Cannabis Blends | Personalized, custom experiences
Strain name, Indica, Sativa, hybrid – THC content, terpene profile, CBD content – every day we hear more about what we should be thinking about in terms of what our perfect Cannabis choice should contain. In the past, many consumers have counted on cultivators and geneticists to show us what they can produce to help what ails us. There’s little doubt that practice will continue and with innovators entering the market in droves, five years from now, we’ll look back on 2020 and think about how different things were in such a short time (hopefully in a more positive place and no longer stymied by a pandemic among other things!).
But in the meantime, for anyone who hasn’t found that Goldilocks-like “just right” Cannabis – there are some options out there. In the same way that peanut butter is best with jelly, some things just go better together. Cannabis blends for long time consumers might bring to mind the mix of different strains when you reach the bottom of your stash box and need to mix different types to have enough to make just one preroll before your next supply is available. But today’s Cannabis blends are being borne out of creativity rather than necessity.
Perhaps one of the most common examples you might already be aware of or possibly already doing is to mix your favorite strain with an equally great CBD flower – not only does doing so usually help prevent the anxiety or paranoid that over-the-top THC content can bring on, but lets you still get the benefits of the THC in addition to the leveling-off feeling from a good CBD and can introduce more beneficial cannabinoids when combining the two powerhouses. Some companies are recognizing the trend and counting on it to help propel them further into consumers’ minds and provoke purchasing what are now being called “Cannabis Blends” in the form of pre-rolls made with multiple strains.
Michael Backes – yes, the guy who wrote Cannabis Pharmacy – has created a company called Perfect – who plans to make Cannabis blends a product family in itself. Having been asked repeatedly over the years by friends and colleagues to “make them a blend” to achieve the effects they were seeking, but there were a few snags to prevent him from feeling as though he was accomplishing the full potential of these blends. As a scientist, Backes spent time trying to determine how the final product differed so much from what he thought he was achieving and started to experiment with temperature and other scientific tricks that we won’t begin to try and decipher.
The conclusion he reached was that a portion of the terpenes was evaporating before reaching the end-user, which drove him to what he says today is a “proprietary trick to maximize terpenes stability.” Now, his products from Perfect are a combination of flower, infused with high terpene Cannabis resin, and shipped cold. You read that right, shipped cold. Dispensaries are given instructions to keep Perfect refrigerated and advise buyers of the products to do the same. His theory being that heat and light will cause beneficial chemicals to degrade.
Clearly, in Missouri’s new market, we’re a long way from the breadth of product choices available in older, more established markets, but that doesn’t mean patients in Missouri can’t do their own version of blending. When asked about how consumers can best make their own blends, the recommendation he provided was, “Use a blade grinder or trimming scissors to preserve as many terpenes as you can, and smoke it as soon as you roll it.” For those who prefer to throw their entire stash into an electric grinder, roll up several happy cones, and always have them ready to smoke – this will be a shift for you – but if it helps you make the most of what you can gain from the medicine – it’s worth trying, right?
If you’re instantly smitten with this idea of blending – far be it from us to try and stop you from quickly running to blend now – but if you’re willing to stick around a bit longer – we’ve got some more tips about how to be a bit more thoughtful before letting your creativity loose just yet. Some flavors mix well together and some are too awful to consider – oranges and mint? Pretty pleasant to think about together. Pine and chocolate – not even going to go there. BUT – in the way that foodies and wine people talk about pairings based on composition – this idea of blending complementary flavors together makes sense.
We mentioned earlier that blending CBD and THC flowers can help achieve the best of both worlds – that works with a high THC flower and a high CBD flower in the way you might assume – a heavy THC, highly dominant indica – think Blackberry Kush or similar – with a high CBD flower-like Royal Highness – and the result is a heavy late-night smoke with relaxing body effects – perfect for those wanting to get good sleep.
Take it a step further and you can compare cannabinoids. While cannabinoids provide the main effect of your consumption – THC elevates your experience and can be increasingly psychoactive. THC effects usually include an increase in mood, sometimes hunger, and euphoria or happiness, all good things. But it can also cause paranoia and for those of us who have experienced that, it’s far from a good thing. However, CBD provides eased tension and sometimes a piece of mind – definitely good things. But – we also know that over 100 other cannabinoids exist in the plant and we’re making some strides in learning about them, and researchers have started taking a much closer look at CBG, CBN, THCV, CBC, and others. Today’s geneticists and breeders are paying attention to that and in the industry constantly evolving, we’ll see more of these being touted for new strains and their beneficial effects on patients.
Terpenes also heavily impact our preference for not only taste and smell, but effects for certain. Some familiar names if you’ve learned anything about terpenes include favorites like Linalool and limonene – both tangy and zesty with citrus notes. Pinene and humulene – favorites for those who want earthy and herby – work great together. Myrcene (my personal favorite terp – just saying) and caryophyllene pair great together with their spicy and peppery properties.
Give some thought to what your favorite and least favorite strains are and why – patient journals are great for this, but you can also keep track easily with a variety of apps or voice memos on your phone. If you love a strain you have but you feel like it would be even BETTER if it just delivered _____. Is there another strain that complements that and could bring that _____ into the mix? Pay attention to what you mix and what ratios of each you use and note the effects, it’s a great way to not only make an evaluation about your current products, but you might find that your creative combinations wind up new favorites.
Cannabis blends are likely to be something we see as a trend as we close out 2020 and move into the future of our industry and we’ll be sure to keep you informed as we hear about new innovations. With Missouri dispensaries opening in the past few weeks and several more in the weeks and months ahead, be sure and let your favorite dispensary know what you’re looking for so they can help make recommendations that meet your needs. If you’re a legal home grower or caregiver, perhaps you’re hearing feedback from your patients about what they’re looking for – share that with the Cannabis community in Missouri – our collective sharing of information can lead to great innovations in our own backyards.
