Butane hash oil (BHO) is created with the use of butane, which acts as a solvent and extracts all those juicy cannabinoids and terpenes. The process is not complicated but it is dangerous (and shouldn’t be tried at home unless you really know what you’re doing). BHO is very popular with users because it’s possible to get concentrates that are very high in THC. BHO is also used in the production of a number of other concentrates, such as nug run, hash, budder, shatter, and more.

Because the extraction is done with butane, some people don’t feel comfortable using those types of THC concentrates. The rationale here is that any amount of solvent is unacceptable when it comes to something that’s inhaled. I tend to agree but I also know that manufacturers take extreme precautions when it comes to getting rid of butane from their finished product. That said, BHO has a slightly harsher taste, so if you suffer from any lung afflictions (or just like a smooth ride), I’d skip it in favor of concentrates that have been produced using other extraction methods.

If you’ve ever encountered a glass-type concentrate that puts you in mind of caramel candy, then you know what shatter is. Its glass consistency is where the name is derived from (shatter – get it?). It’s mostly created from BHO and PHO extracts and has high levels of THC and CBD.

Shatter is noted for its extreme purity, although there are variations here as well. It’s difficult to guess the quality of shatter just by looking at it – it can be transparent and low (well, lower) on THC and CBD, or murky but still have a high content of active substances. Still, if you’re buying shatter from reputable manufacturers, it will most likely contain 80% or more cannabinoids.

Shatter can’t be smoked easily because of its high evaporation point. Generally, you will have to use either a butane torch or a nail rig that you can heat up to 600 F before you can vaporize shatter.

A cannabis concentrate that closely resembles honey is called wax. Even if you’re not a concentrate buff, you’ve probably seen it before – wax is easy to come by and it’s one of the most popular dabs in use. BHO and PHO are both a type of wax (although there are other types as well).

Wax concentrates have a very high content of THC and other cannabinoids (much higher than regular buds or trim runs) and need to be handled carefully. If you’re not used to vaporizing something so potent, the best advice I can give you is to start slow. Because wax is very runny, it’s difficult to handle without proper tools. The most common way of using waxes is with the help of either a dab rig or a personal vaporizer. Generally, waxes are around 4X more expensive than the buds they were extracted from.

The word “hashish” originates from the Arabic language, roughly translating to mean “grass.” It is believed that the popularization of hash originated around A.D. 900, although some argue methods such as “charas,” or the collection of resin from the hands of cannabis farmers, are believed to have existed prior to written documentation.

As a result of early European exploration into Africa, hashish made its appearance in the western world at the turn of the 19th century. For years, European doctors imported hashish to conduct research, which led to the introduction of various extraction methods that allowed for further refinement into medications.

By the turn of the 20th century, cannabis extractions were accounting for a large majority of western pharmacopeia. It wasn’t until U.S. prohibition in the early 20th century that hashish products were eradicated from western medicine and pushed back into the black market.

Crumble is yet another type of cannabis concentrate that’s made from butane hash oil. It’s made by purging the oil in a vacuum oven for quite some time (at lower temperatures for the best results). During that process, crumble develops a soft consistency (much softer than shatter) but it’s still brittle enough that it will crumble when handled.

Because it’s difficult to handle, crumble is often used in vaporizers or dab rights. If you’re looking for something that’s highly potent, but still flavorful, it might be your best bet – this type of weed concentrate contains a lot of THC and other cannabinoids.

Full melt is a derivative of hash that can be made by employing a water and ice or dry sieve process. The end result is outstanding, regardless of the method you use. It’s a cross between sand and brown sugar when it comes to texture, but the potency is out of this world – with full melt, you get the highest level of terpenes and cannabinoids out there. That’s the main reason why it’s so difficult to find. Full melt is super clean – solvent-free, without any contaminants. The best way to use it is with a vaporizer or a dab rig.

PHO again describes the extraction method only this time, we’re talking about propane and not butane. Everything else is pretty much the same. Some people prefer it because it can be made into a pretty good budder (kind of creamy/buttery concentrate) with vigorous whipping. Experienced PHO makers note that, depending on the strain, it’s possible to get more terpenes and fewer residuals by using propane.

Large operations make massive amounts of weed concentrates of various types. Naturally, after the fact, they are left with what someone would call waste – stems, leaves, tiny nugs, and so on. Instead of discarding all of that, they make a lower quality concentrate. Concentrates made from these trimmings are all called ‘a trim run’ (a production run – goods produced using the same procedures, processes, or conditions), regardless of their consistency (they can be waxes, oils, or solids).

Trim run doesn’t contain as many beneficial cannabinoids as other types of concentrates. Still, that isn’t to say that it doesn’t contain any. The way to recognize trim run (and distinguish it from the more potent nug run) is by smelling it. If there isn’t much of an aroma, you’re probably dealing with trimmings.

Trim run offers a decent high, especially if you’re an occasional user. Where it falls short is the taste – trim run has more chlorophyll and will often leave a peppery flavor in your mouth. Still, if you’re using it to get high and not to enjoy the flavor, it should do the trick. Also, it doesn’t hurt that it’s one of the cheapest types of THC concentrates on the market currently.

Good, old kief is known to everybody who has ever owned a weed grinder with three compartments. It’s that powder-like substance that collects in the last compartment (it usually takes ages to get an ounce of it) and it’s very potent. If you don’t know what it is, think again – the more common name for kief is hashish.

Dry sieving is a method of extraction that’s pretty similar to what happens in a grinder. You take buds and other plant material and rub it over a fine mesh. Those small, hair-like particles that collect underneath are called trichomes – they are where the marijuana plant stores a bulk of its terpenes and cannabinoids. You can either use the kief directly (smoking it or using it in your vaporizer) or create other kinds of cannabis concentrates with it.