Solventless State Of Mind

The game done changed since rosin tech hit the block. It didn’t just open the door into the solventless world for the masses; it blew the hinges right off the frame. The skepticism didn’t last long, there was little to argue with, too many benefits compared to some of the drawbacks. A lot of people sold their blasting gear for a rosin press; there was no stopping it, the revolution has begun.

Overall, the whole concentrates world has seen tremendous growth and innovation in the last couple of years. No matter what the extraction method, the bar has risen to new heights with connoisseurs demanding the highest level of quality and refinement. We are getting spoiled and this is only the beginning.

Most disciplines have different schools of thought and ways of going about their craft. May it be cars or graffiti, there are purists, futurists, bullies, and nerds. Same is true for cannabis concentrates, people got a passion for the hashin’, it’s a lot deeper than just fine products. It’s an extension of your identity. It’s part of a lifestyle and a state of mind. You are not only getting lifted, but you are also making a statement.

Some early flower squishes from 2016

How many times have you heard someone say something like “I don’t drink Dessani or Aquafina”? We also know that a person who is a sucker for anything with an “organic” label. Then there is that 34-year-old hommie who still smashes hella bottles of Sunny D like we never left fourth grade. That’s how life be, where do you fall on that scale when it comes to hash?

Some people tend to take a very strong stance, especially in the solvent-less camp, with individuals being extremely concerned about the smallest details, and I don’t blame them. The poorly made extract can be a health hazard and the same is true for both solvent-based and solvent-less extractions. However, if we want to have an honest conversation about this matter we must first establish some parameters.

When both are made properly, neither of them is more or less safe to consume. So why do people chose one over the other? For the record, I do enjoy both but I find myself coming back to solventless way more often than I find myself getting them BHO diamonds in terp sauce. I think there is more to it than just a simple preference in taste and high; it’s also a way of belonging to a certain vision of things, a mentality, a way of living.

I find solvent extractions to be more aggressive in the taste and high. I prefer the mellowed out full spectrum balanced feeling I get from solventless concentrates, but that’s not the point I’m trying to make. I think it’s a lot more tribal than just “I like this one better because of the taste and high”. There is a world behind the label and I guess that’s the world I feel most comfortable associating to.

Fresh Frozen bubble hash that got pressed in to live rosin, circa 2016

We’ve had these talks numerous times about the differences in humans that consume BHO vs ones who are the “solventless guys”. Obviously, we are generalizing but we can’t deny that there is a pattern that is easily recognizable when you look at both camps. From the brands and dress code, down to the dietary and lifestyle choices, people tend to lean one way or another and so does their choice of concentrates. When I think about dudes who are really into diamonds and live resins, some things come to mind; Expensive and hyped clothing brands, pricey restaurants that serve Wagyu beef, tattoos, elite Motherships, and shitty trap music seem to be a common theme.

When I think of solventless heads, things such as long hair, vegetarianism, organic foods, heady glass, reggae music, and healthy living seem to pop to mind. Needless to say, this does not always apply, people are much more nuanced and diverse but at the same time, I’m sure that a lot of you would agree with these generalized descriptions. I’m not a vegan, I don’t really listen to reggae either and I cut my ponytail after 17 years with zero regrets but I do still feel like solventless extractions are more my type of product and represent what I’m about in life more accurately.

The point I’m trying to make is that concentrates have reached a new level of status which is now part of our identity as individuals just like certain brands of shoes and alcoholic beverages. It is no longer just some hash you got from your local dealer. These things hold weight and they represent who we are how we live and what our whole lifestyle is about. It’s a state of mind and my state of mind is solventless.

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