HTFSE Unveiled: Why High Terpene Full Spectrum Extracts Stand Out

HTFSE, or High Terpene Full Spectrum Extract, is a term coined by an Oregon-based cannabis company to denote a high-terpene/THCA fluid concentrate used for dabbing and vaping. HTFSE is a brilliant case of cannabis extraction engineering because “nothing is added, nothing is reintroduced.” 

With HTFSE, you’re getting the full representation of the cannabis plant’s cannabinoid and terpene profiles without the excess lipids, waxes, and other non-therapeutic compounds. 

Read more to learn about the different aspects of HTFSE, including its benefits, extraction process, and how it compares with other extracts.   

What is HTFSE?

A high terpene full spectrum extract (aka HTFSE) is a type of extract that produces a full-spectrum concentrate. Containing not just THC but a wide range of therapeutic compounds, HTFSE puts special emphasis on the diversity and volume of terpenes. 

HTFSE’s extraction process takes place at a specific temperature low enough to preserve the live compounds of the cannabis plant but high enough to filter out unwanted substances like waxes and lipids. 

Also referred to as “terp sauce,” most HTFSE products contain anywhere from 13-40% terpenes and 50% or more tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA). Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid is a precursor of Delta 9 THC, which, when heated (smoked, dabbed, or vaped), encourages “high” effects. 

HTFSEs tend to be popular with those who don’t just want to get stone-cold high but relish the therapeutic and aromatic features of a cannabis extract. This is what sets HTFSEs apart from other cannabis extracts. It is not solely interested in dumping high levels of THC. Keeping the other equally important benefits of cannabis, like terpenes, offers users a more meaningful and nuanced cannabis experience. 

What is HTFSE’s Full List of Benefits?

Weighing High Terpene Full Spectrum Extract with other extracts, this particular extract offers several advantages. Here’s the full list of what you can get from HTFSEs. 

1. Deliver Flavor and Aroma Like No Other

Notice, nowadays, that most cannabis products are in a constant fight for the title “the most potent.” While potency is still largely relevant, most fall short in flavor and aroma. HTFSEs are still potent for their category, but the high terpene content elevates the experience. 

2. Encourages the So-Called Entourage Effect

Because HTFSE is a “full-spectrum” extract, it contains all of cannabis’s original compounds—cannabinoids, flavonoids, terpenes, etc. The presence of these various compounds triggers the often-quoted “entourage effect.”

Raphael Mechoulam coined the entourage effect, which refers to the synergistic powers of various cannabis compounds. It emphasizes the strength in the totality of effects rather than the effort of one. 

3. Offers Versatility

HTFSE can be manufactured to fit various consumption needs. Its liquid nature makes it versatile enough to be dabbed or vaporized. Others sometimes incorporate it with fast-acting edibles, tinctures, etc. 

4. Doesn’t Compromise Quality

A successful HTFSE process involves sophisticated cannabis extractions that preserve the quality and integrity of cannabis plants. The resulting product is a cleaner, refined, effective, and controlled substance free of impurities and factors compromising quality. 

How to Make HTFSE?

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of the HTFSE-making process, it’s important to highlight that not everyone can make HTFSE at home. The procedures require advanced laboratory equipment administered by someone knowledgeable and experienced. Lastly, this is just an oversimplification of the HTFSE-creation process and should be taken carefully. 

Here is how the process works. 

Step 1: Flash-freezing Process

It begins with acquiring high-grade, fresh buds rich in terpenes and cannabinoids. Starting with subpar materials results in equally low-quality HTFSE. The buds are then frozen during flash-freezing, preserving most of the plant’s cannabinoid and terpene profile. 

Freezing cannabis buds is the reverse of drying or curing buds. With flash-freezing, you preserve the plant’s natural flavors and aroma while curing it strips it of its fragile terpenes. 

Step 2: Extraction

The extraction process attempts to separate the solid plant parts from the real deal (terpenes and cannabinoids). This separation is achieved using solvents like butane at a low boiling point. Once HTFSE slowly starts to materialize, waxes, lipids, fats, and other unwanted chemical compounds are simultaneously removed by a single solvent, deep dewax. 

Step 3: Purification

The purification step involves exposing HTFSE to heat low enough to remove the solvent used in the primary extraction but not high enough to destroy the terpenes. After the solvent has been completely removed from the extract, what’s left is a terpene-rich concentrate called the HTFSE.  

How Strong is HTFSE?

HTFSE manufacturers designed the extract to evoke a refined type of high, but it doesn’t mean that HTFSEs can’t compete with strong cannabis strains like Sour Diesel or Wedding Cake, which sports around 20% THC. Here’s a context explaining why. 

THCA, in its unperturbed state, has no psychotropic effects. However, once heated (dabbed, vaped, or smoked), THCA chemically converts into Delta 9 THC. As a highly psychoactive THC compound, inhaled Delta 9 causes high in its users. However, not all THCA converts into THC.

Only 87.7% of THCA converts into THC. This rule is the standard conversion rate of THCA to THC. Since most HTFSE contains about 50% THCA, it can yield up to 43.85% chemically converted THC.

Here’s what the math looks like with 50 as THCA and 0.877 as the standard conversion rate:

50 x 0.877 = 43.85%

From this calculation, we can deduce that HTFSE can produce up to 43.85% THC—a far cry from the 20% THC of strong cannabis strains. 

What Is the Difference Between HTFSE and HCFSE?

Before we differentiate HTFSE from HCFSE (High Cannabinoid Full Spectrum Extracts), let’s look at their similarity first. Both extracts are “full-spectrum” and use almost the same advanced extraction process. Their main differences lie in the extraction method, content, effects, and appearance. 

Extraction Process: HTFSE vs. HCFSE

The process of producing HTFSE involves preserving the terpene profile of a cannabis plant. It begins by flash-freezing the freshly plucked cannabis buds immediately and using “fractional crystallization” to separate the terpenes from the cannabinoids.

On the other hand, HCFSE focuses on retaining as many cannabinoids as possible with less emphasis on terpenes. The extraction process starts with a pre-processed cannabis material. After the solvent-based extraction, HCFSE undergoes crystallization, focusing on separating as many cannabinoids as possible, specifically THCA, THC, or CBD. 

Composition & Effect: HTFSE vs. HCFSWE

Although both contain almost all types of compounds in a strain, HTFSE has more terpenes, while HCFSE focuses on cannabinoids, specifically THCA. 

HTFSE’s balanced profile of cannabinoids and terpenes provides a more complex and flavorful experience for its users. Meanwhile, because HCFSE focuses on achieving the highest percentage of cannabinoids, the high effect is more straightforward.

Here’s the specific percentage of THCA and terpenes in HTFSEs and HCFSEs. 

HTFSE (High Terpene Full Spectrum Extract)	HCFSE (High Cannabinoid Full Spectrum Extract)
50% THCA	90% THCA
13-40% terpenes	13%-25% terpenes

Texture: HTFSE vs. HCFSE

Another difference between HTFSE and HCFSE is their appearance, with HCFSE having a grainer texture and HTFSE runnier and sauce-like.

Comparing HTFSE With Other Extracts

In comparing HTFSE with other extracts or cannabis concentrates, many factors come into play: composition, production, and the unique characteristics of the final product. HTFSE’s edge, among other concentrates, is its flavorful approach to cannabis consumption. 

HTFSE vs. Live Resin

Among all concentrates, live resin is the closest to HTFSE. Both extracts focus on preserving the plant’s full spectrum of cannabis compounds, but the main difference is in the initial material they use. 

The live resin extraction process requires freshly frozen cannabis buds to capture a broad range of “live” terpenes and cannabinoids. With HTFSE, the process may or may not start with freshly frozen cannabis. 

HTFSE vs. Distillate

Distillates stand out because of their highly purified nature. This vaping liquid undergoes several layers of purification until only THC and CBD compounds are left. If distillates are prized for potency, HTFSE offers a more aromatic, nuanced type of high. 

HTFSE vs. Shatter & Wax

If HTFSEs manifest in a more fluid texture, concentrate shatter and wax adopt a more solid look. Specifically, shatter has a more brittle, glass-like appearance, while wax has a softer, malleable texture. 

Despite the variance in textures and characteristics, HTFSE, wax, and shatter are best consumed as dabbing concentrates. Compared to wax and shatter, HTFSE offers a more explosive sensory experience. 

Where is HTFSE Used?

HTFSE’s versatility as an extract allows it to be used in various forms of inhaling cannabis compounds. Here’s a breakdown of its applications:

HTFSE Carts

HTFSE carts come in different mechanisms and vaping device designs. Most often, they are containers filled with HTFSE and used with a complementing vape pen from the same manufacturer. 

HTFSE Sauce

An HTFSE sauce refers to the combination of “diamonds” and HTFSE. It’s best consumed for dabbing using a dab rig. 

HTFSE Concentrate

The HTFSE concentrate is HTFSE’s pure form before it’s processed to look like its most fluid self. It’s used by those who love to dab the raw, unrefined form of HTFSE. 

HTFSE Dabs

A small amount of HTFSE dab is placed on a dab rig’s heated nail or banger. Once the vapor is thick enough to come out of the pipe, users can suck the vapor. This method allows users to inhale vaporized HTFSE.

HTFSE Diamonds

These HTFSE diamonds are crystalline THCA structures isolated from an HTFSE sauce. They can be dabbed in tandem with HTFSE sauce or on their own. 

HTFSE distillate

This more refined form of HTFSE is often used to produce highly potent and flavorful edibles, tinctures, and vaping e-liquids. If a regular distillate is almost stripped of terpenes, HTFSE retains some original terpenes, although it may not be as aromatic or flavorful as other HTFSE forms.

The Wrap

HTFSE and its forms are every connossourier’s dream. They are potent enough to compete with strong concentrates but exude complexity in aroma and flavor. Not to mention, HTFSE is the perfect concentrate to trigger the sought-after entourage effect. 

FAQ