Cannabis kief on a scoop from a grinder.

If you've been smoking cannabis for a while, you've probably heard of kief. But what exactly is it? Kief is the collection of trichomes—those tiny, resinous glands on the buds of your cannabis plant. These glands contain most of the active compounds like THC and terpenes. This is why kief is essentially a pure and potent form of cannabis. How do you get it? Very easily: sieve your weed!

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What is kief and how do you make it?

The word "kief" comes from Arabic and means pleasure or joy. You can recognize kief by its fine, powdery texture. It is created by sifting cannabis. The easiest way to sieve your weed is by using a grinder with a sieve. Such a grinder has an extra chamber beneath the sieve to collect kief. Gathering kief is like mining for gold. It takes time, but the patience is richly rewarded. The more you use the grinder, the more kief collects in the kief tray. Keep in mind that in Morocco, kief is something different from trichome powder. There, it refers to a mix of finely chopped cannabis and tobacco that is smoked in a traditional sebsi pipe.

Kief at the bottom of a grinder with a scraper.

Sativa, indica, or a mix?

You may wonder: is kief sativa or indica? It can be either. Kief is a highly concentrated version of all the cannabinoids and terpenes from the weed you sifted. Did you put a sativa in the grinder? Then you'll get an uplifting and energizing high from kief. Indica? Expect a deeply relaxing, stoned effect*.

*Not every indica is necessarily relaxing. And not every sativa causes an energizing high. Here we explain how the high of sativa and indica works.

In practice, kief is often a potent mix of different strains.

Is kief stronger than weed?

Absolutely. Since kief consists mainly of trichomes, it contains much more THC and CBD than regular buds. While weed averages 15-20% THC, kief can easily reach 40-60%. Perfect if you're looking for an extra powerful experience.

Is kief legal?

Yes and no. It depends on where you live. In the Netherlands, the same rule applies as for cannabis: as long as you keep it at home and don't possess large quantities, you're usually safe. But because of its high THC concentration, kief can be considered a hard drug in some countries. Always check local laws.

Kief vs. hash

Since kief is strong and sticky, it also makes an excellent base for making hash. Kief and hash, however, are not the same. Kief is the pure form of trichomes, and you can make certain types of hash from it. A popular form is polm, but there are also other types of hash that you can make from kief.

  • Polm – Polm is a soft, lightly pressed hash from Morocco. It is mild in flavor and effect and is often seen as a good entry-level type due to its lighter high.
  • Moroccan hash – This is one of the most well-known types of hash in Europe. It is made from dry-sifted kief and then firmly pressed into blocks or discs. Moroccan hash can range from light brown to dark brown and is known for its spicy flavor and balanced high.
  • Afghan hash – Often recognizable by its dark, almost black color and sticky texture. It is usually made from kief that is produced when making another type of hash, charas. Charas is rubbed by hand from cannabis plants. This type of hash is firmly pressed and known for its very powerful body effects and high THC content.
  • Bubble Hash (ice-o-lator) – Bubble hash is a more modern form of hash made by separating kief using water and ice. By separating the trichomes from the plant material with cold water, very pure kief is collected. This kief is then pressed into hash. Bubble hash is often very strong and contains less plant material than traditional hash.

Polm hash, made from kief.

Can you combine kief with hash?

Combining kief with hash can provide an incredible high that will even make regular smokers stumble. You're combining two forms of concentrated cannabis.

  • In a joint: Roll your hash and weed together in a joint, then sprinkle a layer of kief on top. This will create an extra strong smoking experience.
  • In a bowl: Add a little hash to your pipe or bong, then sprinkle kief on top. This will give you a powerful hit that kicks in quickly.
  • With dabs: If you're already using a dab rig to smoke concentrates, you can add a little kief to your hash for a real punch.

For the real die-hards, there are moonrocks, but that's a topic for another article!

How do you use kief?

There are countless ways to use kief. The most common? Sprinkle it over your joint for an extra kick! After a few joints, you'll have enough kief collected at the bottom of your grinder to make a stronger joint. You can also make an entire joint out of it, though these are deceptively strong. On the other side of the ocean, where joints are less popular than in Europe, weed is often smoked pure. Pipes and bongs are much more popular in the US and Canada. Fill your bowl with kief and kick back from the hit!

K ief from a cannabis grinder.

Can you use kief in edibles?

Yes, you can definitely use kief in edibles! In fact, kief is a great option for making edibles because it is much more concentrated than regular weed. This means you need less plant material to achieve the same effect. Edibles made from or with kief are often stronger.

How do you incorporate kief into edibles?

Just like with cannabis, you first need to decarboxylate kief to activate the THC. You do this by heating it at a low temperature. Preheat your oven to 110°C, spread the kief on a baking sheet, and bake it for about 30 minutes. Once it is decarboxylated, you can mix it with butter, coconut oil, or another fat-rich base to make kief butter or kief oil. If it's made from pure kief and you use the same weight, it can be 5 to 20 times stronger than weed butter or weed oil. So be careful with dosing!

How much kief should you use for edibles?

Since kief is much stronger than weed, you need less of it. This is a common mistake for beginners. Start, for example, with 0.5 grams of kief per serving for a potent edible. Add it to your favorite recipe for brownies, cookies, or whatever you like. Be cautious: edibles with kief can be quite potent, so take it slow if you're experimenting for the first time. Give it at least an hour to kick in, or better yet, two hours. Edibles need to be absorbed through the digestive system, which takes much longer than when you smoke or vape.

Kief in a grinder with a rolling tray and joint in the background.

Can you vaporize kief in a vaporizer?

Kief is perfect for vaporizers, especially if you're looking for a more potent experience than vaping regular buds. Here are a few tips on how to use kief optimally in your vaporizer:

How do you use kief in a vaporizer?

Use a layer of weed as a base: Since kief is fine and sticky, it can block the airflow in your vaporizer if you put it directly into the chamber. A handy trick is to place a thin layer of weed or herbs under the kief and possibly a layer on top as well. This prevents the kief from falling through your vaporizer. Another popular tool is vape wool. This is degummed hemp fiber that greatly expands the possibilities of any vaporizer. 

Temperature setting: Since kief is much finer, it vaporizes at lower temperatures than weed. Set your vaporizer slightly lower than you may be used to. Between 160°C and 180°C is ideal. This ensures that the THC and terpenes vaporize optimally without burning the kief.*

Not too much at once: Because kief is very concentrated, you don't need much to achieve a strong effect. Start with a small amount and add more if needed.

*Electric vaporizers can no longer be sold in the Netherlands, but how about the ingenious DynaVap? The perfect combination of pipe and vaporizer.

What are the benefits of vaping kief?

Vaping kief is not only more economical because it contains more THC, but it also provides a purer taste experience. You get all the benefits of the powerful trichomes without vaping the plant material, resulting in smoother and more flavorful vapor.

A grinder with cannabis buds and a compartment filled with kief.

What are the best kief strains?

If you're looking for the best strains to make kief from, you want strains known for their high THC content and trichome production. Some of the best strains that will consistently produce kief are included in our THC Master Mix :

All of these strains are known for their high resin production, meaning you can expect a good amount of kief. Want to get the most out of your kief? Use a grinder with a kief catcher to collect every last trichome.

There is a lot to say about kief, but the basics are simple. What falls to the bottom of your grinder is far from waste! These dusty, sticky trichomes turn every joint, edible, or bong hit into a sensation.