Strains
6 Must-See Booths at the Emerald Cup 2018
A handy guide to some Emerald Cup pitstops you won’t want to miss.
As we enter the final month of California’s inaugural year of cannabis sales, the Emerald Cup is ready to showcase the survivors of the regulatory exodus.
While the Emerald Cup was born in the hills of Northern California that were hit the hardest by the regulations put in place after Prop. 64 legalized recreational marijuana, the event has survived to showcase those who made it through year one. And at first glance of the vendor list, the number of indoor rockstar-level cultivators in attendance has expanded this year as well.
This group of brands is part of our checklist for the ultimate Emerald Cup experience. In most cases, these brands proved throughout the year they had the chops to deal with the new standard operating procedures dictated by law while still producing some of the best products on the market.
Here are our top picks for the first-ever Emerald Cup where everyone over the age of 21 can purchase and consume the finest sungrown marijuana on the planet. We can assure you if you hit all these hot spots, you’ll be off to a great start on having the best weekend possible.
Str8organics
With some of the best light dep buds we saw in 2018 period, Str8organics is absolutely an early stop for the savvy Emerald Cup shopper. Along with nugs nice enough to convince heads east of the Rockies they were grown inside, these are also some of the most reasonably priced flowers you’ll find anywhere.
The Village
Half of the award-winning team at Symbiotic Genetics, The Village will be bringing the full spread of the newest genetics which the world’s best pot growers are dying to get their hands on. He announced, exclusively to Cannabis Now, that modified Grapes and Snickerdoodle seeds will be released to the public for the first time in Santa Rosa at the cup. The Grapes is GMO x Purple Punch F2 and Snickerdoodle is a Cookies and Cream x Purple Punch F2 cross. Even more exciting, the possibility of the release of Big Block, the Motorbreath 15 x Purple Punch F2. But we were given no promises on that one.
Connected Cannabis
Connected will have the full spread of all those crazy Gelato #41 crosses we covered during the peak of harvest season. We’re most excited for the Gelato #33 x Gelato #41, but the whole lineup will surely have something for everyone. Other pairings with the Gelato #41 include Lemon Tree and San Fernando Valley OG Kush, a Top Three version of the strain for many OG aficionados.
Royal Key Organics
The Emerald Cup will serve as Royal Key Organic’s grand return to the concentrate world after navigating the obstacles required to work their magic. While they did have solvent-free options available at points this year, those felt like the work of an artist forced to set aside their favorite paintbrush. But those dark days are over now, and in addition to the lineup of strains they single source themselves from seed to oil, they will also have some great collaborations available.
Alien Labs
Some of the biggest winners of 2018 so far, Alien Labs’ lineup will not disappoint. In addition to their arcade area dubbed “Area 69,” Alien Labs will be bringing all the heat that made them famous and doing some big premieres. The one we’re most excited about is the Rude Boi OG that will be making its debut. It’s said to be 25 percent THC — basically, ridiculous.
Greenshock
Greenshock Farms took home one of the biggest prizes last year, Most Terpenes. The Tropical Sleigh Ride that brought home the trophy smells like a crazy daiquiri from a Jimmy Buffet concert parking lot BBQ. They’ve also placed top three in the overall flower category on two separate occasions. An absolute must-see.
TELL US, which booths are you going to make a beeline for at this year’s Emerald Cup?
