What’s Driving the Live Resin Flower Revolution?

Cryo Cure has found a way to balance the rich flavor of live resin in high quality flower, with results that are leaving an impression in the global cannabis industry. From coast to coast, and around the world, the patented technology preserves flower in its freshest state possible. After years of refining and perfecting the method, Cryo Cure and its live resin flower are ready to take the cannabis world by storm. 

Creating a New Category of Cannabis Flower

CEO Tracee McAfee and President and Head of Cultivation Greg Baughman are the principals of Cryo Cure, a Michigan-based cannabis technology company and holders of the patented method that creates live resin flower. Boasting impeccable flavors and impressive cannabinoid and terpene retention, the Live resin flower created from Cryo Cure’s process is as close to fresh as consumers can get.

“We call it ‘from farm to face’—no other flower out there preserves cannabis this well, when cannabinoid and terpene content is at its most potent,” said Cryo Cure CEO Tracee McAfee. “Time, degradation, and improper drying are the enemies of quality flower.”

According to McAfee, the name “Live Resin Flower” draws inspiration from two terms: live resin—the extract sourced from fresh frozen flower—and the cannabis flower consumers continue to choose in markets across the US.

“You can enjoy Cryo Cured flower as a smokeable product without losing any of the flavor you’d get from live resin,” McAfee said. “That’s changing the game!”

The secret lies in Cryo Cure’s patented process, which strikes the precise moisture content levels that maintain flower integrity without putting the finished product at risk for mold or mildew. This modification to freeze drying technology prioritizes the delicate needs of cannabis flower, unlike typical freeze dryers that remove all moisture from whatever’s placed inside.

“Removing too much moisture is what turns cannabis flower to dust—you can’t break it apart and roll it,” McAfee said. “There’s none of that with Cryo Cure.”

The Science Behind Live Resin Flower

Live resin flower preserves natural resin at its peak by keeping trichomes fully intact through a freeze drying-based process that took Cryo Cure leadership years to refine and perfect. Not only does this translate to a flavorful and potent experience, but the flower quality isn’t compromised as it is with freeze-drying methods not built for cannabis.

To understand the difference between live resin flower and other top-shelf products, it’s important to learn the role of freeze drying in the process. Freezing cannabis immediately after harvest allows cultivators to skip hang drying altogether. Skipping this lengthy period is crucial for terpene retention, as fragile terpenes evaporate off the moment cannabis flower is harvested. With Cryo Cure, the drying time is reduced to 11 to 14 hours, depending on the cultivar. As a result, Cryo Cure retains rare monoterpenes not seen in other flower. 

What’s The Consumer Experience Like?

No bad flavors. No grassy taste. No brittle flower. The Cryo Cure difference is apparent in every way, from its visual appeal to the consumption experience itself. 

Just like any cannabis flower, your mileage may vary. But generally, Cryo Cure consumers can expect an ethereal, happy session, with no couch lock in sight. That’s because the Cryo Cure process stabilizes THCa, the acidic precursor to THC that makes cannabis “work.” Degraded THC itself turns into cannabinol (CBN), which is often attributed to feelings of drowsiness. High levels of CBDa, the acidic precursor to CBD, and CBGa, the acidic precursor to CBG, are also retained in Cryo Cured flower.

With such high rates of terpene retention, consumers can expect to taste and experience the terpenes in their selected Cryo Cured strain in a way they haven’t with standard hang-dried flower or traditional freeze-dried cannabis flower. Rare monoterpenes that typically evaporate off the plant, such as Delta-3 Carene, are still present in live resin flower.

“There’s so much that we’re learning about terpenes, and to see that Cryo Cure retains all these beneficial compounds is promising, especially as more consumers look for the terpene profile as they shop for cannabis,” McAfee says.

Visually, there’s nothing like Cryo Cure. The buds are quite large, with no shrinkage associated with hang-dried flower. The vibrant colors jump from the jar. Glistening trichomes coat every inch, with the vibrant white appearance that suggests peak freshness and potency. The aroma is unforgettable, thanks to terpene preservation. And unlike other freeze-drying methods that leave the flower too dry to break apart and roll or pack, Cryo Cure never needs to be rehydrated. 

And when it comes time for a session, live resin flower makes for a smooth smoking experience. It’s easy to break apart without a grinder, so it can be packed or rolled with ease. The not-too-dry texture, attributed to the right moisture levels that the Cryo Curing process dials in, ensures cannabis flower can be broken apart without compromising any possibility of mold or mildew growth. Live resin flower can be stored for more than one year when put away properly, sealed off from air and away from light and heat. 

Live Resin Flower for Extraction

For manufacturers, live resin flower can be used to create diamonds and other concentrates used to make edibles, tinctures and other products that benefit from terpene-rich concentrates.

“Live resin extract can be made with live resin flower without chilling material columns or cold solvent,” Baughman says. “By skipping the need for expensive chillers, manufacturers can realize significant cost savings without affecting product quality. Starting material never leaves the cold chain process until the point of extraction. As a result, the crude has the same properties of fresh frozen extract.”

Endorsed by Cannabis Industry Pioneers

Cryo Cure has earned high praise from consumers and professionals alike. Live resin flower has received full endorsements from Ed Rosenthal, the “Guru of Ganja;” Dan Vinkovetsky of Northeast Leaf magazine, formerly Danny Danko of High Times magazine; legendary northeast cultivator Rick Naya; and Dr. Robert Flannery or Dr. Robb Farms, who is the first in the US to earn a PhD with certified technical expertise in growing commercial cannabis.

“When we first sought out to build Cryo Cure and perfect live resin flower, these pioneers were among our inspirations,” McAfee says. “To have earned their admiration and respect is an honor.”

Cryo Cure has also won several awards for its innovative take on top-shelf flower. The company has received the Sustainability Award from Cannabis & Tech Today and was a High Times Stash Award winner. Cryo Cured flower has made impressions at Harvest Cups across the US, including competitions in Michigan and Massachusetts.

Where to Shop Live Resin Flower

Live resin flower is carried in select dispensaries in Colorado, Massachusetts, California, Arkansas, Ohio, Oklahoma, Delaware, Nevada and Jamaica. Cryo Cure is expanding to other states, with availability in New Mexico and Illinois underway. To learn more about Live Resin Flower and Cryo Cure machines, visit cryocure.com.