There are three main methods to cannabis extraction, [all of which should be done by professionals, in a lab, and with proper safety precautions and equipment.
Solvent-based: The cannabis plant is submerged in an alcohol solvent to first dissolve the unnecessary plant matter, and secondarily to extract the plant’s essential oils, cannabinoids, and terpenes. This method creates concentrates such as BHO, live resin, and terpene sauce.
Solventless: Solventless extraction methods utilize agitation rather than chemicals to get the goods from the cannabis plant. This can look like high-pressure low-heat machines breaking down the trichomes to best access cannabinoids and terpenes. This creates concentrates such as rosin, kief, and ice water hash.
CO2: This extraction method is environmentally friendly, non-toxic, and uses heated CO2 through a condenser machine to separate the gas from the trichomes. It’s even able to be recycled for future extractions! CO2 extraction is commonly used for cannabis-infused beer, coffee, fruit extracts, and teas.