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Kief: Cannabis Byproduct
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Kief: What To Do With This Cannabis Byproduct

5 min

Found a stash of kief at the bottom of your grinder? Today's your lucky day. Keep reading for 6 great ways to use cannabis kief.

Weed connoisseurs love kief, and with good reason. This potent and aromatic extract made up of cannabis trichomes not only delivers a great high, but is also the backbone of hashish, one of the oldest cannabis concentrates in the world.

But, what do you do with the kief that’s been accumulating in the bottom of your grinder? Keep reading to find out.

6 Ways To Make the Most of Your Kief

It’s easy to categorise kief as simply a byproduct of your buds, but it’s so much more than that. Keep reading for 6 handy and simple ways to make the most of your kief.

1. Enjoy Kief Coffee

Kief Coffee

Need more of a buzz than what your average cup of coffee can get you? Try mixing some quality kief with fresh coffee beans for a strong pick-me-up.

The key to properly combining kief and coffee starts with decarboxylation. If you’re not familiar with this process, don’t stress; it basically just involves heating your kief in the oven for a little bit to activate its cannabinoids. You’ll find more detailed instructions on how to decarb kief further down in this article.

Once you’ve decarbed your kief, we recommend steeping it in milk on low heat for at least 1–2 hours and then mixing the milk into your coffee. The fat in the milk will help act as a carrier for the active compounds in your kief, seeing that THC and most other cannabis compounds aren’t water-soluble.

Related article

Combining Cannabis And Coffee: Where To Begin?

If you’re looking for a richer extraction and you have an espresso machine, you can actually add kief to the bottom of your portafilter before topping it off with freshly ground beans. Espresso extraction is very unique in that it extracts rich, aromatic oils from ground coffee that will run over your kief and serve as the perfect carrier for cannabinoids and terpenes.

Note: Do not simply mix kief into your already-brewed coffee. All you’ll end up with is gritty kief stuck between your teeth.

2. Dust a Moon Rock

Moon Rock

A healthy topping of crystals gives a moonrock its otherworldly looks. If you use your grinder crystals to dust up a bud painted in rosin, you can create a cannabinoid-packed moonrock that hits with the force of an asteroid. All of the different strains that have been crunched in your grinder will be making a contribution to create a moonrock like no other. Expect to be pleasantly surprised with mixed flavours, effects, and potencies.

Of course, we’ve got a blog for all the popular cannabis concentrates and homemade hash varieties, with easy-to-follow recipes for making hand-rubbed finger hash to drum-rolled kief and water-washed bubble hash.

3. Make a First-Class Joint (Twaxing) or Bowl

First-Class Joint (Twaxing)

Twaxing is a simple yet delightful way to spice up your average smoke and make great use of even a small amount of kief. All you’ll need is a joint/blunt, a bit of cannabis rosin or hash oil, and enough kief to cover it all. Drizzle some oil or rosin around the outside of your joint or blunt, and then sprinkle some kief on top (just like you would when making a moon rock).

If you prefer ripping bongs over smoking jays, you can use a similar approach to spice up your average bowl. In both situations, make sure to wait roughly 5 minutes before lighting up to allow your joint, blunt, or bowl to dry properly and ensure a great, even smoke.

4. Cook Up Some Kief Butter

Kief Butter

If you’re reading this, you’re probably familiar with the idea of using butter or cooking oil to infuse cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids from the cannabis plant into your favourite recipes. Well, if you’ve run out of plant material but still want to make that batch of brownies, you can actually use kief to infuse the butter or oil called for in your recipe.

As always, just remember to decarboxylate your kief prior to cooking to ensure you activate all the compounds within. Also, be aware that since kief is basically just trichomes, you won’t have to use as much in your recipe. This is because cannabis buds contain a lot of plant matter that doesn't get you high, while kief is composed almost exclusively of the resin that holds cannabinoids and terpenes.

Related article

How To Make Edibles With Cannabis Concentrates

5. Press Kief To Make Hash

Press Kief To Make Hash

One of the more traditional ways to make use of kief is to press it into hashish. In fact, this is how hash has been, and continues to be, made in places like Morocco; weed farmers take blocks of kief, heat them, and press them multiple times to create the rich, creamy, and highly potent extract we know as hashish.

At home, you can replicate this process by investing in a dedicated pollen press. If you don’t want to buy a press, however, you can achieve similar results by placing your kief in a small plastic baggie and gently pressing it with a hot coffee mug (you can heat the mug by simply filling it with boiling water).

As you gently compress the kief, it will bind together and take on that rich, creamy texture that sets hash apart from so many other concentrates. Just make sure your baggie is sealed properly, and avoid using too much force as you press down on your kief with the coffee mug.

6. Make Homemade Kief E-Liquid

Kief E-Liquid

This might seem a little overwhelming for newbie stoners, but it’s totally doable. If you prefer vaping over smoking or dabbing, you can actually use the kief from your grinder to make your very own e-liquid.

And while making your own e-liquid might seem very advanced, it’s actually pretty simple: all you need to do is mix your kief with a PG (propylene glycol) or VG (vegetable glycerine) base, which you can buy online or from head shops and smoke stores. Once combined, make sure to shake the mixture well and let it steep to maximise flavour and potency.

Do You Need To Decarb Kief?

Decarb Kief

In general, we always find it best to decarb your kief before using it to cook or infuse your favourite beverages. Be sure to decarb it for only 15–20 minutes, as it’ll need less time in the oven to become active than regular flower.

How To Decarb Kief: Step by Step

  1. Spread your kief out evenly on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
  2. Bake your kief for 15–20 minutes at 120°C, stirring once halfway through.
  3. That’s it! Your kief is ready to use in your favourite recipe.

3 Cannabis Strains That Produce Tons of Kief

3 Cannabis Strains That Produce Kief

Quality kief comes from quality trichomes. Here are three trichome-laden strains that are up to the task of producing an abundance of kief.

Sticky Beast Automatic (Zamnesia Seeds)

Our Sticky Beast Automatic lives up to its name. This 3-way cross of Bubble Gum, OG Kush, and Critical Auto is a high-yielding, fast-flowering powerhouse capable of producing dense, sticky, and super aromatic buds in just 7–8 weeks. With roughly 18% THC, Sticky Beast Automatic produces a strong yet balanced physical stone combined with a gentle mental euphoria.

Her aroma is lovely and sweet, with subtle yet noticeable earthy undertones. With this combination of excellent traits, it’s no wonder Sticky Beast Automatic won 1st place at the 2018 Highlife Cannabis Cup in the Autoflowering category.

Sticky Beast Automatic (Zamnesia Seeds) feminized

(452)
Parents: Bubble Gum x OG Kush x Critical Automatic
Genetics: Indica-dominant Auto
Flowering Time: 10-11 weeks from seed to harvest
THC: 16%
CBD: 3%
Flowering Type: Autoflowering

Gorilla Glue (Zamnesia Seeds)

Gorilla Glue has become a household strain for cannabis lovers all around the globe, and for good reason. True to its name, Gorilla Glue is capable of producing some of the stickiest, most resinous buds we’ve ever seen—and some of the most potent too. This strain easily produces THC levels of up to 26%, but some growers even report special phenotypes producing up to 30%. Besides its thick, sticky resin and potency, Gorilla Glue is a big yielder and can produce over 500g/m² indoors or up to 600g/plant outdoors. Finally, her effects are nothing short of spectacular; just a few hits of this strain will lighten your mood and deeply relax your body, easing any physical or mental tension you might have.

GG#4 (Zamnesia Seeds) feminized

(257)
Parents: Chem's Sister x Chocolate Diesel
Genetics: 50% Sativa/50% Indica
Flowering Time: 8-9 weeks
THC: 26%
CBD: 0-1%
Flowering Type: Photoperiod

ICE (Royal Queen Seeds)

Royal Queen Seeds has quickly become one of Europe’s leading seed banks, and ICE is a real testament to this company's passion for cannabis breeding. A feminized strain bred from Skunk, Northern Light, and pure Afghan genetics, ICE (Indica Crystal Extreme) is arguably one of RQS’ most resinous strains. It produces fat, dense buds, typical of a high-calibre indica, that reek of earthy, piney incense and are loaded with a thick layer of THC-packed trichomes. Best of all, ICE flowers in just 8 weeks, making it a top choice for growers and homemade hashish connoisseurs.

Ice (Royal Queen Seeds) feminized

(10)
Parents: Afghan x Northern Light x Skunk
Genetics: Indica-dominant
Flowering Time: 9-10 weeks
THC: 18%
CBD: Medium
Flowering Type: Photoperiod

Kief is much more than just a byproduct of ground cannabis plant material; it’s essentially one of the oldest and most original forms of cannabis extract. If you’re lucky enough to have a solid bounty of potent, quality kief, make sure to follow the tips in this article and put it to good use.

Steven Voser
Steven Voser
Steven Voser is an independent cannabis journalist with over 6 years of experience writing about all things weed; how to grow it, how best to enjoy it, and the booming industry and murky legal landscape surrounding it.
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