As a home grower, having full time access to top shelf cannabis buds, hashes and extracts makes life easy and gives you the ultimate peace of mind. However, in the event we are away from home in another country, then sourcing the terpene rich 10/10 flower you are used to, may not be so easy. In this article we explain all about quality control when buying cannabis buds at street level or coffee shop, 5 signs of good and bad weed, and what to consider next time you are on the search for high grade.
The different grades of Cannabis buds
I think at one point we have all experienced buying flowers at street level, which can be hit or miss. Spending money and ending up with garbage cannabis buds can be a pride swallowing siege, so below are the different grades to look out for and what to consider.
Low grade cannabis buds
These are the type of buds that have terrible bag appeal, and have a darker than usual appearance. Upon closer inspection, there will be a small ratio of trichomes and most likely a high leaf to bud ratio. Low grade buds are typically scrappy looking with large twigs attached.
The aroma and flavor of low grade cannabis buds will be minimal and possess a very simple fruity or earthy smell. When smoking a joint, the flavor will be severely lacking and the smoking sensation will not be pleasant. You will find the buds will either be wet or overly dry.
You can expect to pay between 2,00 - 4.00 euro per gram for low grade cannabis buds.
Decent home-grown cannabis buds
This type of flower is when a home grower has tried their very best, properly flushed, taken the time to trim, dry and even cure the buds in some cases. When examining a bud, the appearance will be a good size, compact and the buds break open with a nice snap.
As far as aroma, the terpenes will be a decent level and when grinding a bud, the air will fill with an array of aromas ranging from fruity, floral, earthy and fuel. The joint will have a nice flavor, however will begin to lose taste the more you smoke.
You can expect to pay between 5,00 - 7.00 euro per gram for decent grade cannabis buds.
Top shelf coffee shop level cannabis buds
We all know once you step foot inside a Dutch coffee shop, social club in Barcelona or dispensary in the US, you can rest assured high grades are on the menu. Every year, thousands of us flock to these parts of the world following our passion for the ultimate smoking experience, and to keep a close eye on current hype strains and what people are smoking.
The buds in these places are as good as can be, and the options on their menu are abundant to say the least. All the buds at this point should have magazine quality bag appeal, smell amazing, and when smoked can be easily tasted all the way to the last toke of the joint.
You can expect to pay between 12,00 - 25.00 euro per gram for high grade cannabis buds.
The different grades of hash
Perhaps only hash is all you can find whilst on your holidays, or there is a shortage of flowers in your local town. Hash is meant to be made from cannabis buds and leaves. There are all sorts of things that people put into commercial grade hash, and some of the contaminants are scary to think about. Below are the different grades of hash explained and what to look out for.
Cheap and cheerful hash
There are tons of this hash floating around South Spain, and is often smoked by locals. The hash to look at is either sandy brown with a soft texture, and when burning has no melting quality. On the other hand, the hash may be darker brown and more compact, however again there are zero signs of life when holding a lighter close by. Buying this grade of hash will set you back between 2,00 -5.00 euros per gram and is not even worth it.
High grade and clean hash
Usually hand produced by a passionate grower, who used top quality cannabis buds and trim. You will know the hash is a good quality based on the brighter colour and cleanliness. When waving a flame over the hash, you will notice an aggressive bubbling motion on the surface, indicating the hash is high grade. Normally, a top shelf isolator or dry sift can be purchased between 7,50 - 15-00 euro per gram.
Superb full melt hash
Connoisseurs and hash heads will know the true meaning of full melt grade. This basically means the hash not only bubbles like crazy when shown a flame, the terpenes, effect, and overall presentation will be something special. It is important to work with 5 star quality cannabis buds and sugar trim when achieving superb quality. If you are lucky enough to find this grade of hash, then you can expect to pay between 14,00 - 25.00 euro per gram, but you certainly won’t need to smoke much!
The experience of smoking cannabis buds
Appearance and smell will tell you how well the cannabis buds have been grown, but smoking will reveal all you need to know. Of course, we all want those lip licking flavors that we can share with pride with our friends, so below are 5 signs of good and bad flowers to look out for when smoking.
5 Signs of well grown and correctly flushed cannabis buds
● The first taste of the joint will be a cocktail of terpenes, which will last until the filter.
● The colour of the ash will be light gray and burn with a smooth and soft consistency.
● Every inhalation will feel smooth and full of flavor, without any coughing sensation.
● There will be no need to light the joint, as it should burn slowly with a ring of oil.
● The aroma of the joint when burning will smell potent and loud.
5 Signs of poorly grown and non flushed cannabis buds
● The colour of the ash will burn dark black and leave a charcoal residue behind.
● The joint will not burn smoothly, and the sides will begin to burn unevenly.
● Smoking will produce no real flavor as there is a small amount of oil and terpenes.
● Every inhalation will cause coughing and the smoke will be harsh and hot.
● You may have to relight the joint every minute or less in worse case scenarios.
Our conclusion
There is nothing worse than stepping out of your comfort zone in another country, or town and having to make a purchase. Be Careful when buying low grade flowers and hashes due to contamination and an unclean final product. We recommend looking online and learning how to make dry sift or bubble hash from the comfort of your own home. Growing your own personal head stash will make sure your medicine is how it should be, and allow you to maintain cup winning cannabis buds!
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