Solventless rosin may not have been around for that long, but it has a surprisingly interesting history. The exploding popularity of rosin has made it the go-to concentrate for the modern dabbing connoisseur, but things have not always been this way. So, where did rosin come from? And who invented it?

It may have only been around for a handful of years, but rosin actually owes its existence to advancements in a much older form of concentrate making: hashish.

The Evolution of Hash Making

For over a thousand years, hashish was the king of cannabis concentrates. Traded across Asia, the Middle East and beyond, those clumps of dark sticky resin have seen empires rise and fall. In fact, you can read all about hashish’s long historical journey in our article, The History of Hashish.

Traditional hash making practices, like those found in Morocco for instance, are still used today. But, in the last 20 to 30 years, top quality hash makers have been developing new methods for collecting cannabis trichomes. And these new techniques have taken hash purity and potency to an all-time high.

Dry sift and ice water extraction techniques can produce hashish of such good quality that it completely melts when smoked and can even be dabbed. Thus, ‘five-star’ full melt hash was born, and the quest among hash makers to create the holy grail of hashish would unintentionally bring rosin into the world.

Happy Accidents: The Rosin Story

History is replete with accidental discoveries. Penicillin, microwave ovens, and even radioactivity were all happened upon by some bright sparks trying to do something else. The invention of rosin is no different, as it too was created by a happy accident.

In January of 2015, Phil “Soilgrown” Salazar, a Californian cannabis grower, dispensary owner, and hashish aficionado, mistakenly produced rosin. In an effort to make non-full melt, ‘3 to 4-star’ hash dabbable, Salazar would press it into wafer thin sheets using a hair straightener. Being a little too heavy handed one day with the heat and pressure, Salazar noticed oil beginning to escape his hash. Initially thinking he’d made a mistake, he pressed the oil and hash back together and moved on.

Shortly after though, out of sheer curiosity, Salazar decided to do it again. This time however, he experimented with dabbing the oil. Noticing the complete vaporization, insane flavor and incredible high that this hash oil produced, he continued to experiment. Within in a matter of months, Salazar would share his discovery with the wider cannabis community, and solventless rosin was born.

Next Step: Rosin Tech

While the world needs pioneers and inventors – its Albert Einsteins and Marie Curies – it also needs its Henry Fords; realizers that take a great idea and make it an everyday reality.

As Salazar’s discovery spread through the cannabis community, the demand for a completely solventless, dabbable hash oil became immediately apparent. Up until 2015, concentrate production relied on industrial solvent-based extraction methods, with Butane Hash Oil (BHO) being the most popular. However, people in general have become more health conscious, and this has precipitated a move away from chemical processing in the products we consume, cannabis included. People were practically yearning for a solventless concentrate for dabbing, and a race began to mechanize the process, ready for mass production.

The end result was the rosin press; a simple machine that can safely produce a chemical free solventless concentrate perfect for dabbing. Here at SHO Products, we’re proud of the part that we have played in bringing Rosin Tech to the masses, whether that be through our range of large-scale presses for mass production, or our smaller offerings that allow rosin production right at home.

Rosin Today

Walk into any dispensary today and you are sure to be met with an incredible range of rosin products. Almost every conceivable strain of cannabis has been used to create unique solventless concentrates, so there’s plenty of options to choose from.

You’ll also be spoilt for choice when it comes to consumption methods. An ever-widening range of dab rigs, bangers and nails are on offer, and the advancements don’t stop there. E-nail systems for consistent and precise dabbing temperatures, portable vaporizers that allow you to dab anywhere, as well as pre-filled rosin cartridges are now widely available.

Lastly, the most satisfying way to consume solventless rosin is by making it yourself. You’ll have the benefit of knowing exactly what went into you concentrate, in addition to complete control of the process. Making rosin isn’t reserved for large-scale producers anymore, with our range of home presses, you can easily produce top quality rosin right in the comfort of your own home.

Rosin has come so far in the past four years, it’s crazy to think what the next four years will bring. Where do you think rosin could possibly go from here?