There are so many ways to do things and exponentially more to interpret what’s been done. Even with our intentions to keep our process and products deliberately simple, we’re amazed by the number of choices each one still demands. Our promise to you is that we will be clear and forthright about our decisions in the hopes of helping you be informed about what you consume.
Once our harvest is cured and stable, we send samples of the dried hemp to a laboratory for a safety screen, ensuring that our crop is devoid of mold, pesticides, heavy metals and mycotoxins. Purity is important to us, particularly because our preferred method of consumption is a full-spectrum oil that concentrates the plant’s natural resins. Getting a clean bill of health from the lab means that our final oil is free from any potential environmental contaminants. Once we have this clearance, which goes well beyond USDA standards, we shuttle about twenty pounds of flower up to Kria Botanicals, our processor in Burlington, VT.
Extraction. It feels like kind of a dirty word, implying an aggressive, linear path that’s all about the take. That’s why we’re thankful to be linked up with our “Oompa-Loompas” at Kria Botanicals, though they are notably absent of Day-Glo skin and diminutive stature. Regardless, Team Kria elicits a response from the hemp in the form of oil rather than bending the plant to their will. From our layman’s point of view, it seems they keep a keen eye on the nexus of art and science and we love the balance that they’ve found.
The first step is to grind the flower to create a homogenous blend. They then decarboxylate the hemp by baking it at a low temperature. The heat removes an acidic carboxyl group and transforms the molecule CBDA into CBD, making it more available to the cannabinoid receptors in your body.
The “decarbed” material is then loaded into their equipment where the conversation continues.
What we learned from working with Kria is that not all CO2 processes are created equal. Whereas most extractors use a supercritical approach, holding the CO2 in a state where it is simultaneously a liquid and a gas at the same time, Kria performs a subcritical technique, manipulating the CO2 into a liquid form that is more selective about what is teased out of the plant material. The result is a pure and potent oil, exhibiting a profile closer to the plant itself.
Another benefit of this method is that the resulting oil does not need to be “winterized.” Winterization is an ethanol wash that removes any unwanted plant waxes or chlorophyll. Avoiding this process means that our oil is absolutely alcohol-free.
At this point, the oil is the color and consistency of maple syrup. That’s especially appealing to us, being from a state known for its wonderful maple trees and the sweet sap that runs each spring. But while that consistency might be great for your pancakes or corn fritters, we prefer our final product to be a little less viscous. Team Kria obliges by mixing it to our desired consistency in our carrier oil, MCT, a coconut derivative that’s powerful in its own right.
And that’s it! From there, it’s a relatively short trip across the length of Vermont to our Bravo processing space in Guilford where we bottle it up and also craft the simple, organic products we make for you.
From seed to shelf, we’re paying close attention to all the steps along the way in order to fulfill our mission of bringing fairly priced premium organic CBD to the market. While it can be challenging to find an appropriate level of technology as we intervene in natural systems, we feel up to the task and will always be transparent about the reasons behind our preferences.
Oompa-Loompas or not, Bravo CBD is nothing short of your Golden Ticket to wellness.
