CRC vs BHO How One Process Filters and the Other Extracts

Written by Lorien Strydom

January 20th, 2026

BHO uses butane to extract cannabinoids and terpenes from cannabis.

CRC is an optional filtration step that runs the extracted oil through media like bentonite clay, silica gel, or activated carbon.

It strips pigments and certain impurities. They're not competing methods.

BHO is how you extract. CRC is how you filter within that extraction.

Once you understand this relationship, the real question becomes whether an operator used CRC to enhance the quality of the starting material or to rescue poor inputs.

Color used to be a shortcut for judging that.

CRC broke that proxy, though.

We'll show you what actually changes after CRC filtration. You'll learn how safety and testing work in US markets.

You'll also learn how to buy concentrates with confidence now that visual inspection no longer tells the whole story. Professional closed-loop systems matter for both safety and consistency.

This is why we emphasize transparent extraction methods in everything we produce.

Table of Contents

• What BHO and CRC Actually Are
• Why Color Stopped Being Your Best Guide
• The CRC Controversy Without Taking Sides
• Safety and Testing in US Markets
• How to Buy Concentrates When You Can't Trust Color
• Why CRC Quality Varies by Producer
• Where CRC Fits in the Concentrate Landscape
• What You Actually Need to Remember

What BHO and CRC Actually Are

BHO stands for butane hash oil extraction. Professional operations perform this extraction in closed-loop systems.

These recapture the solvent after it pulls cannabinoids and terpenes from cannabis material.

The process yields different textures depending on post-processing. Shatter has a glass-like consistency.

Wax is opaque and crumbly. Budder takes on a creamy texture.

CRC stands for Color Remediation Column. It's a filtration step that happens within the BHO workflow.

Not a separate extraction method.

After butane dissolves the cannabinoids and terpenes, the solution can pass through a column packed with filtration media. This media removes pigments, chlorophyll, and certain impurities.

The oil then moves to collection.

What's the Difference Between BHO and CRC?

BHO is the extraction method that uses butane as a solvent. It pulls compounds from cannabis.

CRC is a filtration column packed with bentonite clay and silica. BHO passes through after extraction to remove color and impurities.

The closed-loop versus open-loop distinction matters more than most consumer articles acknowledge. Closed-loop systems recapture butane.

They operate in C1D1-rated environments that meet explosive atmosphere safety standards. This represents the professional baseline.

Open-loop methods release butane gas into the atmosphere. They pose serious safety risks.

They also produce inconsistent results because operators can't control solvent recovery or reuse purified butane.

Understanding these fundamentals changes how you evaluate any concentrate. When brands talk about their extraction approach, they're describing the BHO process.

When they mention filtration or remediation, they're referencing CRC or similar post-processing.

Why Color Stopped Being Your Best Guide

CRC filtration typically lightens concentrate color from amber to pale gold or near-white. The media strips out plant pigments and waxes.

These contribute to darker hues.

Here's where the old shortcut breaks down. Two pale concentrates on a dispensary shelf can look nearly identical.

One might come from fresh-frozen flower processed gently with minimal filtration. It preserves a naturally light color and full terpene profile.

The other could be trim-run oil that started dark brown. It got heavily remediated to rescue its appearance.

Some people point to very light color, flat aroma, or slight chemical notes as possible CRC indicators. None of these signs are definitive.

How to Tell If Your Dabs Are CRC?

Identifying CRC is difficult because light color alone doesn't confirm its use. Very pale, near-white concentrates suggest CRC processing.

Skilled operators can preserve natural golden hues though. Others might not use CRC at all and still produce darker oils from genetics that naturally contain more pigments.

You often cannot tell by sight alone whether CRC was used. You can't determine how aggressively it was applied.

You also can't tell whether it enhanced or masked the starting material quality. Visual inspection worked when color correlated with input quality.

That relationship dissolved once remediation entered the picture.

This is the transition point where trust had to shift from what you see to what brands document. If color stopped working as a proxy, what replaced it?

The CRC Controversy Without Taking Sides

When applied to quality starting material by a skilled operator, CRC can filter bitter pigments and haze. The result reveals a cleaner flavor profile.

It preserves cannabinoids and much of the terpene content.

When used to rescue poor inputs or run too aggressively, CRC can mute aroma. It makes low-grade oil look premium.

This raises legitimate disclosure and trust concerns.

Does CRC Remove Terpenes?

CRC doesn't automatically strip all terpenes. Aggressive filtration can reduce aromatic compounds along with pigments though.

Media selection, packing density, and filtration parameters determine outcomes. Properly executed CRC preserves most terpenes while removing unwanted plant matter.

Excessive remediation mutes flavor significantly.

The myth that CRC "strips everything" oversimplifies what's actually a variable process. Different media types affect terpenes differently.

Bentonite clay primarily targets pigments and some polar compounds. Silica gel can pull more terpenes if the column is packed too tightly or the solution moves too slowly.

Activated carbon is the most aggressive option. It requires careful control.

Some producers add terpenes back after heavy remediation. This practice, called re-terping, sometimes uses cannabis-derived terpenes.

Sometimes it uses botanical sources that approximate cannabis profiles.

Is CRC Bad?

CRC is a neutral tool whose outcomes depend entirely on operator skill and input quality. Professional extractors use it to refine already-good material.

Others use it to disguise poor starting material. The filtration method itself doesn't determine whether the final product delivers quality or masks deficiencies.

The catch-22 becomes clear when you realize both applications produce similar-looking results. Two pale golden concentrates might represent opposite approaches to quality.

The remediation column doesn't announce its purpose.

This balanced view matters because oversimplification pushes readers toward either blind acceptance or blanket rejection. Neither position serves you well when evaluating specific products.

Safety and Testing in US Markets

Important Disclaimer: This article provides informational content only and is not medical or wellness advice. Always make informed decisions based on your individual needs and circumstances.

Safety concerns concentrate around poor implementation. Not the filtration concept itself.

Inadequate final filtration can allow media fines into the finished oil. These are tiny clay or silica particles.

Some activated carbons contain ash that may carry metals if not properly controlled. Quality operators use pharmaceutical-grade media and multi-stage filtration to prevent contamination.

Many state testing panels do not screen specifically for CRC media presence. Labs test for heavy metals, pesticides, and residual solvents.

Silica or bentonite detection isn't standard in most compliance frameworks though.

California allows up to 5,000 ppm butane and 5,000 ppm propane in inhalable cannabis products. These limits apply to all BHO concentrates.

Regardless of whether CRC filtration was used.

Closed-loop equipment reduces risk by recovering solvents efficiently. Correct media packing prevents channeling.

Channeling could allow unfiltered solution to bypass the remediation column. Final micron filtration catches particles before oil reaches collection.

Proper purging removes residual solvents to safe levels. Third-party testing verifies that purging was successful.

It also confirms heavy metals stay within acceptable limits.

We make certificates of analysis available on every product page. You can verify cannabinoid profiles, terpene content, and contaminant testing before making a purchase decision.

Our quality standards emphasize closed-loop extraction and C1D1-rated processing environments. We also use comprehensive testing protocols.

These aren't marketing claims. They're verifiable practices you can check through batch-specific documentation.

How to Buy Concentrates When You Can't Trust Color

Trust now rests on three pillars that replace visual inspection. Brand reputation built over time shows consistent quality across multiple batches and products.

Clear disclosure about extraction methods and filtration tells you whether a company runs closed-loop BHO, uses CRC, or takes a different approach entirely. Accessible certificates of analysis show cannabinoid and terpene profiles.

They also show contaminant testing.

A COA can tell you total cannabinoid content, terpene percentages, and whether the product passed safety screenings. Tests for pesticides, heavy metals, and microbials.

It cannot tell you whether CRC was used unless the producer voluntarily discloses that information.

Consistent profiles across batches signal process control. When a brand's Zkittlez concentrate shows similar terpene ratios and cannabinoid levels from batch to batch, you're seeing evidence of reliable production methods.

How Do I Avoid CRC Concentrates?

Choose solventless extracts like traditional hash, ice water hash, or rosin if avoiding CRC matters to you. These products use mechanical separation or heat and pressure.

Rather than hydrocarbon solvents. This makes CRC filtration impossible by definition since there's no dissolved solution to filter.

For readers specifically interested in terpene-forward processing, live rosin represents the solventless equivalent of live resin. It captures fresh-frozen cannabis flavor.

Without any solvent-based extraction or filtration steps.

We publish COAs directly on product pages rather than making you request them. Our closed-loop hydrocarbon approach gets explained in our extraction method comparisons.

We emphasize terpene preservation throughout live resin workflows.

This represents the trust framework we've outlined in action. Many hemp-derived brands don't provide extraction method transparency.

They don't make testing accessible without customer service requests. Our disclosure approach recognizes that informed buyers make better decisions.

Browse our concentrate selection to see how batch-specific testing and clear product descriptions apply. Across different formats and potencies.

Why CRC Quality Varies by Producer

The mechanics explain why two operators using CRC can produce dramatically different results. Common media types include T5 bentonite clay, silica gel in various grades, and magnesium silicate.

Even packing matters because loose media allows channeling. Solution finds the path of least resistance.

Proper column sizing affects flow rate. Too fast and filtration becomes incomplete.

Too slow and terpene contact time increases.

What Is in a CRC Column?

A CRC column typically contains layered filtration media. T5 bentonite clay for pigment removal.

Silica gel for moisture and certain impurities. Sometimes activated carbon for aggressive filtration.

Professional setups include 0.45-micrometer final filtration. This catches any media particles before the oil reaches collection.

Final micron filtration catches clay or silica fines before oil moves to the collection vessel. This step separates professional operations from amateur setups.

Amateur setups skip particle removal.

The closed-loop versus open-loop distinction appears again here. C1D1-rated environments don't just protect workers.

They enable precise pressure and temperature control that affects filtration efficiency.

This explanation exists to clarify why outcomes vary. Not to teach column operation.

The curious reader now understands that CRC quality differences trace to specific mechanical choices. Rather than mysterious variables.

Our approach to terpene extraction prioritizes preservation over remediation. When filtration becomes necessary, controlled parameters and pharmaceutical-grade media maintain the full-spectrum profile.

That makes concentrates worth consuming.

Where CRC Fits in the Concentrate Landscape

CRC is widespread across legal cannabis markets. Not a fringe technique.

Remediation-style filtration appears throughout food and beverage industries. Color consistency matters for consumer acceptance.

Professional extractors estimate that filtration methods similar to CRC touch most products in regulated markets. The practice isn't inherently problematic.

It's how discretely or transparently it gets applied.

CRC-filtered BHO represents one approach. Live resin workflows that prioritize native terpenes take another path.

They process fresh-frozen material at cold temperatures to preserve aromatics from the start.

Distillate removes solvents during a different refinement process. It strips most terpenes and minor cannabinoids.

The result delivers high THC percentages but requires added terpenes to provide flavor.

Solventless products like rosin and ice water hash skip hydrocarbons entirely. These concentrates use mechanical separation or heat and pressure.

Creating different flavor profiles and consistencies.

Is CRC Common?

CRC and similar filtration methods are used across most legal cannabis markets.

 Professional extractors estimate that remediation techniques touch a significant portion of concentrate production.

Where visual consistency matters for retail appeal.

Compare these approaches through experience rather than assuming one method beats all others. Different concentrate types suit different preferences and usage contexts.

What You Actually Need to Remember

BHO extracts cannabinoids and terpenes using butane as a solvent. CRC filters the extracted solution within that process.

To remove pigments and impurities.

Color lightens with CRC filtration but no longer signals input quality or final product characteristics. Two pale concentrates can represent opposite approaches to quality control.

Safety depends on equipment quality, proper filtration technique, and comprehensive testing. Labels alone don't tell you whether CRC was applied skillfully.

Or used to mask deficiencies.

Buy based on three factors that replaced visual inspection. Brand reputation built across multiple batches.

Clear disclosure about extraction methods. Accessible certificates of analysis showing cannabinoid profiles and safety testing.

If avoiding CRC matters to your purchasing decisions, choose solventless options. Traditional hash, ice water hash, or rosin.

These products can't include solvent-based filtration by definition.

Our emphasis on closed-loop systems, terpene preservation, and published COAs aligns with the trust framework this guide outlined.

We provide the documentation and transparency that make informed decisions possible.

As the concentrate market matures, transparency will keep improving. Favor brands that lead on disclosure.

Rather than waiting for regulations to force compliance.

You can verify everything discussed here through our COA reading guides and quality verification frameworks. The tools exist.

Use them to evaluate any concentrate purchase with confidence.

Mood offers millions of users hemp-derived THC, which is 100% legal and fully compliant cannabis. You may have heard that the legality of hemp-derived THC is currently under attack.

This could threaten the wellness of so many.

Read here to learn how to join the fight. Help us keep hemp cannabis accessible to all for a long time to come.