Freezing does;
MORE EFFECTIVE TRICHOME REMOVAL
Trichomes are the small, resinous glands found on cannabis plants that contain the cannabinoids we are after, mainly
THC,
CBD,
CBG, etc.
The goal of the QWET process is to remove as many of the
trichomes from the plant matter as possible.
Freezing the plant matter makes these trichomes more brittle and easily separated, or broken off, from the plant material.
This helps us get the most cannabinoids off the plant and into our tincture, resulting in a more potent final product.
REMOVE CHLOROPHYLL
Freezing cannabis helps prevent the
chlorophyll in the plant material from being absorbed into the alcohol tincture.
Chlorophyll, the most abundant pigment in plants, is responsible for the bright green color associated with kale, spinach, celery, and, yes - cannabis.
Chlorophyll produces a strong green taste and color we try to
avoid in this extraction method.
While chlorophyll plays a vital role in healthy foods, like in the
consumption of raw cannabis, many people do
not want it in their final cannabis product for various reasons.
REMOVE WAXES AND LIPIDS
Freezing also helps remove other naturally occurring plant compounds, like waxes and lipids, also called 'the undesirables.'
When the flower is frozen, the waxes will stay frozen and can then be filtered out during the filtering or straining process.
This prevents the majority of waxes and lipids from entering your final product, resulting in a 'cleaner' end product.