Cannabis Extraction: Methods, Products, and Tools

Have you ever wondered how your favorite dabs and edibles are made? Through cannabis extraction, those beautiful,  green flowers are transformed into concentrate forms that are then used to create different cannabis goodies.

This process is a bit science-y. The efficiency and precision of the extraction method you implement can affect the quality, potency, and consistency of your products.

But it isn't the only thing you need to pay attention to. If you produce cannabis extracts or similar products, you also have to handle a lot of paperwork, streamline your operations to boost efficiency, and ensure your business is compliant with all related regulations.

The good news? Distru is here! Our seed-to-sale software is designed to streamline your extraction processes while helping you stay on the right side of the law.

Whether you're a seasoned operator or just starting out in the cannabis world, this guide will provide you with valuable information on the most common extraction methods and how Distru can help you take your processing business to new heights. Read on!

Overview of Cannabis Extraction Methods

There are several cannabis extraction methods. Each offers unique advantages and comes with specific challenges. Most of them are categorized into two main types: solventless and solvent-based. Below is more information on both.

Solventless Extraction Methods

These cannabis extraction methods don't require the use of solvents or harsh chemicals but instead focus on a more natural, mechanical way of producing hash. Such techniques are based on the fact that cannabinoids can be extracted through heating and pressure because they're semi-liquid.

Due to their perceived higher purity and safety, solventless extraction methods have become quite popular among both producers and consumers. Rosin pressing and ice water extraction are the two most common forms.

Ice Water Extraction

This method starts with fresh frozen cannabis. The biomass (cannabis plants) is frozen to make it more brittle and facilitate the separation of trichomes, which are resinous in their natural form.

Fresh frozen cannabis is placed for some time in a container, usually a bucket, with a bunch of ice and cold water –some processors place the cannabis plants in a mesh bag before submerging it in ice-cold water.

After that, the biomass is agitated. This is a physically disturbing washing process that relies on any of the following tools:

• Paddle: It's used to manually agitate the biomass in the ice-cold water.
• Osprey: It's a specialized machine with rotating paddles that agitate the mixture of cannabis plants and ice-cold water more effectively.

The agitation process helps the trichomes to be knocked off the plant and remain suspended in the water. The resulting mixture is then sifted or strained through a micron bag that resembles a cheesecloth. By running the mixture through this filter, which usually has a specific micron size, trichome heads are separated from plant matter and water. It's important to keep moving the bag around to get as much water out as possible.

The filtered mixture, known as fresh frozen hash, is freeze-dried to remove moisture and create water hash, also known as bubble hash, which is just massive amounts of trichome heads and can be further processed into various concentrates. For example, water hash can be pressed using heat to produce fresh press rosin.

Rosin Pressing

Rosin pressing is a relatively simple yet effective extraction method but requires a heat-controlled hydraulic rosin press. Using heated plates, this specialized machine presses the cannabis flowers or hash with tons of force to extract a resinous sap that contains the active components. This process is often compared to pressing grapes to make wine.

Heat softens the plant material, making it easier to squeeze and extract its components. The resulting resinous sap (highly concentrated) is what we refer to as rosin.

Rosin can vary in consistency, ranging from a sticky, honey-like substance to a hard, shatter-like material. At this point, this mixture can be run through rosin bags to separate out the remaining traces of plant material.

A few years ago, before this method was developed, cannabis enthusiasts used T-shirt presses and even hair straighteners for the same purpose. Although the process was similar, these tools weren't ideal for business operations but instead offered inaccurate, inconsistent, and messy results.

Dry Sifting

Another solventless method of separating trichome heads from cannabis is known as Dry Sifting. This process is similar to ice water extraction in that it does not involve the use of chemicals, however the process is a dry separation and does not require water.

The process of dry sifting involves taking your cannabis plant matter (whether it is whole nug, smaller nugs, or trim) and placing medium-to-large amounts of this plant matter on a mesh screen. Similar to the micron bag used for producing water hash, the mesh screen will be attuned to a certain micron size in order to allow for trichome heads to pass through, while preventing larger plant matter from contaminating the hash.

The plant matter is then moved back and forth across the screen. This process mechanically separates the trichome heads from the cannabis flower, thus producing hash in a collection tray below the sifting screen. Material can be run across the screen multiple times to collect as much hash as possible, though you will be receiving diminishing returns as far as trichome & hash quality is concerned after a 2nd or 3rd run of the material.

The collected hash will not be as clean as ice water isolate, as it will likely contain more stalks and general plant matter, but it is still a very valid method of creating cannabis extract without the use of chemicals or heavy machinery. The practice of creating hash using sifting techniques dates back to thousands of years ago, and many around the world still enjoy the products of dry sifting (kief, temple balls, brick hash, etc.) today.

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Solvent-Based Extraction Methods

Unlike the techniques explained above, these methods use solvents to extract cannabinoids and terpenes from cannabis plant material. After chemicals dissolve and separate the desired compounds from the biomass, they're typically evaporated, leaving behind a concentrated extract.

Many cannabis processors prefer solvent-based extraction methods due to their efficiency, higher yield, versatility, lower costs, and potential for scalability. However, these techniques must be implemented with the utmost care and require specialized equipment to ensure product safety.

The most common cannabis oil extraction methods use ethanol, butane, propane, and carbon dioxide (CO2), but there are many more chemicals available for these processes. Each has unique properties that are suitable for different purposes.

Ethanol Extraction

Used with other plants in the botanical world, ethanol extraction, also known as ethyl alcohol or alcohol extraction, is a classic method that involves soaking plant material in ethanol to dissolve the desired components.

After that, processors can filter the ethanol solution or remove the plant material by placing it inside a porous bag similar to a tea bag.

The next step, which is crucial, is to remove the chemical. Ethanol is removed through evaporation, using rotary or falling film evaporators or vacuum distillation systems.

What's left behind is a crude concentrate that can be further distilled to create isolated THC or CBD products. These specific compounds can go through a process called chromatography, which separates and purifies mixtures to remove any remaining impurities.

Cannabinoids and terpenes are fat-soluble, so ethanol, a fat-dissolving substance, can be used to produce cannabinoid-derivative and crude products, such as edibles, vape cartridge oil, topicals, and tinctures.

Ethanol extraction requires precise temperature control. When cold-temperature solutions are used, it can facilitate the separation of cannabinoids and terpenes, while warm- or room-temperature solutions can help extract other water-soluble compounds.

Since it's relatively simple and inexpensive, ethanol extraction is one of the most popular cannabis oil extraction methods.

CO2 Extraction

With this method, carbon dioxide (CO2) is used to remove cannabis components from the plant material, but this chemical is pressurized to a subcritical or supercritical state, which means that it's both a liquid and a gas.

Cannabis biomass is placed in a chamber through which the CO2 stream is passed in order to dissolve the cannabinoids and terpenes from the plant matter. Once the desired compounds are extracted, the pressure is reduced to cause the chemical to evaporate, leaving behind a solvent-free, concentrated cannabis extract.

This extraction method is a non-toxic, non-flammable option that gives processors control over the specific compounds that can be extracted. Subcritical CO2, which is less pressurized, can be used to extract lipids and waxes. Supercritical CO2, which is highly pressurized, can extract cannabinoids and terpenes.

Processors can also choose to extract specific compounds from the plant material by controlling the temperature of the solvent.

CO2 extraction is complex and can be dangerous if not handled correctly but has become a popular method because it produces extracts with complete terpene profiles, is environmentally friendly, and eliminates any solvent residue from the final product. This method is often used to produce high-quality oils, distillates, and other extracts with unique flavors and scents.

Hydrocarbon Extraction

Also known as butane hash oil extraction, this method uses low molecular weight hydrocarbons, such as butane or propane, that are pressurized to a liquid state. Most processors use butane, but some prefer to add 30% propane to preserve more terpenes.

The process typically starts with fresh frozen cannabis, but it can also be trimmed, cured flowers, or large amounts of biomass at scale. Liquid butane or propane is run through the plant material to dissolve the desired compounds.

The resulting solution, which has the chemical used, cannabis trichomes, and other compounds, is filtered, leaving behind a mixture of hydrocarbon and plant extract. After this, it's purged with heat or a vacuum to evaporate the hydrocarbon and separate the concentrated extract that can be further processed to remove any residual solvent.

To minimize solvent waste and environmental impact, many processors employ a closed-loop system, which recovers the purged hydrocarbon gas and condensates it back into liquid form for reuse. Since this technique involves the use of chemicals that burn easily, it requires careful handling and specialized equipment to ensure safety.

Hydrocarbon extraction often guarantees strain purity, so it's highly effective at producing potent concentrates, such as butane hash oil, shatter, wax, resin, budder, crumble, and honeycomb. That's why it's one of the most popular cannabis oil extraction methods.

Products Derived from Cannabis Extraction

Extracted cannabis oil and hash can be used to create different products for both recreational and medical purposes. Below are some popular examples:

Recreational Cannabis Products

These are the most common recreational cannabis products produced with extracted oil or hash:

• Edibles: Gummies, chocolates, baked goods (brownies or cookies), and other food products can be infused with extracted cannabis oil or have hash as a main ingredient.
• Vapes: Specialized devices can vaporize extracted cannabis oil for consumption, offering discretion.
• Smoking and dabbing: Cannabis hash can be smoked in pipes and joints or dabbed using a dab rig.

Each cannabis extraction method will deliver a unique result. For example, ethanol extraction can produce cannabinoid isolates (THC and CBD) or full-spectrum extracts (concentrates with THC, CBD, terpenes, flavonoids, minor cannabinoids, and other compounds), but this will depend on the solution's temperature.

Since it preserves terpenes, can extract many cannabinoids, and maintains the natural balance of compounds, CO2 extraction can be best suited for full-spectrum products. Plus, this technique requires extreme pressure and very high heat to separate cannabinoids, so it may not be the safest option for isolated compounds.

Hydrocarbon extraction also extracts and preserves cannabis compounds and offers a higher compound yield compared to other methods, making it excellent for those seeking strong effects. Although best for high-THC products, this technique allows processors to use low heat in the extraction process, which can help create full-spectrum extracts.

Solventless extraction methods focus on preserving the natural balance of cannabis plants' cannabinoids and terpenes, so they extract a full spectrum of compounds and are ideal for producing pure cannabis concentrates. Other specialized techniques, such as chromatography, must be used to isolate specific cannabinoids.

Medical Cannabis Products

These are the most common medical cannabis products created with extracted oil or hash:

• Tinctures: These liquid extracts, which can be made with extracted cannabis oil or hash, are often administered orally, under the tongue or swallowed, to improve symptoms of chronic pain and other conditions, such as anxiety, depression, or insomnia.
• Topicals: Extracted cannabis oil or hash can be used to create topicals, which are applied directly to the skin to relieve pain or inflammation in specific areas.
• CBD Oils: These products (also derived from extracted cannabis oil or hash but processed through winterization, distillation, and chromatography) offer potential therapeutic benefits without the psychoactive effects produced by THC. They're often consumed or applied to the skin in order to relieve pain or inflammation, treat anxiety and depression symptoms, improve sleep quality, and reduce the frequency and severity of seizures in some individuals with epilepsy.

As explained above, the chosen cannabis extraction method can impact the final result. All of these techniques can be used to create topicals, such as balms and creams. However, ethanol extraction is commonly employed to produce tinctures because this chemical can effectively dissolve cannabinoids and terpenes. CO2 extraction, on the other hand, is preferred to manufacture CBD oil because of its ability to obtain a clean, pure extract.

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How Distru Empowers Cannabis Processors

Choosing between so many cannabis extraction methods and products can be overwhelming. And not to mention all the other business-related aspects you have to manage. It's just a lot!

Lucky for you, Distru has everything you need to streamline your processing operations, save time, and grow your business!

Assemblies & Production Management

Our comprehensive solution is equipped with features that will help you plan production and manage workflows at every stage, from raw material extraction to final product creation.

With Distru, you can draft, edit, or update assemblies and search them by status, owner, and more to organize and manage all the ingredients or quantities you need to create a product.

If you haven't created your assemblies yet, our software has a specific feature for Bill of Materials (BOMs), which allows you to track ingredients throughout the entire extraction process and provides detailed information about every component used in each product to ensure consistency.

Label Printing for Compliance

At Distru, we know that compliance is key for every cannabis business. That's why our software offers an integrated label printing solution!

With this feature, you can generate and print customized labels that meet all applicable regulatory requirements and display all necessary information, such as THC levels and expiration dates.

The Importance of Compliance and Scalability in Cannabis Processing

Besides offering convenient features to make your operations easier, Distru is designed to help cannabis processors, including you, comply with the complex local, state, and federal regulations that govern cannabis extraction.

Our software can make it easier to overcome regulatory challenges by streamlining traceability and reporting, facilitating label printing, and syncing in real-time with state-mandated seed-to-sale software, such as Metrc.

Moreover, Distru is built for both startups and large multi-state operators (MSOs)! If you're looking to scale operations, our solution can automate tasks to save you time and money, provide you with valuable insights, help you boost efficiency and meet demand, prepare you for potential audits, and more!

Once you scale your operations, Distru can also centralize data from all your locations to facilitate record-keeping, support your quality control efforts, and ensure accuracy in reporting.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right extraction methods and tools is essential to processing cannabis into high-quality, safe-to-use, and attractive products. As mentioned, each technique offers unique results that may or may not suit your goals. Thus, you need to do some research and educate yourself on each available option to make an informed, intelligent decision.

But this isn't the only thing you need to think about. You should equip yourself with comprehensive technological solutions that can help you optimize your extraction processes. This is where Distru becomes more valuable.

With Distru's production management tools, assemblies, BOMs, and label printing features, processing cannabis extracts into premium products will be easier than ever. Schedule a demo to learn more about our solution!