More cannabis consumers than ever before are “concentrating” on concentrates. Indeed, new sales data in recreationally legal states suggests concentrate sales have gone up 40 percent between 2019 and 2020. To capitalize on this trend towards high-potency dabs, extractors have come up with all kinds of crazy concoctions with unique consistencies and potencies. However, the battle for the “most popular concentrate” usually centers around budder vs. shatter.
While these concentrates share many properties, customers often have questions over which product offers the “best” dabbing experience. Anyone new to dabbing should review the key differences between budder vs. shatter before ordering a product from their local dispensary.
Budder vs. Shatter — What Are The Most Significant Differences?
Both budder and shatter are waxy cannabis concentrates that usually go through solvent-based extraction. Specifically, labs use liquid petroleum gases to extract cannabinoids and terpenes from cannabis buds. Butane tends to be the most commonly used extract, but propane is also relatively common. This initial cannabis extract then goes through intense heat and pressure to evaporate any solvent residue.
The noteworthy difference between shatter and budder occurs near the end of the extraction process. Unlike shatter, budder has to get mixed at a high speed to produce its distinctive “buttery” texture. Manufacturers who make shatter are careful not to agitate their concentrate to preserve its brittle consistency and stained glass aesthetic.
Therefore, the primary distinction between shatter and budder has to do with their respective consistencies. Shatter tends to be dense and thin, while budder is softer, airier, and easily spreadable. Budder and shatter extracts made from the same cannabis buds will have comparable cannabinoid and terpene concentrations.
How Do You Store Budder And Shatter?
Yet again, budder and shatter have similar storage requirements. Users should place these concentrates in a reliably dark, cool, and dry area of your home. Ideally, you should put budder and shatter in an airtight container. Some people also like to wrap shatter in parchment paper to keep it from sticking to their jar.
There’s no set shelf life for budder or shatter, but anecdotal reports suggest they should retain peak potency for months when properly stored. You could extend this shelf life even further by placing your concentrates in a well-sealed airtight container in the fridge.
Is It OK To Make Budder Or Shatter At Home?
You should never make concentrates like budder or shatter at home. People who don’t heed this warning often pay with their lives. It’s scarily easy to start a fire when working with solvents like butane. The only places that should make shatter or budder are well-controlled labs with dozens of skilled technicians.
Budder vs. Shatter — Choose Whatever Feels Right!
Budder and shatter may look and feel like different substances, but they aren’t that different in potency or flavor. Indeed, if an extraction facility makes budder and shatter with the same cannabis flowers, the result will have similar traces of cannabinoids and terpenes. Choosing the “right” concentrate largely depends on which texture you prefer scooping onto your dabbing rig. If you’re unsure which concentrate works for you, be sure to try them both out!