If you’ve been pressing for a while, or are just getting started, you’ve probably begun to gather a sizable collection of post-processed rosin chips. If you’re not, that means you’re throwing them away! Big mistake! Even though rosin chips are the byproduct of pressing flower into rosin, there are still valuable oils remaining in the rosin chip that you can recover.
The use of a solventless rosin press is by far the most natural, holistic method to separate rosin from flower without the use of solvents. Every aspect of your extraction process from the quality and type of raw material, the temperature and pressure used, and storage will affect the purity, yield and shelf life of your rosin.
Terpenes are aromatic molecules with therapeutic properties that are secreted from a plant’s trichome glands. Terpenes give Organic materials their distinct smell, flavor profile, and purported medicinal benefits. Rosin pressing at specific temperatures is one of the most effective ways of extracting high quality oil while maintaining the best possible retention-rate of your flower’s terpene content.
Everyone Keeps Telling Me to Use Press Bags! When Should I Use Them?
A benefit of pressing smaller weights than commercial extractions is that you can do away with press bags when pressing flower. The natural structure of the flower will keep the majority of your flower together and prevent it from running with your oil. It’s only when pressing finer materials (i.e. kief, sift, pollen, or bubble hash, etc.) into rosin that a press bag will become beneficial because these materials are loose and fine. Pressing fine materials without a screen bag increases the risk of running with your oil during extraction, making it more difficult to collect your fresh rosin afterward without plant matter.
Many people in the rosin community operate under the misguided impression that high capacity large plates along with huge tonnage are the most effective methods to achieve higher yields. However, the aromatic terpenes and bright yellow collar associated with outstanding rosin is best achieved in smaller batches. The reason is simple. The material in smaller batches spends less time in contact with the heat.
