HOW TO SMOKE LIVE RESIN: EXPERT TIPS AND TECHNIQUES

Live Resin is one of the best concentrates for smokers who love loud flavor, aroma, and a stronger terpene rich experience. Made from fresh frozen cannabis, live resin provides a true to plant experience with every dab.

If you’re new to concentrates, this guide breaks down what they are, the best ways to smoke live resin, and expert tips!

WHAT IS LIVE RESIN?

Live resin is a solvent-based cannabis concentrate that is made from freshly harvested cannabis plants that were frozen quickly before processing. Solvent-based means solvents like butane and ethanol are used in the extraction process.

Freezing the plants makes it possible to capture the maximum amount of terpenes, the compounds responsible for the cannabis's sweet and aromatic flavor, which are lost during drying.

For this reason, it is not surprising that the cannabis community is crazy about live resin. The cannabinoids and terpenes combined produce a holistic effect, otherwise known as the entourage effect.

Again, just like other extracts, live resin is super potent! THC contents range from 60 to 90% in most cases. That is several times higher than a typical cannabis flower!

HOW IS LIVE RESIN MADE?

The first ever live resin was made in 2013 by two Colorado rock-n-rollers, William "Kind Bill" Fenger and Jason "Giddy Up" from EmoTek Labs. They developed technology to extract terpenes and cannabinoids from frozen plant trichomes using solvents such as butane or propane.

The result? A thick-glued form of cannabis packed with terpenes and with a saucy to sugar-like consistency. It is like a mix between wax and sauce, or rather a honey consistency.

Live resin is not to be confused with live rosin, which is a different product altogether. The key difference is that the live rosin does not use any solvents in the extraction process.

>> Related: How to smoke live rosin

Today live resin is produced commercially, and you can find various live resin products at a local dispensary, either as sticky concentrates to dab or as prefilled live resin concentrates to vape. Live resin extract examples include:

• Live Resin Sugar

• Live Resin Sauce (Terp Sauce)

• Live Resin Badder / Budder

• Live Resin Cartridges

• Live Resin Jelly / Sap

If you wish to acquire more in-depth information on each of these types of live resin, please refer to our beginner's guide to different types of cannabis concentrates.

CAN YOU SMOKE MARIJUANA RESIN?

Yes, you can smoke marijuana resin on its own or mixed with flower. In everyday conversations, people usually use the term "smoking resin" to mean vaping and dabbing as well.

Smoking resin is especially attractive for anyone looking for a potent experience away from the high of smoking flower. And it so happens there are quite a few ways to smoke resin, as we will see below.

8 DIFFERENT WAYS TO SMOKE LIVE RESIN

Let's now tackle the elephant in the room: which ways are the most effective for smoking live resin?

DABBING

Dabbing is the most preferred method of smoking live resin. Dabbing is done using a dab rig, which looks like a small bong, but instead of a regular bowl, it has a specialized bowl (known as a dab nail/quartz banger) for vaporizing concentrates.

To use the resin in a dab rig, you need to heat your dab nail with a torch until it starts to glow. Then wait until the nail cools down to the right temperature, which is between 350-450°F, to get the best flavor. With the dab tool, place a small piece of the live resin on the hot nail. Finally, inhale the resultant vapor and savor the effects.

VAPORIZER

Specialized vaporizers for concentrates are another creative idea to make the most of the incredible benefits that live resin offers.

Vaporizers give you more control with precise temperature settings while avoiding combustion. Instead of burning the plant material, the live resin is heated just enough to release flavorful vapor.

There are many good vaporizer options to consider, including desktop and portable models. Besides, did you know that you can also use a cartridge to vape resin? Yes, prefilled cartridges are an easy and convenient way to enjoy resin without having to load it yourself.

Related: Learn how to vape without coughing

E-NAIL (ELECTRONIC NAIL)

If you enjoy the dabbing experience, an electronic nail or e-nail is a more convenient option than regular dabbing. It is a device that replaces a torch in the traditional dab rig and gives exact temperature control, which is very helpful for preserving the resin's fragile terpenes.

Using an e-nail is easy: set your temperature preference, heat the nail, and then you are ready to dab.

WAX PEN

Over the last few years, vape pens for concentrates, or more commonly known as wax pens or dab pens, have become a popular and discreet way to consume live resin on the move. They consist of a battery, heating chamber or coil, and mouthpiece.

Using a wax pen is super simple: Load a small amount of live resin into the heating chamber, turn it on then inhale through the mouthpiece.

JOINT OR BLUNT (LIVE RESIN INFUSED)

As a twist to your regular old school smoker, why not treat the pre-roll or blunt you are about to smoke with the live resin you love? You can either add live resin to your joint and blunt before rolling or heating it until it is gooey then wrapping a snake around the joint. In cannabis speak, this technique is known as twaxing.

BONG WITH A QUARTZ BANGER

If you are a bong freak, you can instantly upgrade your setup for cannabis resin. Simply replace your usual bowl with a quartz banger designed for concentrates. Once replaced, the process is similar to that of smoking resin using a dab rig.

NECTAR COLLECTOR (HONEY STRAW)

Nectar collector (or honey straw or dab straw) is a tool that allows smokers to smoke live resin without needing a dab rig or a water pipe. It is a glass or silicone tube which has a tip at one end and a mouthpiece at the other.

First the resin needs to be vaporized to smoke it with a nectar collector. Heat the tip of the nectar collector torch until it glows red-hot. Let it cool down a bit (approximately 500-600°F is ideal). Put the hot tip directly on the live resin and inhale through the mouthpiece to draw the vapor gas into the tube and into your mouth.

Related: How to Use a Nectar Collector and Save Dabs

PUFFCO PEAK (PORTABLE DAB RIG)

Puffco Peak and similar tools are the newest devices for dabbing that are high-tech, portable with a water filter and temperature controls in a small package. Dabbing becomes handy and user-friendly with these devices.

To use a Puffco Peak, load your live resin into the ceramic bowl, select your temperature, and inhale through the mouthpiece.

To state the obvious, live resin is super potent! If you're a beginner, be careful with your dosing and take it slow. You want your first time to be enjoyable not overwhelming.

EMBRACE A CLEANER WAY TO SMOKE LIVE RESIN

You are well informed about the different ways to smoke resin. However, before you ..leave us, please listen to us. Smoking anything, even vapor, produces aerosols and byproducts that are harmful to your lungs, and throat. But this fact should not stop you from adding a new dimension to your weed smoking with the help of healthier methods to inhale it.

This is where Mooselabs Mouthpeace filters come in!

MooseLabs filters catch harmful particles giving you a clean and flavorful experience. You can now freely have a session without the addition of coughing and enjoy the full flavor of the terpenes of the live resin. In case you are using a bong, joint, blunt, vape, or wax pen, you can be sure that MooseLabs has the right filter for you.

Give Mooselabs a try, and soon you will discover the difference!

FAQ:

DOES SMOKING LIVE RESIN GET YOU HIGHER THAN REGULAR WEED?

Yes, when smoked, live resin can offer you a more intense and even higher experience than regular cannabis flower. This is because the THC content of live resin is usually between 60% to 90% while most flowers have only about 15% to 30%.

CAN YOU SMOKE LIVE RESIN BY ITSELF?

You can smoke live resin on its own, but you'll need a dab rig or a vaporizer for the best results. Using these devices allows for the right heat needed to vaporize live resin properly. It’s not really effective to try to smoke it like regular flower in a joint or bowl because it won't burn well and you'll lose a lot of the cannabinoids.

CAN YOU SMOKE LIVE RESIN WITHOUT A DAB BONG?

Yes! You can consume live resin on a dab pen, an e-rig, or by mixing it in a bowl or a joint with some ground flower if you don’t have a dab bong.

HOW TO SMOKE LIVE RESIN CRUMBLE?

Live resin crumble can be dabbed, vaporized, or even sprinkled on top of a bowl or joint. Being a dry and crumbly texture, its easier to work with.

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO SMOKE A LIVE RESIN CARTRIDGE?

To use a live resin cartridge, you'll need a 510-thread battery since most cartridges follow this standard. If your battery has adjustable voltage, set it between 2.5V and 3.3V to find a nice balance between vapor production and taste.

CAN I PUT RESIN IN MY JOINT?

Yes, you can definitely add live resin to a joint! You can do this by spreading a thin layer of the resin inside the joint or mixing it with the ground flower. This technique raises the THC content and slows the burning rate. Just keep an eye on the amount you add, as using too much can lead to uneven burning and clogging.

WHAT VOLTAGE SHOULD I SMOKE LIVE RESIN CARTS AT?

For live resin cartridges, it’s best to set the voltage between 2.5V and 3.3V. This will help to keep the terpenes from burning off. A lower voltage around 2.5-2.8V can enhance flavor, while a higher voltage of 3.0-3.3V increases vapor production.

LIVE RESIN VS ROSIN DIFFERENCE?

The key difference between live resin and rosin lies in how they are extracted. Live resin typically uses solvents like butane in its extraction process, while rosin is extracted using just heat and pressure without any solvents. This means rosin provides a cleaner extraction, whereas live resin maintains a greater preservation of terpenes at a larger scale.

LIVE RESIN VS DISTILLATE DIFFERENCE? 

The main differences between live resin and distillate come down to terpene content and how they’re processed. Live resin keeps most of its natural terpenes and flavors intact, while distillate tends to remove the majority of terpenes, isolating THC concentrations up to 90-99%. This means distillate is more potent but lacks much of the flavor found in live resin.