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What is Terpene Sauce

Terpene sauce

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Nowadays, some concentrates are so pure and potent that it only takes a rice-grain-sized piece to experience full psychoactive effects. One of these powerful cannabis concentrates we are talking about is the terpene sauce, which has been drawing the attention of both cannabis connoisseurs and enthusiasts.

The reason for the growing popularity of terp sauce is, more than anything, that it retains all the natural components that give different strains of cannabis their characteristic smell.

If you want to know a little more about this innovative delicacy from the world of cannabis concentrates, you are in the right place. Read on, and you will understand much better why the terpene sauce is one of the highest quality products currently available in the cannabis concentrate market. You will also find out why it is one of the best choices for experiencing flavorful cannabis concentrate effects.

What is Terp Sauce?

Terp sauce, also known by its more technical name "high terpene full spectrum extracts" or "HTFSEs," is a type of cannabis concentrate characterized by containing a high concentration of terpenes in the form of a liquid concentrate, similar to a syrupy sauce.

Terpenes are oily organic compounds that occur naturally in cannabis and are responsible for giving the characteristic aroma of each cannabis strain. The unique combination of specific terpenes in each cannabis strain generates each cultivar's peculiar and distinctive smell. In addition to being responsible for the aroma, terpenes also directly influence the effects generated by each cannabis variety and each concentrate, causing feelings of relaxation, focus, stress relief, or energy.

There are different variations of terp sauce currently available on the market. There can be combinations of liquid terpene extracts with solid THCA or CBD isolates or potent distillates that typically form a smooth, waxy sugar-like concentrate. The most predominant characteristic of terp sauces is that they contain higher than average levels of terpenes, containing up to 70% terpenes and 30% cannabinoids. Whichever terp sauce you choose, you can dab or use a vaporizer to consume it.

How is Terp Sauce Made?

As with most cannabis concentrates, the quality of the final product depends on the cannabis strain used to make the concentrate. The more terpenes and THCA the plant initially contains, the better. You cannot expect a good final result without starting with good raw material.

After selecting a quality flower, the plant matter must go through a flash-freezing process to preserve the largest amount of terpenes and cannabinoids intact to create an extract known as live resin. Currently, many companies use CO2 to extract the live resin.

Nonetheless, some use some solvents such as ethanol, butane, even propane, which is not ideal since there could be traces of these solvents in the extract that can be harmful to health. Therefore, it’s always best to verify the exact process used by the company that manufactured the terp sauce you are considering purchasing.

After having the resin live, manufacturers use low heat to purge the extract and slowly release the most used solvent. Then, they pour the thick consistency extract into glass jars previously stored slightly above room temperature. The next step requires patience as you must wait for the mixture to age and crystallize.

Over time, the mixture will form THCA crystals that will slowly sink to the bottom while the terpenes rise to the top, creating a slimy layer. This process can take up to three weeks. After completing this process, it will be time to separate the THCA crystals from the terpenes and purge them.

Manufacturers can purge crystals for up to 72 hours, while purging terpenes takes around 60 hours. After removing all the solvents, manufacturers combine both compounds and place them in special containers. The result is a terpene sauce that can contain between 30% and 50% cannabinoids and between 70% and 50% terpenes, depending on the company that makes it.

Difference Between Terp Sauce and Live Resin

Live resin and terpene sauce share some similarities that can confuse some users when choosing one or the other. Both concentrates tend to be full-spectrum and tend to contain high levels of cannabinoids and terpenes.

Live resin is a cannabis concentrate with a waxy appearance and consistency extracted from plant material that goes through a flash-freeze process at subcritical temperatures that allows more significant retention of terpenes and cannabinoids. Live resin is rich in terpene content, but cannabinoids such as THC or CBD generally predominate.

As the name implies, terpene sauce is usually predominant in terpene content, and some manufacturers combine it with other cannabinoid-rich concentrates such as isolates or distillates. Both terpenes and aromatic and flavorful concentrates lovers claim terpene sauce and live resin.

Choosing the best between both types of concentrates depends mainly on each user's preferences, what terpenes they are looking for, and what concentration ratios they want to enjoy each of these terpenes and cannabinoids.

How to Make Terp Sauce

Making terpene sauce can be a short or long process, depending on how you start. To make terpene sauce, the first thing you need to do is extract live resin from your buds or the whole plant of your favorite cannabis strain, or start directly from live resin if you already have it.

Either way, we will explain step by step how to make terpene sauce from scratch so that you can even make it in your own home if you manage to gather the necessary materials. To make terpene sauce, you must do the following:

  • Suppose you plan to start making your terpene sauce from the cannabis plant that is still alive. In that case, the first thing you must do is freeze it with a flash-freeze process or freeze the plant material using a water and ice method to preserve as many terpenes and cannabinoids as possible.
  • Then, you have to separate the terpenes and cannabinoids from the rest of the inactive plant matter using some extraction method such as CO2, ethanol, or butane. The latter method is called BHO. To extract terpenes and cannabinoids through the BHO method, you must get an extraction tube and fill it with cannabis until there are no air spaces left in it, then place a mesh or fine filter on one end of the tube, place one of the ends of the tube over a plate or bowl and pass the butane through the tube. You will get a golden-colored liquid on the side of the tube that has the mesh.
  • The next step is purging, and this step is vital for cleaning the valuable essential oils from the solvent used to separate them from the rest of the plant matter. To purify the gold liquid, use a low heat process to degas the liquid and remove the solvent. It is essential to maintain a low temperature but hot enough to remove traces of solvent.
  • Once the extract has a viscous consistency, pour it into a glass jar and store it in a dark place for 2-3 weeks. During this resting time, pressure will start to build up inside the jar, and separation will occur; THCA crystals will form and sink to the bottom, while terpenes will rise and form a sticky, slimy layer on top. After you see the THCA crystals completely formed and placed at the bottom of the jar, you need to separate the terpenes from the crystals and purge both with gentle heat.
  • Take the terpene-packed liquid and place it in a Pyrex plate over a heating pad or stove over low heat. Purge until the fluid stops looking cloudy. As long as it looks cloudy, there is still butane trapped in it.
  • To store your ready-made terpene sauce and THCA crystals, use UV-proof containers to preserve all the properties of the terpenes and cannabinoids and prevent them from degrading.

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