What To Look For When Buying Cannabis
What separates the different levels of Cannabis flower can be down to a number of variables, from the grower, the genetics, the price and the demand. Since America changed their laws on growing, the marketplace for flowers has been totally flooded. On the other hand, at street level it can be challenging to obtain a consistent batch of great bud when it comes to a local dealer. Below is what to consider when buying Cannabis locally, at a coffeeshop in Amsterdam, social club in Spain or at a dispensary outlet in America or Canada.
An example of low grade, over dried flower[/caption]
A well grown flower[/caption]
Be wary of large sized twigs and stems[/caption]
Top quality hash that is shining under light[/caption]
The Bag Appeal
The first thing that most people will see before usually smelling the flower will be the first impression. In some places such as coffeeshops in Amsterdam, their approach to handling the buds is very strict and as a tourist you may be restricted to a look and smell only policy. There are a number of things I would personally be looking out for and the first is the development of the calyx. Are the buds bulky and fox tailing, or are they small, tight and slightly undeveloped? The next is to look out for the amount of leaf that is covering the bud. This is always an indication into the time the grower spent trimming, so may give you an idea of the work that was put in to get to that stage. A well trimmed bud makes me think the grower is conscious of their end product and pride themselves on the quality of their dried bud. [caption id="attachment_9563" align="alignnone" width="800"] An example of low grade, over dried flower[/caption]
The Aroma
Once you have feasted your eyes on the flowers in question, your next quality control check should be down to aroma. Cannabis is one of the most advanced plants in terms of terpene production and how from over 40,000 terpene groups, the plant is able to emulate its own unique terpene profiles. In the same way that perfume is created by masking one fragrance over another to blend a new aroma, Cannabis plants are able to do this by themselves depending on their genetic make up. When a dried flower is presented to you, the first thing you should think about is how the smell when untouched comes across. Then breaking open a bud and allowing the bud to get as a close as possible to your nostrils should release a slightly different smell. When grinding up, you will find new terpenes will be released creating a new aroma that can be found when smelling a freshly ground bud. What I am describing here is what top shelf Cannabis flower can be like, so if the aroma test falls short, then think twice as the terpenes are what makes the flower taste in the first place. I know I would prefer tasty smooth Cannabis over a harsh tasting strong variety.Size and Weight
If a flower looks the part and smells even better, the next thing to look out for is the overall weight of dried flower. I say dried flower as not everyone will dry their flowers accordingly, which may be down to profits, time restrictions or just greed. It is important to understand that not all varieties of Cannabis will produce the same flower and under the same circumstances. Unlike tulips for example which was once a primary currency in Holland at one point, the quality of Cannabis grown world wide can range from awful to cup winning. If you enter a coffee shop or dispensary, then you can most likely expect to choose flowers that have been cured for a short amount of time and are dry enough to break open with an audible snap. My point here is to never buy flower that is not fully dried, in the same sense you would be dubious of buying flower that was over dried and lifeless. A flower that has a strong aroma and long lasting, loud fragrance will only translate this way when smoking, just like a flower that is too dry will take like dead wood. [caption id="attachment_9564" align="alignnone" width="800"] A well grown flower[/caption]
How Sticky Is It?
Just because a bud is super resionous and silver to the naked eye, it does not mean that it has to arrive in your hands wet. Sticky buds mean that the genetics are very good and the grower also did a great job. Sticky moist buds should not be confused with trichome rich flower and often a mistake smokers make when buying something that smells incredible but is not quite ready to smoke properly and to get the best overall experience from the flower. At the same time you do not want to buy flower that has no resin on or very little, which can often be a case of outdoor Cannabis making its way around the local scene, or just a large indoor crop of schwag weed that someone is selling cheap. The more you grow and the more you learn to dry your crop and cure will allow you to better recognise if a bud is at its pinnacle point for smoking.The Presentation
To me personally this is a big one and can indicate a few red flags. My mind set when trimming flower is to be as delicate as humanly possible, whilst preserving every single sugar leaf and trichome for hash making. I also like to make that every single flower is as close to identical as possible and will end up with totally cleaned up 1 inch sized, thick buds. When receiving any amount of Cannabis flower be vigilant of large sized twigs that should have been removed. In my world there is no excuse for leaving any twig in any part of my buds, so you should not have to endure this either. When buying a large amount, you can tell from the consistency of the buds if the grower is careful with the trim job and if there are a handful of good looking buds and the rest is made up of lower popcorn nugs. [caption id="attachment_9565" align="alignnone" width="800"] Be wary of large sized twigs and stems[/caption]
Avoid Dark Coloured Brown Buds
You must be very careful to ever come across dark coloured flowers. I do not mean purple strains or anything of this nature, however the dark green pesticide flowers that do float around. In Spain they are absolutely everywhere and the aroma that is associated with them is disgusting. These buds will most certainly originate from an outdoor crop that most likely had mold, mildew, bud rot and was hammered with pesticides from day one. Everything about dark green buds should scream low grade schwag and it is not even worth smoking a joint unless you want the room to fill with a foul burning smell which is a mix of dry hay and seed. Be careful and look out for dark green, bronze and brown colouring of buds and no matter how cheap and cheerful avoid at all costs.Asking The Dealer
It is amazing how the Cannabis scene has evolved where we can find dealers at social clubs, dispensaries and coffee shops. Gone are the days for most of us when it was the luck of the draw and hoping that your local dealer still had some more of that last batch. What is great about the dealer is they will have an insight about the strains available, what each one is like in terms of aroma, effects, flavour, cannabinoid profile and so on. If you have the opportunity to ask a trained member of staff at a Cannabis outlet then you will receive well informed knowledge about their stock and which suits your recreational or medicinal needs the most. In America and California the scene is a little different to in Europe where there is more of close interaction with the patients. In europe the Cannabis scene evolves heavily around Amsterdam and Barcelona where the culture is more hustle and bustle. [caption id="attachment_9566" align="alignnone" width="800"] Top quality hash that is shining under light[/caption]
