What is Cannabis Distillate and how it is made

Cannabis and everything about it may seem a big world full of surprises and possibilities thanks to the versatility of these wonderful plants that humans have been using through history for multiple purposes: from obtaining food and nutrients to using it for religious and recreational purposes.

Nowadays, the commercialization of cannabis-based products and its compounds raises many questions about how these products are made or how the cannabis compounds (cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, etc.) are extracted. So, in order to expand our readers’ knowledge about the possibilities that this plant offers, in this article, we are going to discover what cannabis distillate is and how it is made.

What is a cannabis distillate?

We could say that a cannabis distillate is a type of concentrate, but unlike other extraction methods, the obtained oil-like viscous product is considered the most pure and potent form of this plant.

Thus, the distillation process consists of separating a particular compound such as CBD, THC or even terpenes and flavonoids from the rest in order to obtain a pure product with nearly a 100% of these distilled compounds. This is how CBD-rich oils and creams are made.

What are distillates used for?

In the few years, cannabis medicine has been evolving and developing new ressources to take advantage of the therapeutic properties of this plant. That’s why distillates are intended to be used or consumed in several ways in order to obtain some different benefits, however, we are going to talk about the most common ways to do it:

Vaping

Dab rigs, bongs, e-cigarettes, vapes… these are some of the devices and gadgets that you can use to enjoy your distillates in a discreet and efficient way. Besides, it is commonly known that vaping is safer than smoking since you avoid most of the harmful compounds that are released by combustion and that cause different respiratory diseases.

Edibles and infusions

There are some patients that don’t like to smoke or vape their medicinal cannabis materials, so they prefer consuming them in edibles and infused products, which is a more pleasant and delicious way to benefit from the wonderful healing properties that this plant provides.

Topical oils or creams

This may be probably the most recent and innovative way to use weed distillates as we are living in the golden age of cosmetic products. Lotions, creams, balms, oil… all sorts of hemp-based products rich in CBD are widely being used due to the different healthy properties that are offered when applied to our skin.

Pros and cons

As we have already mentioned, one of the main advantages of distilling cannabis is that we are able to obtain the purest concentrate with a really high potency and versatility as it can be used in many ways to make the most of this viscous liquid.

On the other hand, due to its purity, this limited spectrum product may not interest you if you are looking for more compounds. Likewise, the loss of terpenes and flavonoids also means that distillates have a lack of flavor and aroma. Lastly, buying cannabis distillation equipment may be extremely expensive compared to other cheap, homemade extraction methods.

How are distillates made?

First, in the extraction step, the trichomes are extracted from the cannabis plant material as these glands contain high concentrations of cannabinoids (including both CBD and THC among others), flavonoids and terpenes.

Then, during the winterization and filtration, the obtained crude cannabis oil must be mixed with ethanol (or other solvent) and freezed for up to 48 hours. This way, all the impurities and undesirable substances such as waxes or lipids will be removed from this pure oil.

Thirdly, the decarboxylation consists of a heating process that modifies the molecular structure of cannabinoids to maximize their potency and effects. This is how THCA is turned into THC, producing the common ‘high’; and CBDA into CBS, boosting the beneficial properties of this cannabinoid.

Lastly, to distillate the oil, it must be heated to a specific temperature in order to vaporize the different remaining compounds, producing vapors which are then condensed and turned into a highly purified and concentrated form of cannabis oil.

Why to distillate cannabis

Distillating cannabis provides some benefits that cannot be reached with other weed extraction ways. That being said, there are many patients that struggle when consuming their plant materials because they can’t feel any effect at all. Because of that, distillates come in handy as they boost the natural potency of this medicinal plant, containing high amounts of cannabinoids.

On the other hand, as the obtained distilled product is completely impurity-free, it doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals that may worsen patients’ diseases. This is then a versatile, cleaner and safer way to consume your medicines achieving the desired effects with smaller doses.
The commercialization of cannabis-based products and its compounds raises many questions about how these products are made or how the cannabis compounds are extracted. We hope that you’d find this article useful to expand your knowledge about what cannabis distillate is and how it is made. Don’t hesitate visiting our blog at GB The Green Brand to keep learning something new everyday.