What are Sun Rocks?

Cannabis has seen a trend where consumers are on the hunt for more potent products. 

First, it was increasing flower potency from the single digits to nearly 40% (if select lab tests are telling the truth). 

Now, flower is outpaced by concentrated oils and distillate, producing more potent experiences via extracts for dabbing, vape carts, and more. 

With countless consumers searching for the most potent flower, it was only time before producers began infusing the plant with extracts. The result? A potent option called sun rocks.

What Are Sun Rocks?

Sun rocks are cannabis flower injected with high-quality extracted cannabis oil—like butane hash oil (BHO), rosin, or live resin. 

Sun Rocks vs Moon Rocks

If we judge a book by its cover, it might be fair to assume that sun rocks are just a fancy marketing move, switching up the name of a similar product, moon rocks. But what makes sun rocks differ from their lunar-named opposite is a demand for consistent quality. 

With sun rocks, premium is expected across the board, from flower to extract to kief. Furthermore, every component has to come from the same plant, helping to ensure that the expected effects are uniform. 

While some moon rock producers put immense care into their products, the trend of covering low-quality buds in dark, thick hash oil and kief to seem more appealing to buyers and increase potency has been around for years. 

Instead of injecting the oil into the flower, some sun rocks roll the flower in the high-quality extracted oil and then apply a crystal-like kief coating. Unlike moon rocks, which often use oil sourced from trim and shake of uncertain quality, sun rocks use high-quality extracts made from the same plant type being coated. This method produces incredibly potent buds, frequently testing at or above 80% THC. 

To ensure its quality, sun rocks’ light and transparent oil allows buyers to easily evaluate plant quality before purchasing.

How to Make Sun Rocks

Sun and moon rocks hit the scene around 2014, in the early days of adult-use legalization in the US. In most cases, licensed producers make sun rocks, which consumers can also make at home with care and precision. 

Experienced enthusiasts looking to elevate their cannabis flower at home can create sun rocks with the right items and steady hands. Gather the following essentials to start:

• High-Quality Flower: Choose a strain known for flavor and potency–or a personal favorite.
• Premium Concentrate: Opt for something with robust flavor and high THC content, such as BHO, live resin, or cured resin concentrates. Remember that the concentrate used should be the same strain as the flower. 
• Kief: Finely sifted kief (sourced from the same flower).
• Small Brush or Dropper: For even oil application.
• Tweezers: To handle the sticky, kief-coated nuggets without making a mess.

These potent nugs can technically be made using extracts and flower from different cultivars. True sun rocks should contain only one cultivar throughout the experience. 

Optional, but Good to Have

• Gloves
• Towels

How to Make Sun Rocks at Home

Making sun rocks at home requires a gentle hand, patience, and some cleanup. Overall, it’s a relatively easy, low-risk endeavor that can be completed in just a few steps. 

1. Warm the Concentrate: Carefully warm the concentrate until it is slightly viscous without being runny. 
2. Coat the Nug: Use a brush or dropper to coat the entire surface of the nug in the warmed oil. Do so until the flower is fully covered in a thin, even layer.
3. Roll in Kief: Carefully pour the kief into a shallow dish. Then, roll the nug in the kief, applying gentle to no pressure while rolling–tweezers can be used instead of hand rolling. Roll the flower until its surface is covered in a crystal appearance. 
4. Let it Set: Allow the sun rock to rest so the concentrate and kief can bond and cure. Store it in a cool, dry place.
5. Enjoy When Ready: Smoke now or store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place to keep fresh for as long as possible. 

How to Use Sun Rocks

Sun rocks are used exclusively for smoking, more often than not utilizing one of two of the classic smoking options.

• Glass Pipe or Bong: Sun rocks are often broken up and smoked in a glass bowl or bong. They’re consumed like any traditional bowl. Due to its increased potency, consumers may want to inhale more gently than from a usual bowl. Expect a longer session with more pronounced smoke, both caused by the sun rocks’ extracts.
• In a Joint or Blunt: While possible, mixing sun rocks requires precision that newcomers may not have immediately. Breaking the sticky flower into small pieces and layering it with ground flower for an even burn is not as easy as it may seem. But if done correctly, consumers can expect a slow-burning, highly potent session with ample smoke created. 

What About the Grinder?

Many cannabis consumers use a grinder when breaking up cannabis flower. But, with concentrate-covered flower like sun rocks, it’s best to stick with hand-breaking. Using a grinder is almost certain to result in a sticky, oil-filled grinder needing a deep clean before using again. Unlike regular flower, ground sun rocks will end up stuck across the top three chambers of a standard grinder. Check the fourth chamber kief catcher for the likely ample extracts to have fallen off.

Best Strains for Making Sun Rocks

One of the many beautiful things about sun rocks is their versatility and adaptability to personal preferences. As long as the flower used comes from a quality cultivar, it has the potential to be an excellent choice to become a sun rock. Essentially, if the flower is fresh, terpene-rich, and contains the compound profile to deliver the desired effects, then it’s a viable contender. From there, it’s up to the producer to select their preferred plant. 

When getting started, consider some of the below popular high-THC strain choices:

• GG4: Known for its powerful, relaxing properties and earthy-pine aroma.
• OG Kush: Known for its complex taste of wood and citrus.
• Girl Scout Cookies (GSC): Known for its sweet, dessert-like flavor and potent high.
• Chemdawg: Known for its pungent earth-meets-gas aroma and balanced effects, adding complexity to sun rocks.

FAQs

What is a Sun Rock?

A sun rock is a high-quality cannabis bud coated with premium concentrate and rolled in kief–all sourced from the same cultivar. Due to its single-strain use, the combination delivers a potent consumption experience with consistent expected effects. 

Are Sun Rocks Better Than Moon Rocks?

Opinions are subjective. Sun rocks are often preferred because they use top-shelf ingredients sourced from the same strain throughout. While moon rocks can be high-quality, many producers use components from various cultivars, possibly utilizing lower-quality flower, oil, and/or kief. 

How Do You Make a Sun Rock?

Sun rocks are made by selecting premium flowers, coating them with an equally high-quality concentrate, and then kief. For a more in-depth look at the process, see our above section.

The information in this article and any included images or charts are for educational purposes only. This information is neither a substitute for, nor does it replace, professional legal advice or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about laws, regulations, or your health, you should always consult with an attorney, physician or other licensed professional.