KIEF: WHAT IS IT AND WHAT MAKES IT SO GOOD?
If you’re a newbie to cannabis, you might be missing out on one of the best parts of your bud: the kief. Kief refers to trichomes, the crystalline hairs that form on the leaves of cannabis which contain the highest concentrations of cannabinoids in the plant. These trichomes are typically collected with the help of an herb grinder, which stores the powdery substance over time through the regular process of grinding your weed. Making kief is one of the oldest ways of creating marijuana concentrate and remains popular today as an alternative to other concentrates like waxes and oils.
COLLECTING AND PREPARING YOUR KIEF
While “shaking” the kief off your bud is possible, although time-consuming, most people prefer to use a three-piece grinder with a sifting screen above the bottom chamber to collect their kief. Over the course of a week or so you will be able to collect enough pure kief for a few bowls, or a hearty supply to top off your regular bowls with. Or take the road less traveled and coat some nugs in your kief to create what are known as “moon rocks.” Due to its light consistency, it is also possible to vaporize your kief with certain types of electronic cigarettes or vaporizers.
As a concentrate, kief packs a nice punch compared to just marijuana, so expect your escapades with this substance to surprise you and enrich your smoking routine with its hidden power.
In place of cannabis, Kief can be substituted across a variety of different uses, including the preparation of edibles. Whenever you use kief, you should anticipate that the result will be a much more potent product, as you’re using the most powerful part of the flower. It’s like the top of the muffin, where all the flavor is – without kief, your bud wouldn’t be nearly as strong.
Kief is so rich with THC that simply mixing it into your coffee or tea will give you a strong high akin to your typical edible. While you may be tempted to underestimate the potency of this brew, beware that people who have tried this often report an all-encompassing high that is much more robust than they expect, a testament to the strength of kief.
TURNING KIEF INTO HASH
If you’ve collected enough kief, you can attempt to press it into hash, also known as hashish, which is like a concentrate of a concentrate. You can use keif hash as a garnish in any number of edible applications or smoke it for an even more extreme experience. Keif Hash, too, has been prepared for centuries, dating back to the medieval Arabian caliphates of the Middle East and North Africa where use of cannabis was pioneered in a major way. Today, countries like Morocco and Tunisia pride themselves on their distinctive manufacture of hashish which is world-renowned for its luxurious quality.
Kief has an incredible cornucopia of applications across all mediums of cannabis preparation, so if you weren’t aware of its value before, start keeping it in mind now. Making kief is easy, and if you use a high-end grinder, you’ve likely accumulated some already. Keep this magical substance in mind, and you could add a whole new layer to your life with cannabis.
For the best cannabis strains that will accentuate your state of mind, take a look at our Lifestyle Spectrum and menu. Stop by a top rated dispensary near you in Seattle or Oklahoma City to meet with a cannabis guide that will help you find the perfect product to accompany your desired journey.