Dabbing is also popular. This is the process of heating up a small amount of concentrate such as live resin with a device called a dab rig, and inhaling the vapors.

Think heating up a drop of hash on a penknife and breathing in the smoke—same basic concept, only now you can buy an actual factory-made contraption for this. Concentrates can also be cooked into edibles, or you can go the old-fashioned route and top off a bowl of ordinary flower to give it an extra kick. 

Live Resin

Live resin is simply cannabis oil that has been extracted from fresh flowers that have been freeze-dried rather than air-dried and cured the typical way. This produces a different flavor in the resin, imparting a more aromatic and floral bouquet. Live resin is usually somewhat gooey in consistency and typically has a higher terpene content.

Shatter

Shatter is heat extracted or chemically extracted cannabis oil that has hardened into a glasslike substance that's usually amber colored and mostly transparent. When it's heated, it becomes a viscous liquid similar to thickened honey. Shatter can be relatively inexpensive, with deals as low as 15 dollars a gram.

Wax

Wax refers to concentrated marijuana oil that has been extracted--often with butane or other chemicals—to produce a thick, oily, and wax-like substance that can be smoked or vaporized. Unlike shatter which is see-through and hard, wax is soft and opaque.

Budder

Like the other concentrates, budder is extracted from flower to make a more potent product. Unlike wax or shatter, budder has the consistency of, well, butter. It’s a type of hash oil that can be up to 70 percent THC.

Crystalline

Also known as dust or diamonds, crystalline is concentrated THCA that comes in a solid form. Think kief. Crystalline often has little flavor because of the relatively low amount of terpenes but makes up for that lack of potency.

The Best of the Best Concentrates

Colorado is home to some of the best, award-winning concentrate companies in America. Recreational weed use has been legal in Colorado since 2012, allowing local businesses to branch out and perfect their extraction techniques. The use of concentrates by stoners continues to grow as time goes by.

Here are some extraction experts that make some of the best concentrates you can find in Colorado:

·         Green Dot Labs, based in Boulder, makes some of the best live resin in Colorado. Deals on their live resin can be found here.

·         Sano Gardens, based in Commerce City, specializes in cannabis extraction. Their live resin is popular among Coloradoans.

·         710 Labs makes some of the best concentrates for both Colorado and California.

·         VIOLA is a marijuana company started by former NBA player Al Harrington. Their concentrates can be found in dispensaries across Colorado.

·         Nomad Extracts make their concentrates from Colorado-grown cannabis. They’ve won awards for both their wax and shatter, among others. You can find their platinum wax for 30 dollars a gram at dispensaries in the Denver-metro area.

·         Lazercat Cannabis are Colorado-based growers and extractors. Their live rosin is a premium concentrate.

·         Kush Masters is an extraction company “nested in a log cabin next to Boulder’s Flatiron mountains.” You can get eight grams of their wax for 120 dollars in Denver.

Where to Find Concentrates in Colorado

         Most local dispensaries will have plenty of choices when it comes to concentrates. A budtender is always willing to help or answer any questions one might have. We’ve put together a list of some Colorado dispensaries that have great deals on concentrates:

·         The Lodge Cannabis has locations on Federal Blvd and High Street. There’s currently a deal for two grams of Green Dot live resin for 90 dollars or four grams of wax for 70 dollars.

·         Pure Marijuana Dispensary has five locations across the Denver-metro area. You can find deals on cartridges, wax, and shatter (among many others) at any location.

·         The Stone Dispensary, located in Denver, has a wide variety of concentrate deals for the frugal stoner. The previously-mentioned Kush Masters live resin is 24 dollars OTD per gram. There’s also a deal on all brands of wax or shatter.

·         Mary Jane’s House is located on Quentin Street just a little outside of Denver. They have deals on wax right now for just 27 dollars for two grams.

Which Concentrate is Right for Me?

The first time trying concentrates can be confusing. There are a ton of choices, but only you are going to know which is best for you. Trial and error, so to speak. No shame in trying them all.

Looking for More?

There are tons of places to buy concentrates or other marijuana products in Colorado. Cannasaver can be a fantastic tool for finding the right wax, live resin, or any other concentrate for you.