Glossary · Product & Form
Kief
Kief is the loose, powdery collection of trichomes sifted off cannabis flower. Those tiny resin glands hold most of the plant's cannabinoids and terpenes, so kief is far more potent than the bud it came from. It usually looks like fine gold-to-tan dust.
Also known as: Dry sift, Pollen, Trichome powder, Cannabis crystals, Kif
- Type
- Trichome concentrate (sifted)
- Made from
- Resin glands on flower
- Look
- Gold to tan powder
- Potency
- Higher than flower, varies by batch
What kief actually is
Cannabis flower is covered in trichomes, the tiny mushroom-shaped resin glands that look like glass pins under magnification. Those heads hold nearly all of the plant's THC, other cannabinoids, and terpenes. When dried flower is shaken or ground, some of those heads break off as a fine powder. Collected together, that powder is kief.
Why it matters to a shopper
Because kief is mostly resin glands and very little leaf, it is more concentrated than the flower it came from. A small amount goes a long way. Color is a rough quality cue: lighter gold or off-white kief is usually cleaner, while darker green-tinged kief carries more plant matter. Effects may vary. Please consume responsibly, and this is for adults 21+.
How you get it and how it's used
- ·Grinder catch: many three or four chamber grinders have a mesh screen and a bottom chamber, the kief catcher, where trichomes collect over weeks of normal use
- ·Dry sift: rubbing flower over fine mesh screens (often 75 to 125 microns) separates the resin glands in larger amounts
- ·Topping a bowl or joint: sprinkling kief on flower, sometimes called crowning a bowl or twaxing a joint, adds strength
- ·Pressing into hash: heat and pressure turn loose kief into pressed hash
- ·Edibles and oils: kief can be decarboxylated and infused, like other concentrates
Is kief stronger than regular flower?
Yes. Kief is concentrated trichomes, the part of the plant that holds most of the cannabinoids and terpenes, with little leaf material. That makes it more potent by weight than the bud it came from. Exact strength varies batch to batch, so start small. Effects may vary.
Buying kief in New York
At a licensed New York dispensary, any kief or sifted-trichome product is lab tested and sold in packaging carrying the NY universal cannabis symbol and potency info on the label. Check the THC percentage and the certificate of analysis so you know what you are getting. Adult-use sales are 21+ only.
FAQ · Kief
What is kief in simple terms?
Kief is the loose powder of trichomes, the resin glands, that sifts off cannabis flower. It collects in a grinder's bottom chamber or through fine screens. Since it is concentrated resin with little plant material, it is more potent than the flower it came from.
What can you do with kief?
Most people sprinkle kief on top of a bowl or roll it into a joint for extra strength. It can also be pressed into hash, used in a dry herb vaporizer mixed with flower, or decarbed and infused into oils and edibles. Start small. Effects may vary.
How do you collect kief from a grinder?
Use a grinder with a mesh screen and a bottom kief catcher. As you grind flower, trichomes fall through the screen and gather below. Tapping the grinder gently before opening helps loose resin drop through. It builds up slowly over weeks of normal use.
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