Those loose flower pieces left at the bottom of the cannabis jar still possess potency and can be put to a variety of uses. Sure, you won't find shake on any connoisseur's list as a must-grab item. Still, it has a prominent place on many cannabis shopping lists, so much so that you can find affordable shake at many of your local dispensaries.
If you aren't too picky about your plant quality, or you're just looking for an inexpensive source of flower, shake may be an ideal option. In fact, utilizing shake can help you get the most out of your weed (and your weed budget).
What is Shake Weed?
Shake is not meticulously cultivated for top aesthetic appeal and overall quality. Instead, it's composed of smaller, loose flower pieces. Loose flower makes up much of the shake's contents but can also include broken-off trichomes and sugar leaves.
It's important to note that shake, like any flower, can vary in potency across cultivars, brands, and various other conditions. These factors also affect the shake's flavor, aroma, and effects.
What it lacks in eye-catching appeal, shake weed makes up for in affordability. If you don't mind a dip in quality, shake can be an extremely affordable option when purchasing cannabis. Plus, depending on how you're using it, shake can be a suitable option for many homemade cannabis products, like edibles.
Shake can be used to roll, pack, or make your own:
Shake works exceptionally well in edibles, where producers may not need the prettiest buds but prefer quality flower profiles.
Shake may not be valued highly in some circles, but it’s a normal byproduct of cannabis production. Shake is made during every plant transportation, storage, trimming, packaging, and other production effort.
If you aren't picky or need to save a few bucks, cannabis shake isn't a wrong choice. While shake might not look as pretty as some of the premium-quality buds on dispensary shelves, it often comes from exactly the same place.
How is Shake Different from Kief?
The similarities between weed shake and kief stop (and start) at being cannabis byproducts. Both are potent and created when flower pieces fall off a larger nug.
Shake is essentially the petals that fall off of cannabis flowers, so it's still considered a flower product. That isn't the case with kief, which is a collection of the resinous trichomes – the tiny milky-white crystals covering quality cannabis – that can fall off when grinding flower. If you have a traditional four-chamber grinder, you can twist off the bottom layer after several uses to reveal a powdery layer of kief. Sprinkle your kief on top of any joint or bowl for an additional potency boost. Or collect a considerable amount to create your own concentrates, topicals, and edible infusions.
Potency is another factor to consider when comparing shake and kief. Both tend to vary significantly in potency, depending on the source material. However, kief is a concentrate, assuring its potency is higher than the flower. In many cases, kief's potency can vary between 50% to 80% THC. Whereas flower and shake rarely reach the low 30s.
What’s the Difference Between Shake and Popcorn?
If shake is the individual petals that have fallen off from cannabis buds, popcorn is the smaller clusters of petals that make up a larger cannabis flower. These clusters sometimes pop off cannabis flower during cultivation and processing and are collected and sold as popcorn.
Popcorn weed gets its name because it takes on the size and shape of a popped kernel of corn. Rather than falling into a collection of small clippings you could find at the bottom of a bag or container, popcorn maintains some of its original nug's density.
Like with shake, popcorn's potency varies by strain, cultivator, and other factors. However, since it comes from one flower, you can determine its potency much more straightforwardly than you could with shake that may contain two or more strains.
Pros of Smoking Shake
Smoking shake is just one of the many ways you can enjoy loose flower. If you're not in the market for top-shelf beauty buds, then shake could be right for you. Consider some of the broad benefits.
- Cost: Prices vary by market, but some states sell ounces of shake for under $50. Check store menus before placing an order.
- Versatility: Smoke, cook, infuse, or make extracts and topicals from shake for various consumption methods and uses.
- Effects: If you aren't looking for strain-specific effects, shake could be an exciting journey since it can provide the effects of two or more cultivars. Those looking for one strain's effect should check their shake options before buying, as many stores mix what they have.
Cons of Smoking Shake
Whether you have a finer taste or need strain specificity, there are drawbacks to consuming shake, including:
- Quality: Shake isn't the pretty bud with glistening trichomes most people want to buy. But like "ugly" fruits and vegetables, shake weed can still satisfy consumers. Unfortunately, shake can also contain additional materials unappealing to consumers, like stems and leaves.
- Uncertainty: With two or more strains often included in containers of shake, consumers won't get a complete picture of the plant's potency, terpene profile, or effects. This is a concern for patients requiring specific plant compounds and effects, which is why you don't hear "medical marijuana shake" too often.
How to Use Shake
Shake can go a long way for various cannabis consumers.
- Smoke It: Many pre-rolls and hand-rolled joints are made using shake. You can smoke shake in your joints, bowls, bongs, and other smoked options.
- Infuse It: Shake is perfect for a wide range of edible infusion recipes, though it is important you know the potency of the shake to plan the appropriate dosage per serving. Shake is an excellent choice for chefs looking to save a few bucks or those who don't need pretty flowers to get their job done. And let's not forget topical fans, who can use shake to infuse various body oils, creams, and butters.
- Extract It: They say quality in, quality out with extracts, but if you're okay with good-but-not-great extracts, you could use shake to make shatter, wax, rosin, and many others.
Weed Shake FAQ
What's the typical price range for weed shake?
Shake prices vary depending on location, quality, and retailer. Prices often hover around $3 to $10 per gram, with ounces under $50 in some markets.
How do you store shake?
Like with most cannabis products, keep your shake in a cool to room temperature setting, away from light. Use a UV-protected glass container whenever possible.
How long does shake last?
The shelf life of shake varies depending on factors such as:
- Plant quality
- Storage methods
- Air and moisture exposure.
When stored properly, shake can maintain its quality for up to a year. After that, its flavor and potency are likely to have deteriorated.
How do you rehydrate dried-out shake?
Most will place a humidity pack or a DIY moist cotton in their shake container, allowing the moisture to transfer to the shake over time. A lemon or orange peel has been known to have similar results. In any case, do not directly place your packs or peels on the shake. This can affect the plant's flavor.
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.
