Full Melt Bubble Hash: Your Expert Guide

Bubble hash is categorized by quality, with different grades and a star rating used to denote different categories. These include:

• Full melt (5-6 stars)
• Half melt (3–4 stars)  
• No melt (1–2 stars) 

When it comes to different grades of bubble hash, full melt is the best. 

Before extracts like wax, shatter, and rosin became popular, bubble hash was the “go-to” concentrate for experienced cannabis consumers. Today, full melt bubble hash is sold to cannabis connoisseurs as a top-of-the-line concentrate due to its unparalleled purity. 

Cannabis processors also covet it for its versatility, as full melt bubble hash produces the highest-quality live rosin. In turn, live rosin can be used to create other solventless products, such as rosin cartridges, diamonds, and sauce. 

Here we’ll take a deeper look at full melt bubble hash, including why it’s so popular, its benefits for both consumers and cannabis businesses, and its market potential for companies interested in expanding their product selection to meet increasing consumer demand. Finally, we’ll explore some of the challenges faced by processors and businesses interested in commercial bubble hash production.  

What Makes Bubble Hash Full Melt? 

Full melt bubble hash is referred to as “full melt” because of the way it completely dissolves after it’s been heated. A true full melt bubble hash contains no contaminants and retains all the plant’s aromatic terpenes and cannabinoid potency. Full melt offers superior flavor and aroma because it maintains the original profile of the plant. 

Full melt bubble hash offers smoother hits, doesn’t leave any residue once heated up, and ultimately delivers one of the most enjoyable, cleanest experiences cannabis consumers can have. Due to its “full melt” nature, there is less cleanup involved after it is heated as well, making it an easy experience.

The quality of the ice water hash largely depends on the quality of the starting material, as well as close attention to the wash process. A premium starting product must be properly washed to create high-quality bubble hash that can be pressed into live rosin or sold on the retail market. 

Factors That Affect The Quality Of Bubble Hash

Creating pure, full-melt bubble hash is considered an art, and several factors influence its quality. The following are the primary factors that make bubble hash full melt: 

Using a High-Quality Cultivar

Full melt hash is extracted from quality cultivars that produce dense, resinous buds. Capitate-stalked trichome heads and stalks are preferable for full melt, with an ideal trichome size of 73–90 microns.

The buds must then be processed carefully to preserve the resinous trichomes for maximum cannabinoid and terpene concentrations. Because bubble hash is composed entirely of cannabis trichomes, the best bubble hash is made from cultivars with an abundance of resinous flowers.

The Extraction Process 

Like other grades of ice water hash, full melt is made using an ice-water extraction process that involves “washing” trichome-rich flowers in ice-cold water and sifting the mixture through bags of decreasing micron sizes. 

Although the process of creating bubble hash may not be inherently challenging, extracting full melt hash necessitates a meticulously refined procedure.

Using ice-cold water is imperative. It’s also essential to keep the extraction room and all processing equipment as cold as possible. There’s debate about whether dry-cured or fresh-frozen cannabis is better for producing full melt, but either will work if the extraction process is performed correctly. 

Processing Equipment

Cannabis processing equipment plays an essential role in ice water hash quality. Investing in the highest quality filtration bags and processing equipment is vital to create a perfect full melt. Aside from the best filtration bags, some post-harvest equipment to consider for creating full melt bubble hash includes: 

• Commercial Cannabis Trimmer: Upgrading to a commercial bud trimmer can optimize every aspect of your trim for the highest quality end product. The Mobius M108S — designed with patented technology — can trim wet or dry cannabis flowers while retaining a high level of trichomes. 
• Reverse Osmosis (RO) Water Filter: An RO water filter is the top choice amongst bubble hash extractors, as it removes heavy metals, hard minerals, and other impurities from the water used for washing that can impact the bubble hash quality. 
• Ice Machine or Freezer: The most skilled bubble hash extractors have often invested in an ice machine or freezer that can hold large quantities of ice in the extraction room. 
• Freeze Dryer: A freeze dryer is one of the top pieces of processing equipment professionals use to make six-star full melt bubble hash. Freeze drying helps to eliminate contamination common in air drying while maintaining trichome integrity for the best terpene and cannabinoid profiles. 
• Rosin Press: Industry experts aiming to refine their process in crafting full-melt bubble hash should consider a premium rosin press. A premium press will elevate their extraction’s quality and efficiency. Creating live rosin allows brands to update their product line to meet consumer demand for pure, high-quality concentrates. 

Cultivation Practices

Full melt hash is created from cultivars that produce resinous flowers with an abundance of trichomes with ideal-sized heads. Understanding what cannabis plants need during each stage of their life cycle and throughout processing is paramount for producing the high-potency, trichome-rich buds necessary for making full melt bubble hash. 

If full melt is the goal, it’s vital to know several things:

• During the growth stage, monitor temperature and avoid extreme fluctuations to prevent stress on the plants.
• In the vegetative stage, it’s important to maintain relative humidity levels. (The flowering stage requires reduced humidity to prevent mold and mildew.)
• Providing adequate airflow in the grow space will promote growth, prevent pests, and reduce the spread of disease and other issues.
• Choose high-quality, well-draining soil rich in compost or other natural amendments that can enhance terpene production and plant health.
• Regularly prune and train plants to maintain a balanced canopy. Removing lower branches and foliage improves airflow.
• Use a balanced nutrient formula specialized for cannabis cultivation. Continuously check and adjust nutrient levels according to the stage’s needs.

Testing and Quality Control

Factors to consider when testing the quality of your bubble hash include:

• Resin glands should remain transparent after being at room temperature for two to three hours. However, the product should be stored in an air-tight container in the freezer to maintain optimal quality.  
• The product should be immaculate and free from any plant matter, dirt, dust, hair, or microfibers, with care taken to maintain product cleanliness when handling.  
• Use a high-definition microscope to inspect how much hash is composed of intact trichome heads compared to stalks, keeping in mind that full melt bubble hash is composed primarily of fully intact trichome heads. 
• Perform a melt test (preferably with a quartz nail) to confirm that no residue is left after combustion, validating it’s a pure full melt. 

What Are The Benefits Of Full Melt Bubble Hash?

The global cannabis concentrate market is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the industry. Currently estimated at just over $4 billion USD, it’s projected to be worth over $18 billion USD by 2030. 

The cannabis industry is constantly changing and is very competitive. Businesses that adapt to industry changes are the ones that will ultimately succeed. For example, commercial cannabis operations that primarily focused on flower in the past may consider expanding their services by investing in extraction equipment to increase their product offerings. 

High-quality flower can easily be turned into full melt bubble hash and then sold or further processed into live rosin, both of which sell for top dollar on the retail market. 

What Makes Full Melt Bubble Hash So Popular?

Cannabis extracts, and especially bubble hash, have a marked increase in potency and THC content when compared to flower. However, its appeal goes beyond potency alone. Interest in terpenes is also becoming increasingly popular, with many consumers seeking concentrates containing specific terpene profiles.  

Full melt bubble hash is also free from plant material or solvents, making it a desirable product among health-conscious recreational and medical cannabis consumers. For those using cannabis concentrates as part of their wellness routine, solventless concentrates are typically more desirable as they contain no contaminants.

It’s also sought-after by rosin extractors interested in producing high-quality live rosin products, as live rosin made with full melt bubble hash is more profitable than other extracts. Full melt bubble hash is typically more expensive than concentrates like wax or shatter, which are extracted with solvents like butane, ethanol, or CO2. Ultimately this makes full melt bubble hash a popular product for businesses interested in increasing profit margins.  

Full Melt Bubble Hash Market Potential And Projection

The concentrate market is projected to quadruple in the next ten years. While solventless extracts currently comprise a small percentage of overall cannabis sales, recent industry insights reveal they are poised for serious growth. 

Rosin currently holds the largest portion of sales among solventless concentrates. Rosin cartridges, for example, made up 15% of total vape cartridge sales in Colorado in January 2023. Live rosin can retail anywhere from $40–$100, depending on the quality. 

After rosin, bubble hash is the second largest solventless concentrate. Creating top-quality full-melt bubble hash allows businesses to increase product selection and meet consumer demand in the expanding solventless cannabis concentrate sector.  

What Are the Challenges Encountered in the Bubble Hash Industry?

With regulations constantly changing, it’s vital to stay informed. Legal repercussions for not adhering to current legislation can lead to losing one’s entire business, making it paramount to follow current federal, state, and local cannabis laws strictly. 

Other things to consider are the hurdles of maintaining high quality and consistency throughout cannabis cultivation and production. The significance of quality control cannot be overstated; however, the standardization of industry testing remains elusive. When stricter production, processing, and extraction requirements are enacted, businesses must incorporate quality control measures to meet advancements in standards. 

Unmatched Quality: Full Melt Bubble Hash

When it comes to bubble hash ratings, full melt is considered the best. This solventless concentrate, consisting of pure cannabinoid and terpene-rich trichomes, is popular among cannabis consumers and processors. With the legal cannabis concentrate industry steadily expanding, the demand for high-quality extracts like full melt bubble hash and live rosin is also increasing. For expertise and industry guidance, connect with our experts today.