Mixing and blending protocols for different resins and how to mix terpenes with distillate.
by Jeff Wu - July 7, 2024
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This guide is a summary of mixing instructions for different resin mixtures and plus the equipment required. Mixing and preparations are important to ensure success by not creating off flavors, discoloration, and vape cart leaks.

Distillate Mixing

Distillate is the easiest material to warm up and mix. Mixing terpenes with distillate are commonly added materials, which typically consist of botanical terpenes and/or cannabis-derived terpenes.

Issues observed:

Watch for bubbles in the material mixture – if bubbles are injected into carts, they impact the weight and accuracy of fills. Place the mixture in the oven for 1 hour to allow bubbles to rise to the surface.

How to warm up distillate jar efficiently: Use a paddle overhead stirrer with a water bath/warming oven to heat mixtures. This is far easier than using a hot plate in controlling CDT burning and discoloration. The hotspots in a hot plate are 30 degrees over desired setpoint temperatures.

Distillate Mixing
Warming Temperature Regarding how to heat distillate, it is best performed at 55C or 60C in a water bath.

These temperatures are too low to impact discoloration under 5 hours, and 55C is compatible with most cannabis derived terpenes.

Additionally, 55C reduces viscosity enough to stir with an overhead mechanical stirrer.
General Procedures Mix in terpenes to warmed material while stirring at 500 rpm.

Stirrer for 15 minutes for a thorough mixture.

If working in a cold room the material will cool down quickly, rewarm and mix again until it is mixed.

 

Live & Cured Resin Preparation

Live and cured resin mixing preparation is fairly easy to perform and also easy to mess up.

Issues observed:

Limit time spent under high temperature to 2 hours or less to preserve flavor and light colors.

If using partly decarbed material, make sure at least 80% is fully decarbed to prevent recrystallization.

Live Resin and Cured Resin Preparation and Mixing
Warming Temperature Best performed at 55C

Limit heat times to under 2 hours to preserve the delivery aromatics that exist in sauce.
General Procedures Centrifuge live resin sauce from crystilized mixture

Decarb or partial decarb THCA material into D9 THC

Mix sauce back with decarbed warmed D9 THC at desired ratios at 55C

Stirrer for at least 15 minutes and watch for coloration to even out.

If working in a cold room the material will cool down quickly, rewarm and mix again until material is mixed.

 

Rosin Preparation

Rosin is in such small amounts, that it’s usually best to sell as a dabable, however if selling as a vape follow the instructions below.

Issues observed:

Failure to decarb THCA by at least 50% there is a high risk of cystalization that will occur in vape carts.

Test small amounts of material for champaigning effects when warming – if the material bubbles, the mixture needs to warmed and degassed in a vacuum oven while being stirred from time to time.

Failure to resolve champaigning will result in leaky carts.

Rosin prep and mixing
Warming Temperature Best performed at 40-55C

Rosin discolors at different temperatures depending on strain. Test a small amount the desired temperature first.
General Procedures Centrifuge rosin sauce from crystilized mixture

Decarb or partyle decarb THCA material into D9 THC

Mix sauce back with decarbed warmed D9 THC at desired ratio.

Stirrer for at least 15 minutes and watch for coloration to even out.

 

Equipment List

Vacuum oven:

$1K-$4K – this is needed to fix champagning and can double as a slower warming oven.

Equipment needed for mixing and prep work
Overhead Stirrer $800-$2K – central to make mixing efficient. Workers cannot mix cannabis resins effectively by hand, like e-cig and nicotine vapes.
Water Bath Equipment & Forced Air Warming Ovens $500 – $2K – running under a hot sink or using a hair dyer is not efficient for scales larger than 200 grams.

Precision temperature control is also needed to handle live resin and rosin efficiently without damaging the material

 

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Jeff Wu

Technical Director
Investor & entrepreneur, bringing a unique blend of scientific knowledge and hands-on experience in pharma, laboratory, manufacturing, and cannabis. Deep understanding of chemistry, electronics manufacturing, automation, and cannabis processing.