The Truth About Shake: A Guide to Finding the Hidden Treasure
Let’s talk about the most misunderstood product on the dispensary menu: shake.
Most people hear the word and immediately think of the dusty, dried-out garbage at the bottom of a giant storage tote. And sometimes, let’s be honest, that’s exactly what it is.
Recommended Strains
Bubblegum Auto
-
THC: 15% - 23% -
Type of seed: Autoflowering -
Phenotype: 45% Sativa / 55% Indica -
Flavor: Berry, Sweet, Tropical -
Life cycle of: 8 - 10 weeks
Bubblegum Cookies
-
THC: 17% - 22%
-
Type of seed: Feminized
-
Phenotype: 50% Sativa / 50% Indica
-
Flavor: Bubblegum, Fruity, Strawberry, Sweet
-
Day to flower: 8 - 10 weeks
But there’s another kind of shake. A good kind. A traditional, respectable, and even desirable kind. The secret for any cannabis enthusiast is learning how to tell the difference between the trash and the treasure.
The Treasure: What Good Shake Is
So what is “good” shake? It’s not just random broken-up buds. Good shake is the valuable, trichome-covered material that’s left over from a careful, artisanal process. It usually comes in two forms.
- “Sugar Leaf” Trim: When a master grower is hand-trimming their beautiful, top-shelf harvest, they are meticulously snipping away the small leaves that grow out of the buds. These leaves, called “sugar leaves,” are absolutely caked in frosty trichomes. When this material is collected, it becomes a high-quality shake. It’s less potent than the pure flower, of course, but it’s still packed with the flavor and essence of the plant.
- “Post-Sift” Flower: This is the real insider’s secret. When artisans make traditional, solventless dry sift hash, they do it by gently tumbling or sifting the cannabis flowers over fine mesh screens to knock the resin glands off. What’s left behind after this ancient and respectful process? It’s the flower itself, which has given up most, but not all, of its resin to the hash. This material is an incredibly flavorful and high-quality type of shake.
Promos & Deals
The Trash: What Bad Shake Is
Now, what is “bad” shake? That’s the stuff that gives the name a bad rap. It’s the random collection of crumbs, tiny leaf bits, and even stems that have been swept up from the bottom of a dispensary’s bulk storage container. It’s often a mystery mix of a dozen different strains, it’s usually old and dry, and it lacks any real character or flavor. It’s cheap for a reason.
The Best Use for Shake
So what do you do with shake? Even the good stuff is best used in a few specific ways. It’s perfect for rolling large joints or blunts, where you need a bit more volume without using up all of your top-shelf nugs. It is also the absolute ideal and most cost-effective starting material for making your own Homegrown edibles, tinctures, or infusions.
The next time you see “shake” on a menu, don’t just dismiss it. Ask about its origin. Is it a strain-specific collection of sugar leaf trim? Or is it the leftovers from the bottom of the barrel? Learning to ask the right questions is a key part of our Community’s shared journey to Innovate and be smarter consumers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is cannabis “shake,” in simple terms?
Shake is the collection of small bits and pieces of cannabis that fall off the main buds during handling and processing. It can either be low-quality “trash” (random crumbs from a big storage bin) or high-quality “treasure” (the trichome-covered “sugar leaves” from a hand-trimming session).
What is “sugar leaf” shake?
When a grower trims their harvested buds, they snip off the small leaves that grow out of the flower. These “sugar leaves” are typically covered in a frosty layer of trichomes. The collection of this trim is known as sugar leaf shake, and it’s a high-quality type of shake that’s great for rolling or making edibles.
Why is some shake so cheap?
The cheap shake you see at dispensaries is usually the “bottom-of-the-bag” variety. It’s the collection of all the small, broken-off bits from a large container that might hold many different strains. It’s often older, drier, and less potent than a strain-specific shake made from sugar leaves.
What is the best use for cannabis shake?
Shake is ideal for two main purposes. First, it’s great for rolling large joints or blunts, as you can use a lot of it without breaking the bank. Second, it is the perfect cost-effective starting material for making your own cannabis-infused edibles, tinctures, or topicals.
