THCA Diamonds vs Live Resin

If you are experimenting with new concentrates, then THCA diamonds and live resin are two that you should consider. These are two of the most popular types of cannabis concentrates, and they can pack quite the punch.

Both of them can be extremely potent if utilized the right way, and they can produce some serious highs as well. That said, THCA diamonds and live resin are made in two different ways, and they also have some different features, mainly related to potency, flavor, and more.

Today, we want to do a deep dive into THCA diamonds and live resin. We want to figure out what exactly both of them are and how they are made, as well as what sets the two apart. By the end of today, you should be an expert on both THCA diamonds and live resin, so you know exactly what you're getting into with both of them.

Key Takeaways

• Both THCA diamonds and live resin are extremely potent forms of cannabis concentrates, both of which can be made using a closed-loop extraction process.
• To make THCA diamonds: When live resin has been made a bit of the solvent is left behind and purged out very slowly, which allows the crystallization of the THCA into diamonds. To take things one step further, those diamonds can technically be removed from the live resin sauce, heated and decarboxylated, liquefied, and then added back into the live resin sauce to create what we know as liquid diamonds.
• While live resin tends to have a much more complex flavor profile, THCA diamonds are generally much more potent.

What Are THCA Diamonds?

First, you need to know what THCA is. THC a is the acidic precursor to THC, or in other words, THC acid. Technically speaking, all of the cannabis you purchase contains THCA. When you purchase cannabis and it says that it contains 20% THC, this is technically false. It actually contains 20% THCA.

When you combust that cannabis, the heat causes a reaction known as decarboxylation, which effectively turns THCA into THC. For the record, inactive THCA that has not been decarboxylated is not psychoactive and will not get you high. Only once the heat has been applied and decarboxylation has occurred does THCA become psychoactive THC.

Either way, THCA diamonds are a specific type of cannabis extract. When THCA diamonds are made, something known as cannabis sauce is made. Cannabis sauce is made in much the same way as other types of concentrates, as we will discuss further below. Thanks to the special process that we will discuss below, within that cannabis sauce, small crystalline structures, otherwise known as diamonds, start to form.

These diamonds are virtually pure THCA, and yes, they kind of look like small diamonds or crystals. They can easily contain over 90% THCA if not close to 100%. THCA diamonds can be dabbed, vaporized, smoked, and virtually anything in between. As you will see below, there are two different ways to make THCA diamonds.

How Are THCA Diamonds Made?

There are two different ways to make THCA diamonds, and these include the so-called crystalline method as well as the basic closed-loop system that so many other solvent-based concentrates are made with.

If we are talking about a closed-loop system, a liquid solvent is used to extract the active compounds, in this case the THCA, from the rest of the plant matter. You usually have a metal tube into which the cannabis is inserted, and butane or any other solvent is then poured through. What comes out of the bottom of the metal tube is the liquid solvent full of cannabinoids.

That solvent needs to be removed, but in the case of THCA diamonds, unlike with many other concentrates, not quite all of the solvent is removed right away. Many concentrates use great amounts of heat and pressure, using a vacuum oven, to remove the majority of the solvent right away. However, when making THCA diamonds, the solvent is purged off much more slowly, which therefore allows the THCA diamonds to form. This process can take up to several weeks.

There is then also what is known as the crystalline method. Here, highly refined cannabis concentrates that have all of their terpenes and lipids removed are mixed with a solvent.

Pressure and heat are then applied so that the solvent very slowly evaporates, which creates an environment where crystals can form in. Here, you will see THCA separating from the solution and falling to the bottom of the container. If the concentrations and temperatures are correct, those THCA molecules will bond to each other and form crystalline structures, otherwise known as diamonds.

Do THCA Diamonds Get You High?

Yes, THCA diamonds will absolutely get you high, as long as they are decarboxylated first. However, vaporizing, dabbing, and smoking will all decarboxylate the THCA diamonds in the process. These diamonds can be up to 99% pure THCA, which when decarboxylated turn into 99% pure THC.

They are therefore extremely potent and will get you very high. These are some of the most potent cannabis concentrates in the world, and a very little bit, even a 0.01 gram dab, should get you feeling it significantly.

What Is Live Resin

We then have live resin, which is another type of cannabis concentrate. Unlike most other concentrates, live resin is made using freshly harvested cannabis that has not been cured. Sometimes it is frozen for a couple of days, but it is never cured, hence why it is called live resin.

Many people prefer this type of resin or concentrate as it contains a higher amount of terpenes than concentrates made with cured buds, therefore allowing for a better flavor profile. This type of concentrate is also very potent.

Live resin is a fairly oily and sticky substance, kind of like honey. Live resin can also be extremely potent and easily contain 80% THC. Live resin can be vaporized, dabbed, smoked, and even turned into edibles. Here’s a list of the best strains for live resin.

How Is Live Resin Made?

The first parts of the live resin manufacturing process are extremely similar to how THCA diamonds are made. Usually, the plant matter is flash-frozen for a few hours or even dipped in liquid nitrogen right until the extraction process occurs.

Live resin is made using a closed-loop extraction process. Once again, this means that solvents such as butane are blasted through the plant matter. The butane absorbs the cannabinoids and comes out of the bottom as a solvent and cannabinoid solution.

Using a vacuum oven, great amounts of heat and pressure are applied to this solution, therefore causing the solvent to evaporate out of the mixture, leaving behind the pure live resin, which can be extremely potent.

However, as you will see below, there are actually two separate components to live resin, the sauce, and the diamonds. Exactly what the difference is between live resin sauce and the live resin THCA liquid diamonds will be discussed below.

Is Live Resin The Same As Liquid Diamonds?

The terms live resin, live resin sauce, THCA diamonds, and liquid diamonds are thrown around quite a lot, and they can cause some confusion. Technically speaking, live resin is not the same as a liquid diamond, but a liquid diamond is a part of live resin.

Remember that when making diamonds, a small amount of the solvent is left in the mixture, therefore allowing for a supersaturated sauce fraction that results in the spontaneous crystallization of the THC into diamonds.

When this specific type of live resin is made, there are actually two different components, the sauce that is very rich in terpenes and the THCA diamond part. There is a much thinner and oilier sauce that contains a lot of terpenes and around 30% to 40% dissolved THCA, and there are then the diamonds, which are the crystalline structures that contain up to 99.9% THCA.

THCA diamonds are taken out of the live resin sauce and then decarboxylated to turn it into active THC. Once those diamonds are heated and decarboxylated, they are in a liquid form, which can then be re-added back into the live resin sauce, which results in what we know as liquid diamonds. The diamonds become liquefied and are added back into the resin sauce.

What Are The Differences Between THCA Diamonds vs Live Resin?

There are a few notable differences between THCA diamonds and live resin, so let's take a quick look at what these are.

The Manufacturing Process

To clarify things for anybody who is still confused, when the solvent comes out of the closed loop system, along with all of the cannabinoids, it is quickly purged to form what is known as live resin sauce. All of that solvent is removed right away.

However, if THCA diamonds are being made, some of that solvent is left behind in the resin, which then results in the crystallization of the THCA into diamonds. Then, if making liquid diamond sauce, those diamonds are then taken, heated, decarboxylated, and added back into the live resin sauce. So, in essence, THCA diamonds are just more refined and processed forms of live resin.

Potency

Live resin often contains anywhere between 50% and 80% THC, therefore making it reasonably potent. However, because THCA diamonds are refined forms of live resin, they are even more potent. These THCA diamonds may be up to 99.9% potent. Therefore, they are usually much stronger than regular live resin.

Flavor

Regular live resin still contains the vast majority of terpenes and flavonoids that the original plant matter had. However, due to the refining process required to make THCA diamonds, most of the terpenes and flavonoids are lost in the process. THCA diamonds, therefore, don't have a flavor that resembles the original plant strain. Most people would say that regular live resin is much tastier.

Appearance

Live resin has a yellowish or brownish appearance, along with a thick and oily texture. On the other hand, THCA diamonds, although they may be the same color, may be a bit paler or lighter, they are much more solid, like little diamonds or crystals.

Cost and Availability

Due to the refining process required to turn live resin into THCA diamonds, the cost of the diamonds is generally significantly higher than for live resin.

THCA Diamonds vs Live Resin: How Do They Taste?

Live resin generally has a very strong cannabis flavor, and usually resembles the flavor of the original strain, as it generally still contains a lot of terpenes and flavonoids. The flavor of the diamonds however is much more muted. You can still taste that they are made out of cannabis, but the flavor just isn't nearly as strong. If you like a rich flavor profile, it's the resin that you want to go for.

THCA Diamonds vs Live Resin: Which Is Stronger?

As mentioned above, live resin can be anywhere between 50% and 80% potent, whereas THCA diamonds can be up to 99.9% potent. Therefore, THCA diamonds have the potential to be about twice as potent as the live resin.

Are THCA Diamonds And Live Resin Safe?

On one hand, concentrates that are vaporized are generally considered safer than raw cannabis flower. This is because vaporizing a cannabis concentrate does not involve combustion, with combustion creating any more poisonous chemicals that can affect the lungs negatively.

However, the issue with some cannabis concentrates is that there may be some solvents left behind, and inhaling butane is not overly healthy either.

That said, if the concentrates, whether the THCA diamonds for the live resin, are properly made, with the solvent being properly purged out, they should be perfectly safe. Just remember that these products can be extremely potent, and high levels of THC can at times cause mild paranoia or anxiety. Therefore, it's always best to start slow.

Are Live Resin And THCA Diamonds Legal?

Whether or not live resin and THCA diamonds are legal depends on how they are made. The bottom line is that according to the 2018 Farm Bill, any cannabinoid product must be derived from the hemp plant, and it must not contain more than 0.3% Delta-9 THC.

What is funny is that THCA turns into Delta-9 THC, but not until you decarboxylate it yourself. Therefore, technically speaking, as long as the live resin and the THCA diamonds fall in line with the 2018 Farm Bill, they should be totally legal.

Which Is Better, THCA Diamonds Or Live Resin?

Which one of these two is better depends on what your preferences are. If you want a cannabis concentrate with maximum potency, then THCA diamonds are better. If you want a cannabis concentrate that is moderately potent and has a whole lot of flavor, then it is probably the live resin that will suit you better.

Final Thoughts

You should now know exactly what live resin, THCA diamonds, and liquid diamonds are. You should now also be able to make an informed decision between the two and know the differences in terms of flavor, manufacturing process, potency, and more. Now that you know what they are, you can get to try them while being confident that you know what you're in for.

Where To Buy Live Resin Tincture Online

If you are looking to buy some live resin tincture and related products, then look no further than right here at Botany Farms. We have many awesome products for you to consider, including this Live Resin Delta-8 Tincture and this Live Resin CBD Tincture. If you’d rather have an edible, these Blue Raspberry Delta-9 Microdose Gummies are very popular too.

Frequently Asked Questions

Before we wrap things up, here are some frequently asked questions about live resin and THCA diamonds.

How to Smoke THCA Diamonds?

You can put THCA diamonds into a dab rig, smaller diamonds may be able to go into vaporizers, and you can also smoke them in your favorite bowls too.

How to Store THCA Diamonds?

Just like any other THCA product, it is a good idea to store your diamonds in an airtight container, and a cool, dry, and dark place.

How Much Do THCA Diamonds Cost?

Depending on where you get them and the quality, THCA diamonds can cost anywhere between $60 and $150 per gram.

How to Use Live Resin

Live resin is very versatile. This is something that you can fill into a vaporizer cartridge, dab in a dab rig, put in a joint, or put in your favorite pipe or bong bowls.

Is Live Resin the Same as Wax?

Although they are similar, wax is generally a bit thicker.

Can You Put Live Resin in a Cartridge

If you have a refillable cartridge that says that it can handle live resin and other such concentrates, then yes, you can put live resin in a cartridge.