As Alberta and Edmonton have reinstated mask mandates, we have made changes to our in-store mask policy.
Amid all the chaos, we wanted to let you know what’s going on at daikoku, and to reassure you that business, for the most part, remains as usual. And that we have a healthy inventory of dried bud, vapes, edibles, oils and caps.
Daikoku will remain open from 10 AM to 9:30 PM daily – yup, even on Statutory Holidays.
However, as of September 3rd, all people entering the premises must wear a mask.
Do you ask to see the packaged date on cannabis containers? A recent blog post on Instaleaf.ca and the subsequent LinkedIn conversation got me thinking about fresh flower.
At the beginning of legalization, I frequently got the question: “When was it packaged?”
I couldn’t blame people. A lot of cannabis at the time was brittle and dry, presented little to no aroma, was browner than green, and yielded a high that didn’t quite seem to match up with the numbers on the labels.
Nowadays, we don’t get the question as often. I hope it’s because our customers know that we keep track of fresh bud and are mindful of new drops. We’re also up front if there’s a price drop due to an older package date. We also pride ourselves on keeping our inventory in stock for no longer than 4 weeks.
As you know, sometimes, I use a rolling machine to prep for my week.
But sometimes, what I’m really looking for is time.
I’m gonna get a bit personal here and let you in on why I started toking: one of my favourite weed effects is time dilation.
But there are tons of ways to prolong a moment (as anyone who’s ever stepped on a lego would tell you). One way to extend your evening is by implementing a routine that anchors you to the present.
Kit up
The bare minimum you need to roll a joint is papers and greens. My own “to-go” kit is lighter than what’s listed below. But at home, when I’m looking to really enjoy my session, I like to surround myself with my favourite tools:
A beautiful rolling tray: I use a ceramic tray so it’s dishwasher safe, but trays can be made from metal, plastic, wood or frisbees. Ask a stoner about their tray, and if they tell you they don’t have one, you know what to get them as a present.
A grinder: I like a multi-level grinder that’s approximately 2.5” wide. It’s comfortable for my hand size, and easy to twist. I have a soft spot for ceramic coated grinders. While the initial cost is steep, the fact that it never ever sticks is a huge point in its favour. (We’ve been using ours for over 3 years now, daily as you can imagine, and it has yet to stick.)
A variety of papers: If the ganja busts up light and fluffy, I’ll choose a finer paper than if the reefer comes out bumpy and crumbly. If I know that the greens might burn faster (drier flower does that), I’ll use paper with slow-burn ridges or a blunt wrap.
Tips: Cardboard tips (sometimes borrowed from business carts we have handy, or the top part of the rolling papers, although it is possible to actually buy tips), glass tips or filters are my go-to. Others prefer roach clips, or holders.
A packer: Crochet needles, the bottom of a (clean) pen, or an actual packer (if you ever buy a King Palm pack, never ever lose the packing tool) help ensure that you don’t leave empty spaces when you roll-up. Don’t pack it too tight, however, since that can make it harder to pull on when you’re smoking.
If you do end up packing it too tight, use a toothpick to create a chimney in the centre of your joint to ensure consistent airflow
A keef spoon: Some people use little lego shovels, others use guitar pics. I love my long-handled kief spoon with a slight divot since it really helps me scrape out all the kief and trichomes from my packages and the edges of my grinder.
Scissors: Sometimes, I don’t want to smoke a whole joint. If I have any left on a joint I’ve started I’ll cut off the black tip before I start puffing on it again. Alternatively, if I know I’m going to be using my fancy-schmancy-wannabe-gravity-bong, I’ll roll my joint with 0.35g, and then cut it in half. (That Gleeb can be intense.) Scissors are also convenient when the stoner-proof child-proof packaging is stubborn.
Tweezers: Probably the single most underrated tool in a kit are tweezers. They’re great emergency keef scrapers (when you can’t find your keef spoon because your stoned a** moved it around. AGAIN.) and surprisingly convenient. But I might have a deeper appreciation for tweezers due to the number of miniatures I make.
A clean toothbrush, hard bristles: Keep that grinder clean by frequently brushing over your grinder’s screen mesh: the sticky icky can clog up your screen, causing you to collect less keef than you would normally.
(And yes, my rolling machine)
Set up your space
Choose a comfortable location, with a clean, flat surface in front of you
Choose appropriate lighting: later in the day, you might want to go with more muted lighting; earlier in the day, why not make the most of the light to take a long look at your bud?
After opening your container, take a moment to breathe in the aroma of the bud before you touch it
After grinding your bud, take a moment to smell the aromas of the manipulated cannabis
Both these steps help set up expectations for your session, but we’ll get more into that topic in an upcoming special guest-written blog post.
Prepare your rollie
Either admire the beautiful wacky tobacky doobie you created, or sigh and remind yourself that practice makes perfect
Mindful Consumption
It can also be helpful to set an intention for the session. Are you looking to spark a good conversation? Seeking to be more introspective? Thinking about creating something? Just need a little motivation to fold the laundry? Need a bribe to go for a walk?
Depending on what you’re looking to achieve, you’ll build a routine around consumption that enhances your overall experience.
Sparking a convo? Set up muted lighting (candles are perfect for this) and pull up 36 questions to fall in love, a game like Apples to Apples or just a few really comfortable chairs. Either roll together, and make a race or a game out of it, or get the rollies ready before hand to just spark and relax.
Meditation and breathing exercises can also be enhanced by cannabis. Set up a comfortable seated position, and either toke mindfully before beginning to actually meditate, or use the time to toke to time your breathing. For this, I would recommend avoiding breathing exercises that require you to hold your breath, since that can interrupt your introspection time.
Working on a miniature… I mean art? Get all the tools you need for your project beforehand, and make sure you have a place for everything so that tidying up when you’re done is quick and easy. Otherwise, your partner/future self will be upset with you for leaving such a mess behind.
For cleaning, I roll my joint, set a timer of 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the state of my home, and reward myself with a couple of puffs. Then do another set time of cleaning, followed by another reward. This works better with energizing cultivars…
When rolling for outdoor activities, consider how strong the wind is blowing. Choose thicker papers for extra windy days, and avoid too-fine papers on humid days. Also, small torch lighters, like Clippers, were made for cold windy days. Just make sure you don’t set your gloves on fire.
New Buds
Space Cookies by 00 Space Weed
Space Cookies is grown by 00SpaceWeed in Southern Alberta. They use organic practices (in fact, they are PACS certified) and strive for sustainability. They also donate 1% of their profits to the community.
If it’s bred true, the cultivar is a result of crossing GSC and White Widow, with some Afghan thrown in for good measure. The first aromas we get when opening the bag are spicy and hoppy. The flowers are drier than I’d like to see them, so make sure you pop in a humidity pack at least a couple of hours before consuming.
It busts up decently well, with the myrcene peaking through once the flower is ground.
I would dedicate this to a vaporizer, and really give the aromas and the flavour profile time to develop. In the Arizer II at 375˚F, it’s a decently smooth toke (I do feel light irritation from the caryophyllene, so I’m probably going lower the temperature just a touch for my next few tokes ) with a surprisingly floral flavour finish.
Fairly dense and somewhat sticky, I’m looking forward to testing the flower in a piece, though I wouldn’t roll with it. I’d go with frequent small bowls, as opposed to one or two large ones. Smaller bowls should also help avoid the whole “coughing up a lung” experience.
Like most “baked good” strains (cookies, pies, and cakes), Space Cookies is better suited for evenings.
About Uppercut Punch:
Indica dominant
Cannabinoids: THC dominant
Min THC: 20%
Max THC: 28%
Max CBD: 0.1%
Total Terpene content: 1.5%
Terpene Profile: Caryophyllene, humulene, myrcene
Container: Mylar Zip Seal bag
Humidity Pack: None
Fave flowers
Gluerangutan by Good Buds
Ok, so we’re cheating this week.
We unboxed Gluerangutan on September 1st already. But they recently had a price drop, and quite frankly? We were picking some up for ourselves and just decided to leave a nug behind for y’all to gawk at.
I cannot stress enough how fluffy this flower is, despite its package date of July 21, 2021 (yes, the package date is the reason for the price drop).
Gluerangutan is an all-day toke, provided you follow Newton’s laws of motion. The “Glue” in the name should give you a good indication of what you might expect if you sit down. It is indica leaning, so you can expect relaxation. Personally, I love how colours always seem brighter, and how I feel like I get a bit of spring to my step when I toke on Gluerangutan.
Perfect for rolling, it’s also lovely in your favourite piece, or in your vape. The flowers are a beautiful vibrant green under all that frostiness, and the nose is aggressive as you open the package: sweet with a note of citrus, a fresh pine. It busts up beautifully fluffy.
One of my biggest pet peeves in the industry is that licensed producers don’t have to declare what kind of paper they use to roll.
Imagine if you bought a chocolate and didn’t know if it was white, milk or dark chocolate?
It’s one of the reasons I continue to roll my own. I consider the flavour of the paper, the type of glue and the speed of the burn when I pair flower to my paper.
There is so much to say about joints. In the next few weeks, we’ll be taking a look at what goes into a joint and why we recommend certain products for rolling (and others not so much). Before we get into the technical details though, I wanted to take a look at the different names we give our cannabis cigarettes.
Whether you roll by hand, use a machine, pack a cone, or buy pre-rolls: we all have a favourite term for the cannabis cigarette we’re holding. Here are a few of the most common, with a few notes about each:
“Government” weed gets a bad rap. Three years (and ten days) ago, the first cannabis containers I opened contained dry weed. Some containers came under 3.5g. Everyone had the exact same cultivars – seriously, there were 7 “Shishkaberry” at one time, and anyone will tell you that was 6 too many.
It took a while for craft cultivators to get space on shelves – or rather, in with the AGLC. But every time a micro cultivator would come in to tell us about their brands, they would confirm that their Terpenes hit 1, 2 or even a whopping 3% total plant composition. I was impressed: until then, most companies couldn’t tell me what the total terpene composition was.
There are a LOT of things that set craft cannabis apart, but I thought I’d highlight my top three reasons.
Remember the post I wrote about Distillate and Full spectrum products last week? I just wanted to let you know that it’s not just for vape carts. In fact, distillate is the most common method for dosing cannabis edibles. It makes sense: distillate allows Licensed Producers (LPs) to evenly and consistently dose their products. It’s also relatively flavourless, which makes it easy to pair with milder flavours that we find in gummies soft chews and beverages.
But because we love our full spectrum effects, we do try and find cannabis edibles that use more than just THC in them.
Vape cartridges are a convenient, mess-free and nearly smell-free way to consume cannabis concentrates. The product that ends up in your 510-thread cartridge is either a distillate or a full spectrum concentrate, like rosin or butane honey (hash) oil.
Distillate Vape Carts
Like its name implies, distillate is the extracted form of a product. We would normally only find a single major cannabinoid distillate products.
Most Licensed producers add terpenes back into their product. These terpenes are often botanically sourced – mostly because it’s cost effective. Because LPs control everything that goes into their distillate, they’re able to emulate the terpene profile of products, or add new and fun flavours. We’re keeping our eyes open for Sticky Greens coming to Alberta with their Rooty B.(eer) vape!
Full Spectrum Vape Carts
These carts are made with fresh flower, flash frozen flower, or cured flower. The only ingredient on these containers are “cannabis concentrate.” They will have the designation of “Live” if fresh or frozen flower is used.
It takes a LOT of plant material to make concentrate. A good rule of thumb is approximately 20 grams of fresh flower that’s needed for 1 gram of concentrate. (Which is why it’s pretty wild to me that 1 gram vape carts are the equivalent to 2g of flower, but one 355ml drink that contains 2.5mg of THC is the equivalent of 5 grams of dried flower.)
Live Terpenes
A common trait that full spectrum cartridges have is that the concentrate is very dense. As a result, it can be prone to clogging or spilling. A way to ally increased flow without compromising (too many) terpenes is by having a mix of full spectrum cannabis with distillate. We’re seeing these products refer to themselves as “Live Terpene” products.
What’s the best product?
It really depends on each person and what they’re looking for. People who are looking for high THC for specific needs tend to gravitate around distillate products. These carts can provide the relief people are looking. On the other hand, many consumers who typically consume flower will prefer full spectrum carts. This is because the experience is allegedly more similar to that of smoking flower.
Back in stock flower!
Bruce by Poolboy
I have a soft spot for Alberta grown products. (It’s why we highlight them with the wild rose icon on our menu). But Bruce by Poolboy is special to me.
You see, it was the first Bruce Banner cultivar I (knowingly) tried.
My experience with Bruce include profound mellowing out, slight mood elevation and noticeable time distortion. Would pair with introspection, journaling and meditating. Would not recommend for social gatherings.
My preferred methods of consumption for Bruce are dry flower vaporizer or a bong.
Bruce believes life is all about balance and that’s why he’s here to bring you the perfect combination of Sativa and Indica.
Fun facts about Bruce: he has an aroma of a pungent citrus but compared to his smell, tastes a little earthier (loves gardening) and less sweet (not too big of a sweet tooth on this guy).
Bruce comes on strong with witty pick up lines and his effects emerging swiftly, but eventually mellows out and leaves you with a relaxing body high to balance out the punch (told you life is all about balance).
Now I know you’re all thinking “Wow Bruce sounds amazing! Where in the world did he come from!?” Bred by Jason Holck of Dark Horse Genetics, he was cross bred with Strawberry Diesel and OG Kush, and has a THC ranging from 20 – 26%. Similar to other plants of this strain, it took Bruce 8 to 10 weeks to reach his full potential and let me tell you, he was a sight to behold!
Rich magenta hued leaves, bright green buds frosted with large-headed trichomes and red hairs. One look and you’re thinking “Damn, that dude is rad!”
Fluffy and aromatic, the Mirage Plus from Skosha looks more orange than green with all those beautiful pistils!
I’m pleasantly surprised upon opening the package that the nose points more towards the spice and lemon than the earthiness, which is what I expected from the description. There’s the added bonus of sweetness.
In a grinder, it busts up nicely. Aromas develop as per expectation. In a vape (Arizer Air II, 380˚ F), I do get a pleasant earthy flavour that’s beautifully rounded out by the citrus and spice aromas. It’s a hard-hitting indica, but the chronic won’t have any issues toking on this lady all day long: Mirage plus will put you at ease, but she won’t knock you out. (Your mileage may vary; start low and go slow.) I’m looking forward to rolling one of these and see how she smokes. I feel she would be a great candidate for a nice slow burn doobie.
The packaging lists out total terpene content as well as the top four terpenes for this lot.
Mirage Plus by SKOSHA is indica-dominant with high, potent THC. These buds are lightly trimmed and handled carefully throughout the harvest process to protect trichomes and terpenes. Expect a strong earthy aroma with hints of spice and citrus within the large dense flower. It is available in various dried flower sizes and pre-rolls. This flower, produced by SKOSHA, is packaged in a moisture-locking bag and is non-irradiated.
Last year, we took a look at the various hash products available in the Alberta regulated Cannabis market. Believe it or not, not many of the products that we listed back then are in the market now. So we figured it would be a great time to talk hash and give you an update on some of the products that are available.
But first, what is Hash?
When people call buds frosty, they’re commenting on the coverage of trichomes throughout a cannabis flower.
Many of you know that we differentiate Full Spectrum and Distillate vaporizer products on our menu. If you look at cannabis like a fruit:
Raw cannabis: It’s like you’re eating grapes; it’s not too sweet and can be tart.
Cured cannabis: You’re eating raisins; way more concentrated sweetness, but you still have the other components of the grape, just in lesser quantities.
Full Spectrum: Juice from the fruit that’s unrefined and unadulterated so it keeps all the components.
Distillate: Juice from the fruit that’s been refined until all you have is sugar.
