What Defines Sauce?

Sauce is produced using solvent extraction methods (such as BHO, PHO, or CO2​ extraction). It can be made from various starting materials, including trim, dried buds, or even fresh-frozen cannabis.

The process involves:

1. Extraction: Cannabis oils and trichomes are stripped from the plant material using a chemical solvent.

2. Refinement: The resulting extract is purged (to remove residual solvent) and winterized (to remove unwanted fats and lipids). This refinement is what gives the final product its characteristic thin consistency.

3. Appearance: The final product is typically amber or yellow in color. It often features visible crystals or "diamonds" (usually concentrated THCA) suspended in a pool of terpene-rich oil—the sauce. It may also have a more granular texture without large diamonds.

Sauce vs. Other Concentrates

The primary difference between various concentrates often comes down to their texture and how they are made:

Concentrate

Extraction Method

Consistency

Key Feature

Sauce

Solvent-based

Liquid/Viscous oil (often with crystals)

High terpene content; flavorful

Wax / Badder

Solvent-based

Soft, opaque, malleable (like batter)

Texture is achieved through agitation during processing

Hash / Hashish

Solventless

Solid, compacted block/chunk (made from kief)

Made using agitation (shaking, ice water) instead of chemicals

Sauce and Wax are both made using solvents and can achieve similar potency. Their main distinction is their texture: sauce is liquid and viscous, while wax is soft and solid.

Hash differs completely as a solventless product. It separates the plant's resin glands (trichomes) using physical methods like sifting or ice water. Because no chemicals are used, hash is sometimes viewed as a "cleaner" product, though its plant material content can be higher depending on the quality of the extraction.