# Rosin

> Rosin is a solventless concentrate: resin squeezed out of flower, kief or hash using heat and pressure, then collected as an oil free of plant material.

- Canonical: https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/rosin.html
- Also written: cannabis rosin, rosin oil, pressed rosin, rosin extract, rosin dab
- Glossary category: Processing · Evidence: Established
- Status: Draft: awaiting expert review · Updated: 2026-10-31
- Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/), attribute "GenetixBay cannabis glossary"

Rosin is cannabis resin extracted mechanically. The starting material is warmed and squeezed between plates so the resin flows out, usually through a fine mesh filter bag that holds back plant matter. No solvent is used, so it is a solventless product. The result ranges from a translucent sap to an opaque, buttery texture, depending on starting material, processing and any post-press handling.

## In practice

What goes into the press largely decides what comes out. Rosin pressed from flower, called [flower rosin](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/hash-rosin.md), carries more plant lipids and is usually lower in quality and yield than rosin pressed from [ice water hash](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/bubble-hash.md) (hash rosin). Rosin made from [fresh frozen material](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/fresh-frozen.md) via ice water hash is called [live rosin](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/live-rosin.md). Post-press, rosin may be left to "jam" or "butter" as the [cannabinoid](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/cannabinoid.md) acids crystallise. GenetixBay defines rosin but doesn't provide temperatures, pressures or methods.

## Don't confuse with

- **Pine rosin (colophony)**: the resin used on violin bows, unrelated.
- **Resin (extract)**: [live resin](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/live-resin.md) and [cured resin](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/cured-resin.md) are solvent-based.
- **Pressed hash**: resin compressed as a solid, not squeezed out as oil.

## Related terms

[Hash rosin](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/hash-rosin.md), [Live rosin](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/live-rosin.md), [Solventless](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/solventless.md), [Bubble hash](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/bubble-hash.md), [Concentrate](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/concentrate.md)

## Sources

1. Russo EB, Plumb J, Whiteley VL. 2021. Novel solventless extraction technique to preserve cannabinoid and terpenoid profiles of fresh cannabis inflorescence. Molecules 26(18):5496. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26185496