WHAT IS KIEF?

You may have heard the word “kief” banded around, but never quite understood what it is or how it can be used. Kief is the term for the small trichomes that break away from the buds when they are handled or ground. You should notice a powdery substance left behind; this is kief. The beauty of kief is that it contains very little plant matter, and is instead composed of tiny, concentrated, resinous particles. This makes kief more potent than smoking regular dried cannabis flower.

TRICHOMES HOLD UNTAPPED POTENTIAL

Inside the numerous trichomes that cover cannabis buds, potent cannabinoids are waiting to be enjoyed. When the trichomes develop on the outside of a flowering cannabis plant, under careful inspection they look like miniature glazed mushrooms. In addition to being laden with THC, trichomes also act as a cannabis plant’s natural defence against predators and pests via terpenes.

It is their potency, rather than the trichomes’ evolutionary purpose, that we are most interested in. To that end, maximising the potency of kief relies on choosing a high-quality strain. Superior-quality weed means much better kief. Once you have selected a suitable strain, you will need the right tools. To get the best return of kief from your cannabis, you will need a decent grinder.

COLLECTING AS MUCH KIEF AS YOU CAN

In most cases, our hands are too cumbersome to carefully extract the trichomes and reward great-quality kief. An oft-overlooked piece of equipment is a grinder, although we are not talking about any old grinder.

Both the Metal Mill Grinder and the Metal Grinder by Dutch Passion have some unique features that make them ideal for collecting kief. The Metal Mill Grinder includes a 3 and 4-part compartment with a sieve for collecting kief. Similar design features can also be found in the Metal Grinder by Dutch Passion. The additional chamber uses a fine screen to filter out plant matter and preserve the kief.

MAKING THE MOST OF KIEF

Kief acts as a concentrated form of cannabis that can be utilised in a variety of ways. Whether you enjoy smoking, cooking, or making your own cannabis concentrate, kief has a multitude of benefits.

SMOKING

• Joint

When rolling your joint, sprinkle the leftover kief from your grinder throughout the length of the joint. Kief burns very quickly, so make sure you spread it evenly. Its presence can give joints a welcome kick, thanks to the high concentration of cannabinoids found in the trichomes.

• Bowl

Kief can also be sprinkled onto a packed bowl. You only need to follow two fundamental principles. The first is to use a strain that is both flavoursome and has excellent trichome production. Sour Diesel is the prime candidate for this job. She has a very distinct sour citrus smell in combination with excellent resin production.

The second principle to consider is how to spread your kief. Ensure an even layer atop the entire bowl. However, do not light the top of the cannabis flower. Instead, light a corner of the bowl so that the kief does not burn before you have a chance to enjoy it.

• Blunt

Rolling an entire blunt consisting only of kief is possible. It may not be the most efficient use of those tiny trichomes, but it will provide an almighty high. Failing that, fill a blunt with cannabis flower as you usually would. Then, using melted cannabis wax to cover the outside, you can coat the blunt by rolling it in dry kief. It will stick to the outside of the blunt for a genuinely mind-blowing smoking session.

COOKING

• Cannabutter

Cannabutter can be prepared well in advance, and is easily stored in the freezer for several months. Kief is the perfect candidate for some cannabis-infused butter because of its powder-like consistency. Start by baking your cannabis for 30–45 mins at 110°C/230°F. This will ensure it is adequately decarboxylated before being added to a cannabutter recipe.

• Coffee

Now your morning brew can benefit from an extra special ingredient! You won’t need much, but you will need to add the kief to freshly prepared coffee. Add roughly ¼–½ a gram of decarboxylated kief to your coffee. Effects should kick in after 15–30 mins. If you are more of a tea drinker, the steps remain the same.

• Garnish

Pasta dishes, soup, even porridge if that is what you fancy—kief can be added to pretty much any dish to give your meals an extra touch of euphoria. The only requirement is making sure your cannabis is decarboxylated before being added to recipes. The perfect candidate for cannabis cooking is White Widow. Extremely potent and highly regarded, she has excellent trichome production for plenty of premium-quality kief.

DIY

• Kief concentrate

Even though kief is, in its own right, a concentrate, the versatile substance can be used to make rosin concentrate as well. All you need is a hair straightener and two pieces of baking parchment. Carefully pack the kief between the two pieces of baking paper before applying heat and pressure with the straightener. The kief will magically transform into a thick, honey-like substance. Peel back the parchment paper and add the rosin to a dab rig or bowl.