Advanced Dabbing Tips for Concentrate Connoisseurs
Getting the perfect dab is an art form, but it's an art form that can be mastered by anyone willing to take the extra steps toward a more “cannasseur” experience. Cannabis concentrates can be packed with wonderfully delicious naturally derived terpenes that should be enjoyed like a sommelier would appreciate a fine wine’s layered flavors.
In order for cannabis concentrate consumers to fully immerse themselves in the terpenes of the strain they’re dabbing, they must make sure they are taking a more exact approach to their dabbing routine. While that may sound complicated and cumbersome, we assure you that with a few of our connoisseur-level dabbing tips below, you’ll be dabbing like you’ve been dialing in your technique for years. Have no fear, we’ve always got your back!
The Art of Dabbing
Dabbing has been around for a while now, and most of us have moved past taking red-hot scorchers off titanium nails, combusting our concentrates into oblivion, and coughing up a lung in the aftermath. Its popularity has risen over the years because of the compounded nature of the cannabis’ properties as it progresses through the extraction process. With that rise in popularity came better techniques and accessories to improve the dabbing process for everyone.
Both cannabinoids and terpenes are concentrated into each dab allowing cannabis concentrate consumers to truly experience each strain on a more intimate level with strong flavors and higher potency. While it doesn’t have to be, dabbing can very much be a connoisseur’s experience. We’d like to help you dial in that technique for repeatable dab perfection so you can get the most out of your top-shelf cannabis concentrates. All it takes is a few key dabbing tips.
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Best Dabbing Tips for an Elevated Experience
Dabbing doesn’t have to be intimidating. It can be an extremely meditative process to be enjoyed as a cannaseur of cannabis strains and their terpenes. Taking your dabbing experience to the next level doesn’t even make the process more difficult. If anything, it will make things easier by taking out a lot of the guesswork for someone who might not already know the best way to enjoy their dabs.
Thoughtful Accessories
First you’ll need a few accessories to ensure that your dab is as enjoyable as it can be. Always buy quartz when it comes to your banger. Look for high-quality offerings from reputable brands because, more often than not, they have better heat retention, durability, airflow, and terpene-saving capability.
You’ll need a carb cap to help lock in the heat and vapor for your low-temperature dabs. Terp pearls are a great addition to add even more heat retention as well as aid in distributing the cannabis concentrate throughout the heated quartz. We like to recommend ruby or sapphire terp pearls as they are some of the best for heat and flavor retention.
One of the most important accessories you’ll need is a capable temperature reader to check your quartz banger, ensuring that you are taking dabs at proper vaporization temperatures. There are a number of options available to fill this need, from $20 infrared temperature guns to $200 temperature readers marketed for dabbing specifically. Lastly, we recommend that you don’t go cheap on a torch. Get a quality butane torch, and it’ll last you many years. Some of them even come with lifetime warranties.
Even Heating
Another tip that we like to suggest to dabbers looking for a connoisseur-level experience involves the heating process. When using your torch to heat your quartz banger, blender, or slurper, make sure to move the torch around so as not to create a hotspot. Moving your torch around the vaporization surface allows for a more even temperature distribution around the quartz. This makes for more consistent vapor production and heat management, both of which lead to more flavorful dabs.
Watch Your Temperature
ALWAYS make sure you are dabbing at proper temperatures. This is one of the most important dabbing tips of all. Taking dabs at temperatures above 600 degrees Fahrenheit is no longer vaporization and moves into combustion. This causes a much harsher dab and burns the terpenes that are present in concentrates to a crisp.
For about $20 you can eliminate the guesswork that comes along with timed heat-ups and cool-downs with an infrared temperature reader. These can be found easily at your hardware store or favorite online retailer. Dabs below 550 degrees are ideal as they produce a much more terpene and cannabinoid-rich vapor that is truly a cannaseur’s dream.
Apply the Dab Correctly
When the temperature is right, and it's time to take a dab, place the side of your dab tool without the extract on it against the inner wall of the nail. This small step will slowly heat up the dab allowing it to melt smoothly into the quartz without leaving too much behind on the tool.
Q-Tip, Q-Tip, Q-Tip!
Always, always, always Q-tip quartz after taking a dab. Leaving behind extract residue will cause them to blacken and chaz (char) over time when heated up for following dabs. Either wait for the quartz to cool down to below 200 degrees Fahrenheit and Q-tip with rubbing alcohol, or use a dry Q-tip at hotter temperatures to avoid any accidental thermal shock.
Keep Your Dab Rig Clean
And, of course, we couldn’t consider this a comprehensive list of dabbing tips without this last one. Keeping dab rigs clean is crucial to the cannaseur experience. Spending money on top-shelf cannabis concentrates, then dabbing them out of a dirty rig is definitely not the way to go. Over here at Cream of the Crop, we recommend daily water changes and, at minimum, soaking dab rigs once a week in the highest percentage of isopropyl alcohol available. The higher the percentage, the less time it takes to soak. However, this process can easily be done right before bed and left to sit overnight for a good rinsing with warm water in the morning.
Sources Connoisseur-Grade Concentrates
Cream of the Crop has top-shelf concentrates available for cannaseurs with the most astute pallets to enjoy. With our small batch exotic strains, the full spectrum cannabis concentrates we offer are here to compete for your head stash space. The old saying, “You get what you pay for,” most definitely rings true with us. Just head down to your favorite dispensary or online to your go-to delivery and see for yourself.