Cannabis goes far beyond leafy plants and dense nugs. From wax to shake to distillates, it comes in ample forms, whether created through a complex process or simply dissected. Kief is a beloved and natural part of the cannabis plant, and there’s a laundry list of things to do with it. Where does this magic, powdery substance come from? And what’s the best way to get high off it? Answers to follow, friends. What Is Kief? Kief (or keef) refers to the tiny trichomes found on cannabis flower. These crystalline structures are what give many cannabis strains that fuzzy appearance. They might look like tiny crystals or little hairs on the outside of nugs. It’s a more potent and pure form of cannabis. It holds many of the compounds, including cannabinoids and terpenes.Does Kief Get You Higher?Yes, for sure. The cannabinoids in kief are highly concentrated compared to the rest of the cannabis plant. A bowl of kief is going to contain a lot more Delta-9 THC, CBD, terpenes, and other cannabinoids than a bowl full of straight flower. Most marijuana strains have 15-30% THC content. Kief THC content is closer to 50-80%, so it’s more than twice the potency. If you’re just now experimenting with kief, start slowly so you don’t overwhelm yourself. It’s easy for people to get excited with their kief use and end up getting uncomfortably and anxiously high. How to Collect KiefWhile most people collect kief in their grinders (which I’ll explain below), it’s not the only way to collect the potent crystals. I recommend buying a grinder to make your life easier, but you can also try the other methods. Kief CatcherA kief catcher is the bottom compartment of a grinder that’s designed to collect all the kief from the weed nugs that you grind. Not all grinders come with one, so double-check when you’re shopping. The compartment sits below a screen that allows kief to fall through as you grind. If you’ve been using a grinder for a while and never opened that chamber, you probably have a powdery green goldmine waiting for you. You can maximize kief collection by shaking your grinder after grinding bud or placing a coin in the kief catcher or main chamber, which encourages more trichomes to fall to the bottom.Silk ScreensIf you have silk screens or micron screens, which are tiny metal screens that you can put at the bottom of bowls to prevent scooby snacks (when you accidentally pull ash or weed through your bowl and into your mouth), or keep bong water cleaner for longer. You can hold the screen over a bowl or plate and rub nugs against it to sift the kief off. The screens are usually tiny, so it’s a pain in the ass, but you can buy bigger ones or try using a very fine kitchen strainer. Sifter BoxesSifter boxes are specifically designed to help you collect a lot of kief quickly. They come in many different designs, but they’re all essentially boxes with sifters inside. Some have handles that turn a sifting wheel, while others are meant to be closed and shaken to collect kief. You only need one of these if you want to harvest kief in large amounts. Otherwise, one of the two options above is fine. The kief-obsessed stoners might invest the $30-60 to get one, but the average toker won’t need one.Best Ways To Use KiefWhat’s the best way to use this glorious collection of kief? What a fun question. There are countless ways. Let’s talk about the most common (and easiest) ways to use up your kief before it’s too old. Mix Into BudI recommend mixing a little kief back into your weed before using it if you’re new to kief. Grind or break up your weed as you normally would, and then place it on a rolling tray or other solid surface. Drop a pinch of kief and mix it all around. Roll it, pack it, bake it, or whatever you want to do. For newbies, this is ideal because the kief will be evenly dispersed and won’t deliver one intense hit. Top BowlsBuuut if you want that intense hit, you can top off a bowl with a pinch of kief. Pack your pipe or bong, and then use the little kief scooper to cover the top with kief. When you hit it, you’ll burn the kief first and get a potent, smoky hit. This will be stronger than normal, so be ready to cough or maybe lie down for a minute from the headrush. Roll JointsYou can mix kief into the weed you use to roll a joint. Or you can make it more fun by adding a little wax or oil to the outside of your rolled joint, and then covering it with kief! You can also just wet the outside with a tiny bit of water or saliva, but you risk tearing the paper, and you might have to wait for it to dry before you can smoke. I’ve found licking the paper very lightly, almost like sealing an envelope, to be effective. But it takes some finesse. Cook or Bake EdiblesMaking cannabutter and other edibles is much easier with kief than it is with shake or nugs. You won’t wind up with large pieces of weed in your final product, and they’ll be extra potent because of kief’s higher THC concentration. You can also keep things stupidly simple and just sprinkle a little kief into your PB&J or ice cream. The flavor is subtle enough that it won’t alter the flavor dramatically. It won’t get you as high as smoking or making edibles, but it will still uplift you a little. More Options for Advanced KiefersIt can also be made into concentrates, like sugar or shatter or wax, or used in tinctures that can be added to food, drinks, and cosmetic products. You could also press your kief into hash, which can be smoked on its own and is quite potent. Lastly (and my favorite), you can make moon rocks. Just coat nugs with oil or wax and then roll them around in kief for a ridiculously strong smoking experience. FYI: Do not grind moon rocks. That’s a stoner sin. Just break them up a little and pack them into a bowl. Things to KnowOkay, just a few more things I want to mention to anyone who is not familiar with kief!It Burns QuicklyKief burns fast. This means two things. 1. Once you light it, you need to smoke it, or it’ll be gone and you’ll get nothing. This can be beneficial sometimes, as it can help joints burn more evenly, but it can also be a problem if you’re not prepared for the intensity. Use It or Lose ItJust like bud, kief cannot last forever. It will lose potency over time and may even become moldy. If you have a kief collection you won’t be using in the next few weeks, it’s ideal to seal it in an airtight container. It’s even better if you put it in the freezer to keep it fresh. Keep it DryGetting kief wet is a disaster. Drying it out again feels like an impossible feat, and once it gets wet, it won’t light. It’ll also grow mold if it remains damp. I don’t have any clever tips here — just do not let it near moisture, and your kief will stay smokable and strong.Kief SuppliesEveryone needs a good grinder with a kief catcher. Make sure you have one like the Mars Grinder that can get the job done. (opens in a new window)King PalmMars Grinder With Kief Catcher(opens in a new window)Available at King PalmBuy Now(opens in a new window)Collect a ton of kief as quickly as possible with this Solid Top Screen Box. (opens in a new window)RYOTSolid Top Screen Box(opens in a new window)Available at RYOTBuy Now(opens in a new window)Keep your glass pieces cleaner with these Screen Filters, or use them to harvest a little kief from your nugs. (opens in a new window)Smoke CartelGold/Brass Screen Filters(opens in a new window)Available at Smoke CartelBuy Now(opens in a new window)The post What Is Kief? (And What To Do With It) appeared first on VICE.