There are a lot of benefits to kief. It’s a quick, easy way to get a smooth hit. But not many people know exactly what to do with kief. Here’s a quick breakdown of what it is and how to use it.
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What Exactly is Kief?
Maturing cannabis buds develop resinous glands called trichomes. These contain all the good things a bud commonly has, such as THC, CBD, terpenes, and other compounds that contribute to the herb’s psychoactive effects as well as its healing properties. Sometimes, these trichomes break off, and this is what is commonly called “kief.”
The powdery, somewhat sticky substance soon oxidizes and loses its freshness. Pure, potent kief that still retains a kick is generally a light yellow or off-white color, while kief with plant matter mixed in will be more green or brown. Either way, it doesn’t last as long as buds and can be less potent on its own if used wrong. That said, it can pack quite a punch when paired with your bud, however, you choose to toke.
Apart from directly off the bud, the powdery substance is also collected at the bottom of a grinder in what is called a “kief catcher.” So you can just as easily make some kief at home as a weed grower can cultivate it. It does, however, take a few weeks to months to collect a substantial enough amount of it to actually be able to use it.
How to Smoke Kief
Collecting kief is pretty easy. That said, because of its high THC content and plant matter, some stoners actually find it to be quite a harsh toking experience.
The powder isn’t exactly made for easy toking and tends to burn too quickly. But there are plenty of ways you can use it to get the most out of it and elevate your smoke sesh.
Make Some Kief Balls
If you want to try smoking kief on its own, try “charas.” Hailing from the Indian subcontinent, charas is essentially a concentrate made from plant resin. But you can also make it using kief.
- Take some of the powder in your hand and roll it into a ball. Use a pair of rubber gloves if you’d like to avoid getting sticky.
- Pop the ball into a pipe or bowl and smoke up.
Roll a Juicy J
The simplest way to use kief is, of course, in a joint.
- Sprinkle a pinch into your mix before you roll your joint.
- Make sure the powder is spread evenly within your mix to ensure an even burn.
- Roll like you normally would and smoke.
You could also try placing some of the powder on the outside of the joint paper for a different way to experience it. There is no shortage of ways to incorporate kief into a joint, so feel free to experiment.
Spice Up Your Bowl
Commonly called “crowning your bowl,” you can add some pizzazz to your toke by adding some kief to your bowl.
- Sprinkle some kief on top of the weed in your bowl.
- Spark up and toke.
- Make sure to corner your bowl as you smoke by burning a small quadrant at a time instead of the whole bowl so you can get multiple hits out of the kief instead of using it all in your first puff.
Make Hash, Rosin, Moon Rocks, and More
Kief can easily be turned into a variety of cannabis products.
To make hash or rosin, you need to apply a little pressure.
- Press the powder into bricks using your hands or parchment paper.
- To speed up the process, place kief in parchment paper, fold it over, and apply firm pressure using tongs, a switched-off hair straightener, or a similar tool. Kief changes color as you apply more pressure and you want it to get to a dark brown or black shade.
- Once it’s there, scrape the goop off using a razor blade, credit card, or similar hard flat tool.
- Roll it into a ball, and toke on.
For rosin, you need to apply a little heat. You can do this by using a hair straightener on low heat. The result is an extremely potent oil designed to get you skyrocketing.
Moon rocks are an easier product to make.
- Dip a nug in hash oil.
- Roll it in some kief.
- Spark up for the ultimate high.
Whatever you choose to experiment with, note that all of these are quite strong. If you’ve never tried them before, be sure to take it slow.
Get Baking
Edibles are another great way to use kief. You could just toss it on and it’ll probably give you a decent, short-lived high.
But here’s a much better way to use it without losing potency:
- Decarb your kief in an oven. Preheat it to 250 degrees Fahrenheit, and bake the powder in an oven-safe dish for about 20 minutes. For a better result, decarb it with your bud and use the whole mix in your edible.
- If you’re testing the powder on its own, mix it in or sprinkle it onto your edibles, and you’re good to go.
You can also add kief in this same manner to other weed products, such as CannaButter, to increase its potency.
Make Sure You “Kief” it Safe
Alright, maybe that pun was a little on the nose. But it made you look, and look you must, because this is important.
Locked and Loaded
Kief, as mentioned, can take ages to collect. You could just buy some to supplement the tiny bits you collect when grinding at home. But whether you make it or buy it, you absolutely have to store it right. There’s nothing sadder than a stoner crying over spilled kief.
Store the powdery residue in an airtight container so you never lose a grain. Be careful when using it. In other words, don’t be a daredevil – stand over a counter, away from a draft, and use a tiny bit at a time.
Do It For Science
Don’t be afraid to experiment with kief. It’s a wonderful addition to your stash. Whether you sprinkle it, mix it, roll it, or smoke it, it’s bound to bring you some joy. That said, it is pretty potent. So start small and work your way up.
A Bud Never Had a Better Friend
Kief and bud pair like no other. Yet, many a stoner has wondered just what to do with the kief they’ve collected after grinding. The good news is that you don’t have to waste it. There are so many ways to use kief. All you have to do is figure out which method you like best.
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