Starting Material
Fire in, fire out! Exceptional hash oil starts with great cannabis. Which is why we work so hard to develop strong, mutually beneficial partnerships with the regions most respected farms and growers. Ensuring a steady supply of premier cannabis to support our product lines.
We handle all of our fresh and cured cannabis minimally with a hands-off approach to disturb the plant as little as possible. All raw material is held in a commercial walk-in freezer that allows us to preserve the freshest terpene profile until we are ready to move it into production. By working closely with our partner farms nothing is stored for more than a few days before we begin our process.
Hydrocarbon Extraction
At the core of Xtracted Labs is hydrocarbon extraction. Our primary method of concentrating cannabis into hash oil and the base for a majority of products. Hydrocarbon extraction is a relatively easy concept however there are a number of variables that can affect the appearance, texture, and overall quality of an extraction.
The starting material, typically whole cannabis flower, sugar leaf, smaller larfy buds, or trim are exposed to hydrocarbon solvent (butane and propane are common hydrocarbon gasses) that strips the plant matter of its trichomes which contain the strain’s unique chemical profile. Once the hydrocarbons have dissolved the resin, the resulting slurry containing the cannabinoids, terpenes, and hydrocarbons is filtered and purged of the solvent until a potent, refined extract is all that remains.
We use lab grade, medical grade, and instrument grade solvents for all of our extractions and ensure a clean, flavorful results through a slow and low, week-long purge process to remove any residual solvents once the extraction is complete.
The finished product from our hydrocarbon extracts can take on a variety of textures and consistencies that are most commonly dabbed and vaporized.
Cannabis Distillation
The distillation process takes cannabinoid refinement a step further by methodically distilling cannabis down to its most common compounds (THC and/or CBD). To achieve the distilled golden, amber oil we take a raw hydrocarbon extraction and purify it through a series of state-of the-art techniques.
First, a crude hydrocarbon extraction is dewaxed using ethanol, sub-zero temperatures, and seven stages of micron filtration to separate and remove the lipids, fats, and waxes naturally produced by the cannabis plant. Once the waxes have been taken out the ethanol is slowly evaporated from the mixture. Next the oil is processed through a molecular still that works by fractionating and collecting individual compounds.
Cannabis oil is composed of many organic compounds, notably cannabinoids and terpenes. Each one boiling and reaching a point of vaporization at different temperature intervals. By adjusting the temperatures we distill at we can target individual cannabinoids and let the remaining constituents recollect as waste while the distilled cannabinoids are collected separately after they recondense into a thick ultra-purified oil.
Each pass through the distillation process can purify and polish the batch of distillate further. Refine Activated Distillate (RAD!), our premium distillate, is triple-distilled and undergoes color and scent remediation in addition to diatomaceous earth filtration to ensure ultimate purity and potency.
Cannabinoid Isolation
Cannabinoid isolation takes the refinement of cannabis compounds from a syrup-like oil to a solid crystalline substance. Utilizing a variety of techniques and by fluctuating different parameters, like temperature and time, we target and isolate individual cannabinoids into their solid form. When cannabinoids are isolated to their individual molecules, like THCA and CBD, they form stacked faceted structures or sharp, granular particles. Isolated cannabinoids, while providing only a narrow sliver of cannabis’ effects, provide more potent and predictable experiences.
To isolate the targeted cannabinoids we use a multi-stage washing and filtration technique to purify each extraction down to the individual compound. Our isolation process utilizes the same high-grade, commercial solvents used in our raw extractions and maintain our slow and low purging standards.
Terpene Profiling
Terpene profiling allows us to encapsulate the specific aroma and flavor of each cannabis strain. Through this process we separate the liquid, wet terpene fractions from crude hydrocarbon extracts using similar techniques as when we isolate cannabinoids. However, instead of targeting solid, more stable cannabinoid compounds we are processing volatile terpenes that require precision and a delicate touch to preserve the essential compounds.
Our terpene profiling methods create a liquified, full-spectrum sauce achieved through a meticulous activation process that ensures the rich natural flavors of cannabis are preserved. The result is a flavorful extract that can be combined to enhance any number of cannabis products.
Infused Joints
The basis of our high-quality, infused joint program starts by only using premium flower. Combining clean, flavorful buds with a variety of our award-winning hash oild through in-house techniques we’ve developed to gently blend and infuse each joint. Ensuring a potent, flavor-forward experience with a slow, even burn every time.
Our joints are infused and finished by hand to ensure quality, consistency, and attention to every minor detail that can affect the experience.