Budder, shatter, crumble: What is the difference between cannabis concentrates?

12. 12. 2023

What is a cannabis concentrate?

Shatter, budder/badder, budder wax, crumble and others are forms of cannabis in concentrated form. In this form, they have significantly higher amounts of active ingredients than the classic cannabis flower. A solvent such as CO2, butane, propane or alcohol can be used for extraction. Concentrates can also be extracted without solvent.

Various extraction methods are used to obtain concentrates, in which the sticky resinous glands are separated from the cannabis flowers. In a solvent-free process, the resinous oil is extracted from the plant by pressure or heat and separated to produce the desired type of concentrate.

How is extraction using liquid solvents carried out?

All solvent extraction methods use a similar process: a liquid solvent solution is used to separate the active compounds from the trichome gland, and the resulting solution must be further purified so that only the desired compounds remain.

The production of solvent-based extracts starts with placing whole cannabis flowers in a special extractor with several chambers. These flowers are then exposed to solvents such as butane, which extracts cannabinoids, terpenes and other substances from the plant. The plant material is then separated from the mixture and the butane is removed from the extract.

Due to the high volatility of these solvents, closed extraction systems are typically used to provide safe control of factors such as temperature and pressure to achieve the optimum result. Depending on the solvent used, the resulting extract must be placed in a vacuum oven to ensure complete removal of the solvent before use.

The result is an oil that is formed exclusively from the contents of the cannabis plant. This oil can be further treated to change its consistency and used as a raw material for the production of various concentrates such as THC budder, shatter, wax and pulp. The different consistency of these concentrates is due to the processing method used.

Due to the high flammability of petroleum-based solvents, only licensed professionals should perform this process.

What is shatter?

Shatter is an extract obtained mostly from dried cannabis cuttings and occasionally from whole buds. Interestingly, many other compounds, such as budder or crumble, originate as shatter.

Shatter is famous for its brittle, glassy texture that shatters easily on contact, hence its name. However, there are also variants that have a snap-and-pull consistency, which gives it other unique properties, such as flexibility.

This cannabis concentrate is characterised by its strikingly clear and glassy consistency. True shatter can be identified by its translucent consistency and colour spectrum, which can include shades from dark brown to bright golden yellow.

Shatter: production process

Shatter is produced by low-temperature extraction of hydrocarbon solvents, most commonly butane-based. If high content propane is used, the result tends to be a sugary or crystalline consistency with a richer terpene profile rather than a brittle glassy consistency.

When the concentrate is produced, the technician pours the crude oil onto trays and allows it to spread into a thin film. He then vacuum-cleans it for 36-72 hours. During the purification process, bubbles appear on the surface of the plate, an indication that impurities are being removed and the extract is getting cleaner. Some workers even rotate the plate several times to ensure complete and effective cleaning.

CBD shatter

There are over 100 natural chemical compounds, known as cannabinoids, found in the cannabis plant. Among these cannabinoids, CBD (cannabidiol) is one of the most widely used and is often referred to as the "master cannabinoid". In addition to CBD, other cannabinoids such as CBG (cannabigerol), CBN (cannabinol) a THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) are also found in cannabis.

CBD shatter is a solid extract from the cannabis plant, which is characterised by its hard yet brittle and easily shattered structure. This structure is obtained through the filtration process it undergoes. The CBD extracted from the plant also contains some other substances, but these are removed during the filtration process, giving it its pure form containing only CBD.

CBD shatter will remain stable in a glass-like consistency if kept in an environment without significant changes in temperature or light. This compound has a solid consistency similar to CBD wax, but the difference is noticeable when handled. The strength of CBD shatter is comparable to other isolates, but it is characterized by its firm and brittle consistency.

 

What is the difference between the terms budder and badder?

Budder and badder are two types of concentrates that are made from cannabis. The main difference between them is their texture - budder has a firmer consistency, while badder is looser and more oily (the consistency is likened to cake batter).

Did you know that...? In the mid-1990s, a Canadian concentrate manufacturer approached the owner of Da Kine Smoke and Beverage with samples of his new concentrate, which had a similar consistency to butter and was called Butter Hoots. When Da Kine's store was shut down by the police, the demand for Butter Hoots grew and spawned a number of imitators who began to produce and sell their own butter-like concentrates.

The inventor decided to protect his invention, so he applied for a trademark for the word "butter". However, the Canadian Trademark Office rejected the application. Eventually, it was agreed that the word "budder" would be used as a trademark, although the inventor was not satisfied with the new name. It has since become known as BudderKing.

The process of making these compounds varies depending on the extraction method chosen. There are two common methods that can be used to create these two concentrates. The first method involves the use of solvents, whereas the second uses heat and pressure. Although the most common methods use solvents to extract the active ingredients, extracts produced without the use of solvents are becoming increasingly popular.

Budder/badder: production process

Budder has a smooth and creamy texture, reminiscent of the consistency of milk butter. Badder, on the other hand, can vary in consistency from a sticky sauce to a soft wax and is often likened to a glaze.

These textures are the result of mixing a shatter with a high terpene content into a creamier consistency. Technicians achieve this frosting-like texture by whipping the shatter at low, steady temperatures. This process introduces and evenly redistributes air molecules, which then determine the density of the resulting texture, while the whipping process serves to separate the THCA from other substances that remain in the concentrate. The cannabinoids and terpenes are trapped in the sticky oil and sealed in an airtight container, delivering a more potent experience to users.

What is wax?

Wax is an opaque concentrate with a wide range of colors that range from dark gold to bright yellow. It is a highly concentrated product with a distinctive potency that retains a unique terpene profile that gives it its characteristic taste and aroma.

As the name suggests, the wax has a "waxier" consistency than shatter and can vary in texture from softer (crumble wax) to firmer (honeycomb wax). The wax is produced from crude oil obtained by the extraction of butane-based hydrocarbons. This stage is followed by a process in which a vacuum oven is used to remove any remaining solvents from the original oil.

Wax budder and shatter are created from the same crude oil by a closed extraction cycle. Although both products are basically identical, the subtle differences in texture are due to slight variations in the processing procedure, hence shatter has a glassy brittle appearance, while wax budder is characterised by a creamy or golden texture.

What is crumble?

Similar to shatter, this name is also based on texture. Crumble is a brittle variant of budder/badder that looks like crumbly honey. This concentrate is similar in colour to budder/badder, but the texture is dull and has a yellow tint. Crumble is a form of concentrate that is produced from shatter but undergoes further processing similar to budder/badder.

It should be mentioned that a few more steps are required to get the right texture and consistency of wax. Most of the time, the concentrate is whipped after the vacuum cleaning process, but different factories use different techniques. The whipped shatter is then purified in a vacuum oven at low temperatures to retain its flavonoid and terpene content.

When cannabis is extracted into a crumble at lower temperatures, the terpenes tend to be mostly retained, resulting in a final extract with a distinctive aroma. The colour of the crumble ranges from light golden to a deeper amber.

 

Summary

Each concentrate has its own unique identity: shatter resembles a honey-colored glass shard and breaks easily, CBD shatter is a type of CBD isolate, budder has a firmer texture than badder, which is characterized by a greasier texture, wax specifies a waxy texture, and crumble is crumbly.

Shatter is produced by low-temperature hydrocarbon solvent extraction, interestingly most compounds are produced as shatter. Budder/badder is formed by mixing shatter with high terpene content to a creamier consistency. Even wax budder and crumble is formed as shatter from the same crude oil by closed-cycle extraction, with the different structures then resulting from subtle variations in the processing procedure.

The goal of a perfect solvent extraction process is that no detectable amount of solvent remains in the final product. Verification of the absence of residual solvents is carried out by reputable manufacturers using third party testing and laboratory analysis.

Still confused about how to differentiate between concentrates? It's true that sometimes the different names and types of concentrates and extracts can be a little confusing. But when you look more closely, each one has its own distinctive features and specifics. And with the constant developments in the field, new ones are always appearing.

 

 

 

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