What is Terp Sauce & How Do You Smoke it?

If you've walked into a dispensary or spent much time with cannabis users over the past few years, you've probably heard, about, seen, or experienced the cannabis concentrate revolution. From waxes and shatter to sugar, diamonds, and solventless rosin, cannabis extracts, and concentrates are one of the hottest segments of the marijuana market and that popularity is only growing. 

Within the world of concentrates, many dabbers love terpene sauce (terp sauce for short) for its intense flavor and potent effects. For those unaccustomed to goopy globs of dabs, though, terp sauce can look like a confusing mess. To clarify things, we're here to break down the basics of cannabis concentrates, what terp sauce is, how to smoke terp sauce and even give you some insight on how to make terp sauce at home - if you have the right instruments and safety precautions, of course. This is everything you need to know about terp sauce. 

The Basics of Cannabis Concentrates

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In the most general terms, cannabis concentrates refer to any form of marijuana refined from its original plant form. That typically takes the form of sticky, viscous dabs that smokers vaporize using specialized bongs called rigs, but vape cartridges, edibles, topical creams and other infused products are all technically made with cannabis concentrates, as well.

By extracting cannabinoids, terpenes and other valuable substances using chemicals like butane, propane, CO2 or other hydrocarbons, we make cannabis concentrates. The chemicals strip the cannabinoids and terpenes off of the plant matter, concentrating them in a chemical soup which we purge using heat and vacuum pressure. Depending on the starting material, temperatures, chemical procedure and end cure process, the dabs will take on several specific consistencies. These days, extract artists track the boiling points of specific compounds and set temperatures at precise levels creating desired consistencies like diamonds, wet budder and of course, terp sauce.

Outside of chemical processes, concentrated cannabis can also be made using pressure, heat, or by simply agitating the plant.Kief, or collected THC trichomes, is technically considered to be a concentrate, while solventless hash rosin and flowerless rosin have quickly become the most expensive and most craved concentrate. Thanks to the constant evolution of cannabis science, some extractors are researching how to make terp sauce without the aid of chemicals.

What is Terp Sauce?

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As the name might suggest, terp sauce is all about terpenes. Terpenes are the all-natural flavonoids that give each strain of weed its distinct smell and taste. While most cannabis concentrates are made to bring out as much THC as possible, terp sauce highlights the unique flavor profile of the plant. 

In its final form, terp sauce mix with THCA diamonds, creating a viscous hyper-concentrated sauce of THC and terpenes. Terp sauce is frequently labeled as simply "sauce" or "diamonds and sauce" on dispensary menus. Any time you find THCA diamonds suspended in a soupy puddle of golden brown terpenes, that's terp sauce.

How Is Terp Sauce Made?

Sometimes, artists create terp sauce using hydrocarbon extraction or solventless production methods, but in the vast majority of cases, they produce concentrates using butane. The extraction starts like any other butane hash oil product, with volatile butane gas running through the starting material. To preserve the most terpenes and cannabinoids from the starting material as possible, extractors often use flash-frozen or fresh flower in their concentrates. 

Like other BHO dabs, terp sauce undergoes the initial stages of a traditional vacuum purge. Transfer the still-viscous mixture to an air-tight mason jar before all the gas has been removed,  and leave it just above room temperature to cure. Pressure builds in the jar, allowing the THC to crystallize, forming diamonds that sink to the bottom of the jar and leave a layer of highly concentrated terpenes floating at the top. The diamonds are eventually removed from the sauce, reintroduced in smaller quantities, then sold to retailers. Terp sauce packs flavor but also contains a heavy dose of THC, thanks to the crystals. The combination of the two is exactly why so many cannabis customers seek out terp sauce on dispensary menus.

If you already have the starting material and manufacturing equipment to make hash oil at home, creating your own batch of terp sauce is relatively easy, and is all about making sure your curing conditions are precise. 

How to Use Terp Sauce

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Like most cannabis concentrates, terp sauce is usually consumed by dabbing. The popular method of vaporization uses a water pipe with a quartz, ceramic, or titanium nail in the place of a bowl. Heating the nail to super-hot temperatures before adding concentrate to the dish, instantly vaporizing into a hit rich in flavor and potent cannabinoids. 

Of course, if you don't have a dab rig, you can still enjoy terp sauce. Many handheld electric vaporizers are now made specifically to handle dabs and other concentrates. Additionally, vape cartridge production has improved to the point where some companies can now produce terp sauce carts. And if all else fails, you could always just drizzle the diamonds and sauce over your bud and roll a terp sauce joint. 

Do you love terp sauce? Let us know why in the comments below!