Category: 5 Questions

An Interview with Warren Bobrow, CEO & Co-Founder of Klaus, The Gnome

Post author By Warren_Bobrow
Post date September 6, 2022

Cannabis Industry Journal

By Aaron Green

In this article, Aaron Green sits down with Warren Bobrow, CEO and co-founder of Klaus, The Gnome, a cannabis beverage company specializing in terpene-forward canned cocktails.

California is the fastest-growing cannabis beverage market, according to a recent Headset report. The count of beverage product offerings in California has grown quickly, nearly doubling from 2020 to 2021. As of December 2021, there were approximately 530 distinct cannabis beverage offerings.

Mocktails have been a growing product category within the cannabis beverage segment. Klaus, headed up by Warren Bobrow, the “Cocktail Whisperer,” recently entered the California market with their ready-to-drink THC cocktail, Mezzrole, a unique terpene-forward beverage with three simple culinary-grade ingredients.

We caught up with Warren to learn more about his path to the cannabis industry and his inspiration for Mezzrole. Warren is a multi-published author of six books including “Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails, and Tonics” and has contributed to publications such as Forbes and Skunk Magazine. After the loss of his fresh pasta business in Hurricane Hugo, he worked in banking for 20 years before reinventing himself and following his passions—becoming a bar back to bartender and master mixologist and penning his six cocktail-focused books. Warren crafted Klaus with knowledge gained from years of experience in the mixology and culinary worlds and with his strong enthusiasm for cannabis.

Aaron Green: How did you get involved in the cannabis industry?

Warren Bobrow: It was a happenstance, and it was something that I never considered before. I was working in the traditional liquor industry, and because liquor is inherently a poisonous substance, I was slowly poisoning myself and my mind with the alcohol. I made a conscious decision back in July of 2018 – I was down to Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans – and I said, “this is my last drink.” I was halfway through a Hemingway, which is absolutely my favorite cocktail to have and that’s what I was known for. That’s the drink that paved the way to a wonderful career on-premises and off-premises doing brand ambassadorship and being a named person within the liquor industry. As with all great careers, this one had to come to an end, or I was going to die because liquor was poisoning me. I was probably about 75 pounds heavier than I am right now. I just didn’t feel myself and I was going to be sick.

So, I decided to take my knowledge of cannabis, which was something that I’ve enjoyed since I was 12 years old – I am 61 now – and put it to use for me in this book, Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails and Tonics. My first book, Apothecary Cocktails, really did pave the way. I wanted to include cannabis in my early books, but my publisher wouldn’t let me. It just wasn’t time until 2015 when I wrote Cannabis Cocktails, which is all based on the early apothecary. The inspiration for writing the book certainly was from being down in New Orleans and going to the Pharmacy Museum. They had an exhibition of cannabis in the early apothecary, and I knew immediately what I was going to do with the rest of my life. There you have it!

Green: It seems like it was a sharp cut off with the alcohol industry

Bobrow: Yes, like one day to the next, literally. It was absolute. I made the decision; I came back to New Jersey, and I never drank again. I drink a little beer and wine, but I haven’t had a distilled drink in years.

Green: How did the concept for Klaus come about? Was it something that you always had in the back of your mind?

Bobrow: The idea for creating a cannabis infused beverage came from being incarcerated in New York City for smoking cannabis in the street and being taken out of commission for 48 hours, I knew that if I was drinking a cannabis infused beverage like Klaus, which is the one that I created in California, no one would know my business. Of course, when this happened, it was in the early 2000s, so the technology and the pretense just weren’t available yet. But it did put something in my mind. If I was to create a cannabis-infused beverage using my knowledge and experience as a master mixologist, the fear of consuming cannabis would be diminished.

If you look at the book, Cannabis Cocktails, and you see the recipes, they’re not for the meek. They’re really meant for a medical community – someone who needs to really eliminate pain, if you will. Cocktails in the book started at about 250 milligrams of THC, whereas with Klaus they’re 10 milligrams, Two different stories completely!

Warren Bobrow, CEO & Co-Founder of Klaus

My inspiration for creating Klaus certainly was from the gnome [Warren displays Klaus, The Gnome]. He’s a star and he’s been all over the world with me. I don’t know why I first started traveling with him. Maybe it’s because he was sitting up there up on my mantle and he told me that he wanted to go out on the road with me. I was traveling all over the world as a rum judge for the Ministry of Rum and for Rum XP. We just show up at food events. I’m a trained chef, I love going to the Fancy Food Show in New York City, and I’d meet people and they invite me out to see their places. Then I started writing for Forbes and I don’t know, my career has been up and down. I’ve tried to follow my dreams ever since I left the corporate world in May of 2009.

Green: Let’s talk about the product.

Bobrow: I just have one SKU right now, which is the Mezzrole named for Mezz Mezzrow, Louis Armstrong’s weed dealer. You can’t make this stuff up. It’s all real.

Green: First, how did you land on the flavor profile?

Bobrow: For someone who’s a rum head like myself, we used to drink rum for breakfast. That’s how you become a rum head. The Mezzrole is based on a Ti’ Punch, which is the national drink of Martinique. Ti’ Punch is usually made in Martinique with rum Agricole, which is a sugar cane-based rum rather than a molasses-based rum. It’s the freshly pressed sugar cane rum before it ferments so it has a lovely floral quality and it’s 100 proof. There’s nothing weak about it!

A Ti’ Punch is freshly squeezed lime quarters, the 100 proof Agricole – one or two ounces – and cane sugar syrup stirred usually with your finger like my old friend Gaz Regan, who’s no longer with us, used to do it. He was known for his finger stirred negronis. I would do it preferably in a clean glass and there’s no ice involved because if you’re on a sailboat, you probably don’t have ice anyway. So, it’s potent. It’s a very potent drink. That’s the basis of the Mezzrole.

The Mezzrole contains a single strain of cannabis. We used a craft, land-raised strain called Hippie Crasher. It’s an indica leaning hybrid that is terpene forward. The Mezzrole utilizes the terpene aromatics of the cannabis strain. So, we have this gorgeous French lime puree that I get made from limes that are sourced down in Martinique. They have a certain oily quality to them and they’re very pungent. They’re very citrus forward and very flavorful.

Then, I’m using a ginger syrup that’s made in what I would say is a Great Britain or Jamaican style called Picketts. It’s from Denver, Colorado. My old friend Matt Pickett, and his late brother Jim created it. Jim was the bartender for Malcolm Forbes on his yacht, the Highlander, when they had it in the waters between me and Palm Beach, or wherever they happened to be on the island. Jim crafted this incredible ginger syrup, which is really authentic. And in later years, it became the Pickett’s ginger syrup that I would use in this beverage because I’m paying homage to Matt’s brother by using his extra hot and spicy ginger syrup in here along with the French lime purée.

The final element – there are only three flavor elements [besides the cannabis] – is rice vinegar. Rice vinegar in this case is something called mirin. There are two different types of mirin. There’s the sweet mirin and then there’s the dry mirin, and Mezzrole utilizes the dry mirin. I didn’t want to add any sugar. Mezzrole is six tenths of a gram of sugar for the entire can, which is eight ounces, 16 calories.

So, to recap, each can of Mezzrole is eight fluid ounces, six tenths of a gram of sugar, ginger, lime and rice vinegar with THC infusion. And it’s not a seltzer!

Green: What was special to you about the Ti’ Punch?

Bobrow: My family had a yacht, and we would go places in the Caribbean. One of the places we would go in the Caribbean was Down Island and they would have drinks like the Ti’ Punch. I remember that it was emblazoned in my brain. It was a drink that got me drunk. It was what sailors did; they got drunk. And you would get drunk on drinks that go back to the days of the pirates, because they probably didn’t have ice on the sailing vessels. So, why should a couple million-dollar yacht make any difference? We had icemakers, but you drink the drink without ice. You drink it like it was drunk in the age of sailing.

I wanted to reinterpret the Ti’ Punch and bring credence and life to that drink by bringing it to life in the Mezzrole. But the Mezzrole has another story behind it entirely. That’s because Mezz Mezzrow, who was a jazz head during the jazz era, brought between two and 4,000 pounds of cannabis up from Mexico, and sold it in Detroit, Chicago and Harlem during the early days of jazz. He made quite a name for himself. At the time, cannabis was not illegal on a national level yet. If you were to ask for a joint or reefer, you might become detained by the police, especially if you were Black. Not only were the police at that time incredibly anti-jazz and anti-Black and anti-cannabis, but they were just anti people having fun! So there had to be code names and a well-rolled cannabis cigarette was known as a “Mezzrole” and that’s what I named the cocktail after.

I’m paying homage to Louis, and I’m friendly with Louis’ daughter, Sharon. She’s the daughter that no one ever knew about. It’s a very interesting story. We’re hopefully going to do something together. I find great inspiration in jazz, and we wanted to pay homage to the role of characters in jazz by creating a beverage that hopefully wouldn’t get us arrested.

Green: Can you walk me through your choice of strain for the beverage?

Bobrow: I work with a company named Vertosa. They are the magicians in the world of nanotechnology emulsions. They’re scientists like yourself, who are upper intellects who dream in color. And the colors that they’ve chosen are the colors of the plant. So, they’ve enlivened the plant chemically through their process. I’m not privy to that process, but I’ll tell you it works. Their emulsion is gorgeous stuff. I just chose the emulsion for my next two SKUs and it’s exactly what I was looking for. It’s slightly bitter, it has depth and character, and we haven’t even added the terpenes in yet. So, it’s well balanced, and it will work exceptionally well with the craft ingredients that I’m working with. I don’t use industrialized ingredients, these are all bartending ingredients, if you will. We do 5,000 can production runs with bartending ingredients. It’s incredible food science. I love it.

Green: What was behind your decision in adding the terpene flavors?

Bobrow: What makes that interesting is no one else is doing it. So, we’re the first again! Not only did I write the first book on cannabis, and cocktails, and tonics, and all that stuff, but I created the first beverage that actually smells like cannabis. So, when you’re drinking one of my beverages, and you drink down maybe a quarter inch, and you put your nose right over the top and smell it, it smells just like the plant along with that ginger and the lime and that tangy quality of the mirin. And it’s spicy. It has an herbaceous quality to it. It’s really uncanny.

Green: Were there any challenges in working with terpenes in a beverage?

Bobrow: Yes, there’s always challenges. First off, I’m here in New Jersey, and the company that I’m working with is in California, so they can’t send me anything. So, I work very closely with a food scientist named Chris Anderson who did my scalability, and he’s absolutely brilliant. His palate mimics my own. I don’t want a sweet beverage. I want a tangy beverage. I want something that has balanced quality and fun and it makes you want to dance. I’m not looking for something to put me to sleep. That’s not my goal in life. Life is very short, and you want to have a beverage that is talkative and doesn’t get you totally destroyed. There are beverages out on the market that have 500 milligrams of THC called syrups. They’re absolutely delicious, but they’re so destructive because they want you to put them in a sugary beverage and drink the whole thing down.

I’m not a kid anymore and I don’t drink like a kid. I drink with sophisticated flavors and make beverages that are memorable. People come to me – and have since the early part of 2009 – and they say things like, “That’s the best cocktail I’ve ever had in my life. How do you do that?” My aim in life is to ruin people for their bartender because I expose all the things that our bartenders are doing to rip them off.

I started as a bar back and I worked my way up. I went to this guy named Chris James, who was working at The Ryland Inn running their beverage program. I needed a job, and he hired me as this bar back for a year and they kicked my butt. After that I could write about this stuff with knowledge and not just with something I read in a book. There’s a lot to be said for education and going to bartending school. There’s also a lot to be said for cutting your own ice and squeezing your own juice and taking out the trash.

Green: What are some of the challenges you are facing at Klaus?

Bobrow: We’re hoping to do a Series A round of financing. I wonder who would be interested in lending to us or giving us money or investing in us. I always wonder why anyone would be interested in any of this! But I have a talent and a passion, and I know that it will take me to the next step in life. I’ve waited and been very patient. I have massive shoes to fill, and I’m so committed to being ambitious.

I was an executive assistant in a Trust Bank for 20 years. I put my life on hold for others because they wanted to make an example out of me. I never became the person that my parents wanted me to become. They wanted me to become a lawyer and I didn’t have the aptitude for that. I had the aptitude for being a creative soul and a creative mind. It just took me 20 years longer to be able to achieve that.

I consider myself the luckiest man in the world because I did work for the C-suite and for the top of the house and I sold wine to them when I worked on the nights and weekends in a wine store. My customers were the presidents and “kingmakers of the world.” Here in Northern New Jersey, if nothing else, it’s pretty affluent. So, I’ve long been accustomed to coming from that environment. I know what that environment means and the importance of that environment. I had to figure out how to make it myself because I was, in polite parley, “disowned.” So, I am self-made, and I have a great product that I’ve created out of nowhere. It’s hopefully going to allow me to figure out what the next step will be in my life. I want to make this a national name.

Green: What trends are you following in the cannabis beverage space?

Bobrow: I’ve had some good ones. I’ve had some okay ones. And I’ve had some that are just, I don’t know. I’m a cook. I’m a saucier. I love flavors. I’m trained in France. I cook. It’s a lifelong thing. I started as a dishwasher, and I worked my way up. I’ve traveled the world eating.

I’ll tell you, if you don’t know flavors, you can’t put anything together. And if you don’t know what goes into making a beverage that’s different than what anyone else is doing in the world, then you don’t deserve to be in this business because it’s highly competitive and people play for keeps. If I only get one chance to capture people’s imagination, it comes with this beverage right here [Warren holds up a can of Mezzrole].

Green: What’s next for Klaus?

Bobrow: I hope to be doing Klaus Nein. It’s a terpene forward, non-cannabis infused craft beverage. It doesn’t have any THC, so I can sell it everywhere. I caught the travel bug years ago, when I was traveling all over the world for the rum business. And I got it back again. I hate that the world became such a small place during COVID. Because it really is a big place. And it’s a place that I need to explore more of. Stay tuned!

Green: What are you most interested in learning about?

Bobrow: You know, it’s funny. I think everyone that I come across I can learn something from. My teachers at Emerson and later at MIT, where I spent a fitful year, taught me that I wasn’t the smartest person in the room, but I certainly was the most inquisitive. So, I want to be known as someone who has pretty good listening skills. I also have great skills in the way of trying to draw out answers from people. So, I have a lot to learn and I’m excited about the opportunity of learning. If I can share a little bit of my knowledge with other people within the industry and they respect me for what I’ve achieved, then I’ll be a much happier person. I’m already happy. I’m very lucky. I am the luckiest guy in the room.

Green: Thank you Warren. That concludes the interview!

Tags Aaron Green, cannabis industry Journal, Interview, Klaus, warren bobrow

5 Questions Skunk Magazine

5 QUESTIONS WITH BEN LIND-CHIEF SCIENCE OFFICER/OWNER – HUMBOLDT SEED COMPANY

Post author By Warren_Bobrow
Post date August 9, 2022

BY WARREN BOBROW 08/08/2022

https://www.skunkmagazine.com/5-questions-with-ben-lind-chief-science-officer-owner-humboldt-seed-company/?v=7516fd43adaa

I’m a massive fan of something we call in the wine business, terroir. Quite simply, the taste of the place. This terminology holds true in the cannabis industry as well. There are subtle differences between cannabis grown in natural, living soil, outdoors- under the sun, and that which is grown indoors under lights. I’m rather fond of the kind that is grown outside under the sun, Biodynamic- when possible- and at the very least, organic.
I was introduced to the Humboldt Seed Company several years ago, and their relentless hunt for quality strikes me to this day as the good stuff. I consider myself very fortunate to have had the opportunity to smoke the results of their hard work. Very impressive indeed.

Warren Bobrow: Please tell me about yourself. What do you do? Local? Global?

Ben Lind: Humboldt Seed Company (HSC) started out as a local Humboldt County seed seller back in 2001. Our mission has always been to provide the highest quality cannabis seeds to both home growers and commercial cultivators. HSC has grown by leaps and bounds since our humble beginnings. We are now the largest licensed cannabis seed seller in California, have seeds for sale in multiple U.S. states, and as well a provider of seeds to multiple countries abroad, including Canada, Jamaica, Spain, France, Portugal, Greece, the UK, Malta, Thailand, and South Africa. As the Chief Science Officer, I head up our international program focusing on R&D, generating global partnerships, and overseeing exports.

I spend a lot of time talking with government officials and regulators around the world to help start conversations, provide education, and help to develop international seed regulations with the goal of cementing cannabis seeds as a legal, regulated global commodity. This role has led me to travel quite a bit, mostly between Colombia, Jamaica, and Europe at the moment. We are currently going through the extremely rigorous and time-consuming process in Colombia with our partners at Natureceuticals RX to register over 40 of our varietals. Colombia is treating cannabis like corn or soy, or any other traditional agricultural commodity. They have the highest bar of entry in the world for cannabis genetics, with the Instituto Colombiano Agropecuario (ICA) requiring producers to grow a suite of genetics in multiple climate zones for evaluation before being granted registration. This process involves a large capital outlay and a significant amount of time as the plants must be grown to maturity, analyzed, and then destroyed. Agronomists then look at the overall health of the crop, assess the growing methods, consider disease resistance, and perform extensive lab tests. Once this official evaluation process is completed, all the crops are destroyed. Yep, you heard me right. All that choice, high-quality cannabis is destroyed. Once a genetic meets all the government requirements, then it can be officially registered and grown legally.

WB: What obstacles do you face? How do you anticipate removing them? Please tell me about your six and twelve-month goals for HSC.

BL: The biggest obstacle is probably how the decision-makers in different countries often view cannabis very differently. Addressing each country’s specific government needs and requirements can be daunting. My approach has been to start the conversation by asking a lot of questions about what the specific country’s needs are and then to identify what the documentation requirements and regulatory impediments might be. I try to focus on building a bridge to a common goal and then work step by step to create a workable plan to get there so we can move forward. If you have trust and a shared vision, I find that things tend to move in the right direction.

In six months, I’d like to have achieved global seed exports to all legal jurisdictions worldwide. As far as the twelve-month goal, I’d say it would be taking that next big step and having it be possible to export tissue culture and living plant material. Seeds being shelf stable for long periods of time don’t come with the same challenges. Exporting living plant material can be difficult if plants are held up in quarantine or shipping is delayed. We see the beginnings of relationships developing that will hopefully lead to this becoming a reality. Some of the first conversations between South Africa and Canada and Jamaica, and Mexico regarding agricultural imports and exports centered on cannabis. The Mexican and Jamaican governments recently reached an agreement to start exchanging cannabis as well as other agricultural products. It’s kind of cool that this conversation started with cannabis and will hopefully lead to a multifaceted, mutually beneficial trade arrangement.

WB: What are feminized seeds? How do they differ from non-feminized? Do you have favorites in this regard? Indoor or outdoor grown?

BL: With regular cannabis seeds, you have a 50/50 chance of male/female plants. Using feminized seeds from a reputable breeder will guarantee close to 100% female plants. This streamlines the process, and you don’t have to worry about sexing your plants or having half of them be unusable. It’s also a nice space saver, as you’re using all your prime growing space for plants that will yield buds.

Feminized autoflowers will revolutionize the industry in the next 3-5 years. Unlike traditional photoperiod varietals, autoflowers don’t rely on light cycles to determine flowering and can be harvested within 100 days or less of planting. A favorite for indoor growing would be Hella Jelly. It’s a productive, fast-flowering Sativa-dominant varietal high in THC with a fruity cotton candy terpene profile. For outdoor, my pick would be Emerald Fire Auto. Anyone can beat the weather with this one. It has a super-fast flowering time and looks and smells the same if not better than its photoperiodic counterpart. It’s a bit like a side-by-side Coke, Pepsi taste test.

WB: Do you have a mentor? Who taught you the craft? When did you first discover cannabis?

BL: I was exposed to cannabis at a pretty young age by my aunts and uncles. I remember pulling weeds in my aunt’s strawberry patch when I was around six years old. She would intersperse the cannabis plants between the tiered strawberries to hide them. I have this vivid memory of her telling me, “no, don’t pull that out!”. She had to show me the difference between the weed and the weeds. I didn’t make that mistake again. She taught me early on that cannabis was just another plant in the garden with many benefits.

My uncle is quite a character and a cannabis breeding enthusiast. He has kept the same landrace Oaxacan clone alive since 1978. He bred it to not smell like weed to evade detection. It started out in his backyard in Arizona and then got trucked around every time they moved. He used to be a researcher at the University of Tucson and would sneak parts of the clone in for lab testing.

WB: What is your passion?

BL: Preserving indigenous varietals and using ancient genetics as a foundation for creating new, unique strains is something I get excited about. I feel strongly that it’s important that we carefully consider all the past varietals and respect the qualities that are often both special and beneficial. Many contain unique compounds of great value, along with novel terpene profiles and unknown cannabinoids. They are like the rainforest of cannabis. We don’t want to lose all that amazing diversity.

Our South Africa R&D project focuses on crossing the high-THCv (Tetrahydrocannabivarin) Transkei landrace strain that grows well in the highlands of South Africa with our signature strain, Blueberry Muffin. We are just now starting to gain a better understanding of these less well-known cannabinoids. High THCV strains may provide a viable alternative to a variety of pharmaceuticals in the future. Multiple studies have shown possible potential for THCv in diabetes, Parkinson’s, and seizure disorder treatment.

We will be releasing what I like to call our newest unicorn in the barn this fall. Black Beauty is a high THCv strain with appetite suppressing qualities that could potentially be a viable alternative to caffeine and Adderall. It could be a healthier energy booster and perhaps cut into the Red Bull market. We’ll see…

—

You can find out more at their website: Humboldt Seed Company – The Best Seeds In Humboldt, California

Tags BEN LIND, Cocktail Whisperer, Humboldt Seed Company, Klaus, warren bobrow, warrenbobrow

5 Questions Skunk Magazine

LAUREN GOCKLEY, CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER/ CO-FOUNDER, CODA SIGNATURE DIGS INTO FIVE QUESTIONS

Post author By Warren_Bobrow
Post date July 25, 2022

Lauren Gockley, Chief Innovation Officer/ Co-Founder, Coda Signature Digs Into Five Questions

The second time I ever went to Denver was roughly 2019, and I had a chance to visit Coda Signature when they were still in their infancy. That’s not to say they were inexperienced, far from… Just new to the world of fine cannabis edibles. A tangle of aromatics and flavors, leading into an opus of sweet to tangy to memorable. This company is interested in quality over sheer “tonnage” … I mean, anyone can get you high. Coda Signature takes the experience of cannabis and raises the bar to another level. It’s really a pleasure to introduce you to Lauren Gockley, the CIO, and Co-Founder of Coda Signature.
Thank you, WB

Warren Bobrow: Lauren, would you kindly tell me about your company? When did you get started? What was your inspiration? Did you have a mentor/advisor in business? Who? Did you have a culinary or retail background before taking on a project such as Coda Signature?

Lauren Gockley: Coda Signature was founded in 2015 with a clear vision: To set the standard of excellence in the cannabis industry. The brand is inspired by the language of music—a coda is the chef’s kiss that completes the story of the musical composition with an expressive flourish all its own. We believe the experience of cannabis should begin simply with the highest quality cannabis oil. Coda Signature’s collection of infused edibles and topicals tells a story through exciting colors, bold flavors, and luxurious aromas that harmonize seamlessly with impeccable craftsmanship and quality ingredients.

My father has been the biggest inspiration and mentor in my life. He committed his career to immortalizing the world of opera by creating the space for new and innovative productions of opera classics as well as opportunities for contemporary composers to tell their stories through song. He is a masterful listener and compassionate leader.

I have been working in the culinary world for almost 20 years. I have been blessed to have a wealth of different experiences, from my time in France at Valrhona’s L’ École Du Grand Chocolate and the Parisian pastry shops of Pierre Hermé to the fine-dining restaurants of Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Thomas Keller. I also spent several years as a raw vegan chocolatier where I gained a totally new understanding of chocolate and flavor creation using unconventional ingredients. As I focused my work more on chocolate in the 2010s, I saw an opportunity in the regulated cannabis industry, which had just started taking off in Colorado. The chance to combine chocolate with cannabis was too amazing to pass up, and I knew I was in a unique position to bring my culinary expertise to an industry that was ready for it.

WB: Please tell me about your six and twelve-month goals? How do you intend to deal with obstacles regarding stigmas surrounding cannabis and edibles?

LG: Over the next six months, we will be expanding both our luxury and wellness product lines. In the next year, Coda is planning to expand into at least two new markets.

According to BDSA Consumer Research, 73% of adults nationwide are now “bought-in” to consuming cannabis. Understanding that many such individuals are unfamiliar with today’s infused products, Coda believes strongly that microdose products are an essential factor in safe and customizable experiences. We are one of the few companies in the edibles category to defy the industry “standard serving size” with our new 1mg THC Fruit Notes that launched earlier this year. We continue to introduce products into the market that showcase minor cannabinoids such as CBN, CBG, CBC, and most recently, THCv. The market is no longer driven solely by milligrams of THC per dollar. Innovative products with minor cannabinoids are rapidly taking top-selling positions, allowing consumers to curate a cannabis experience that is just right for them.

WB: When you enjoy (Coda Signature’s) products, do you have any suggestions for their use? The bath products obviously are self-explanatory, but the chocolates? Maybe pairing with some kind of beverage or food? Or after a meal? Or during the day. What are your thoughts?

LG: There is a ton of opportunity to find culinary inspiration with our edibles. I love hearing when our customers develop their own creations using our products. In fact, that was a huge motivation behind our Fruit Notes line. Even though our Fruit Notes are a sweet confection, I love to pair them with a savory canape or a cocktail/mocktail. This elevates the cannabis edibles experience beyond just popping a gummy and invites cannabis consumers to join us in the kitchen. Some of my favorite pairings include the Strawberry & Rhubarb Fruit Note with goat cheese on a cracker and Coconut & Lime Fruit Note with grilled shrimp.

WB: What are your favorite foods for your cannabis journeys? Do you cook? What is your favorite thing to prepare? Do you have recipes from your family history that inspire you?

LG: When I am preparing for a cannabis journey, I always want to make sure I can have lots of different tastes and textures available. This may sound like a bizarre pairing, but a cheese plate and fresh oysters may be one of my favorite things to eat while experiencing cannabis—or anytime, for that matter. I am eagerly awaiting the invention of the cannabis-infused oyster.
(Author’s Note: Maybe down in Charleston; deep-fried in a cornmeal crust and napped with a canna-beurre blanc?)

Yes, I do cook a lot. I really enjoy making sauces. I love that in French kitchens there is an entire position, the Saucier, dedicated to just making sauces. It demands rigorous technique, a delicate hand, and a wealth of patience. A great sauce can elevate any meal, and as my grandmother, Mimi used to say, “can hide a multitude of sins.”

Mimi was a chef and caterer, and she made such incredible food. The one mainstay at every meal was her “Mimi Rolls.” Every time I make them, I am transported back to her dinner table. That simple roll is a perfect example of how food can act like a time machine bringing memories to life.

WB: What is your passion?

LG: Simply put, my passion comes from creating beautiful things and sharing them with others. Every day brings new opportunities to create. This industry is a constant source of inspiration, driving us to find new and exciting ways to exceed the desires of our customers for delicious flavors and bright experiences that elevate one’s well-being.

Lauren Gockley: Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer, Coda Signature

https://www.skunkmagazine.com/lauren-gockley-chief-innovation-officer-co-founder-coda-signature-digs-into-five-questions/?v=7516fd43adaa

Tags Cocktail Whisperer, Coda Signature, LAUREN GOCKLEY, warren bobrow, warrenbobrow

5 Questions Interviews Klaus Klaus Apothicaire

Meet Warren Bobrow, the Famous American Mixologist Who Makes Shots with THC

Post author By Warren_Bobrow
Post date July 22, 2022

ElPlanteo.com exclusive interview with American mixologist Warren Bobrow, author of Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails & Tonics: The Art of Spirited Drinks and Buzz-Worthy Libations.BYTHE PLANTINGJULY 22, 2022

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Note by Hernán Panessi originally published in El Planteo . More articles by El Planteo in High Times in Spanish .

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Warren Bobrow was just 5 years old when he tried a cocktail for the first time. He was a glass of sherry mixed with ginger-ale and a salty olive in Barcelona, Spain, with his parents. “I remember it was really hot and the refreshing quality of the ‘kids’ drink has stuck in my brain to this day,” says the mixologist, chef and writer known for Cocktail Whisperer and author of Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails. & Tonics: The Art of Spirited Drinks and Buzz-Worthy Libations .

Warren Bobrow’s Book of THC Drinks

The memory of that drink became a complex, unusual and unexpected introduction to mixology. “Even if it was made for a kid, it was still a cocktail ,” says Bobrow.

And, in his life, one thing led to another: he was a dishwasher, he studied at culinary school, he became a chef, he worked in restaurants of all kinds, he became a renowned bartender and he was even nominated for the Spirited Awards – Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, renowned industry awards. He has written six mixology books and hundreds of articles in magazines around the world. “It’s been a very busy life.”

As it is, that “busy life” is anointed in the game, in the tests and in the innovation. But, curiously, he supports his professional decisions based on a certain simplicity. “A well-mixed cocktail shouldn’t have a plethora of disparate ingredients,” he acknowledges.

Your first experiences

In that sense, since he was 16 years old he began to investigate the world of cannabis in drinks. And that kickoff was also subject to a bit of a fluke: As a teenager, she bought some awful faso brownies in New York’s Washington Square Park. He came to his house, put them through the blender, dumped a bunch of chocolate liqueur and chocolate ice cream on them. And… Boom!

“I was with some friends and we were very drugged and drunk.”

At the time, when he wrote his first book, Apothecary Cocktails: Restorative Drinks from Yesterday and Today , published in 2013, his publisher at the time did not allow him to include cannabis themes.

Over time, this trend was reversed and cannabis was taking a more prominent place in his bibliography.

But his link with cannabis did not occur in his investigative stage, but has an atavistic link: his grandfather had a botanist where he manufactured pharmaceutical products . “It was just snake oil, but I feel like there’s a correlation,” he confesses.

The famous cocktail with THC

Among the most popular cannabis-infused cocktails is the Mezzrole , which is sold exclusively in California, USA.

What is Mezzrole? A combination of small limes from the French Caribbean in a puree, blended with a touch of Japanese vinegar in a tangy, herbaceous version. A very spicy ginger syrup base from Pickett’s hailing from Denver, Colorado. “The best ginger beer concentrate in the world, and I’ve tried many during my research,” he says.

The cocktail follows with a base of 100 proof Agricole, a THC nanotech handcrafted creation. That includes about 10 milligrams of THC, from a strain called Hippie Crasher.

“It’s a really revolutionary drink full of terpenes,” he confesses.

Mezzrole, re crazy

At the time, the Mezzrole is a Bobrow creation whose goal is to drive its drinkers crazy . “You don’t get destroyed, but it’s not too different from the social version of smoking a joint . Of course, without the annoying smoke that announces your presence, ”says the mixologist.

He continues: “ I wanted to build a THC cocktail that would allow you to carry out all the social interactions of the plant without condemning yourself to social ostracism from non-smokers. I am offering the full cannabis experience in a well-constructed cocktail that truly smells like a well-cured cannabis flower.”

Among the riskiest cannabis drinks is the one he made during his appearance on Viceland . “They asked me to make a CBD/THC cocktail that they could feel.”

There, emboldened by the production’s suggestion, he mixed a bottle of straight bourbon on tap with a serving of roasted orange juice, ruby grapefruit with angostura bitters, and Italian orange soda. In addition, he added about 250 mg of THC and CBD .

“They lit up a little bit ,” Warren jokes.

Good and bad, bad and good

His book Apothecary Cocktails is about to reach its fifth printing imminently .

However, it’s not all good news for Bobrow: “ The bad part is that I was blacklisted by the liquor industry , so there was a lot of animosity and fear towards me. Unfairly, the truth. But that was kind of the end of my career . Although, in the abstract, it was not what ended my career.

How!? Did Warren Bobrow Retire From Bars?

“ I had to do it for my health. I put on a lot of weight working as an off-premise craft spirits brand ambassador and as a rum judge for the Ministry of Rum and Rum XP. My job was to get people drunk with the best spirits in the world , with the recipes in my books and the experience that working for Chris James at the Ryland Inn as a bartender gave me,” he reveals.

“It’s not an easy job!” He says, between jokes, at 61 years old.

Today, Warren runs the company that produces Klaus , a cannabis-infused ready-to-drink , and excels at the vice of popularization by writing regularly for Skunk , Cannabis Cactus and Different Leaf magazines .

—The first time you had a drink with cannabis was during that anecdote you told when you were about 16 years old. Now, when was the last one?

—Mmmhhh… The last time was the other night. The experience was, precisely, with Klauss, my drink. I didn’t want to drink any of the caramel-flavored carbonated waters, nor the syrups. They are too sweet, I don’t like them. That is why my drink is not sweet, far from it: it is acidic and well balanced.

THC banned, THC welcome

Meanwhile, the world of professional cocktails looks with some suspicion at the world of cannabis . It is that, these days, the consumption of THC mixed with alcoholic beverages is illegal in the United States (with the exception of California). For this reason, their drinks are not available in American bars .

Among his next creations, Bobrow plans to make a new version of the classic Zombie , a cocktail made up of various types of brandy and rum mixed with various types of fruit juices. The cocktail will feature details from a sativa strain that “will make you want to dance bossa nova.”

In his case, the famous mixologist uses cannabis medicinally because he suffers from glaucoma and marijuana “preserves his vision.” Likewise, he admits that he likes to “be crazy ” because it makes him “feel inspired” and allows him to write, open his brain and, according to him, unlock his third eye . “For various reasons, cannabis is part of my life.”

Conocé a Warren Bobrow, el Famoso Mixólogo Norteamericano que Hace Tragos con THC

Tags Cannabis Tonics, Cocktail Whisperer, Cocktails, High Times, High Times Espanol, Klaus, warren bobrow, warrenbobrow

5 Questions Interviews Skunk Magazine

BEN LARSON OF VERTOSA DITCHES HIS PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS FOR THE PLANT

Post author By Warren_Bobrow
Post date July 8, 2022

Let me tell you about Ben Larson, or better yet, I want Ben Larson to speak for himself. And what an opportunity I had to crawl inside Ben’s head, even for a short while.

Interviewing someone as busy as Ben Larson can be a problematic adventure. But with the help of brilliant overseers, I could capture what I believe is Ben Larson unbounded by your typical corporate double-speak messages. After all, I have a deep interest in what Ben does for Vertosa. Ben has achieved a certain level of nirvana working in weed. Being able to share his passion for the plant with fervent entrepreneurs who have dreams but not necessarily the ability to harness THC-based technology, Ben has brought boundless enthusiasm into this nascent space. What Ben is talented at doing is a thing of dreams. He should know that deep in his heart, as he has achieved amazing things by being a deeply talented entrepreneur in the nano-technology space.

Ben is doing what others can only imagine doing. His deep passion for the plant is evident in his ability to capture the essence of cannabis alchemy. To me, he has truly woven straw into gold.

The things I’ve tasted spun out of the minds at Vertosa are nothing short of brilliant.

Thank you, Ben, for listening to my dreams and helping me achieve drinkklaus.com.

WB: Please tell me about yourself. Where are you from? Where are you living now? Tell me about Vertosa. Where did the name come from?

Ben Larson: I was born and raised in Northern California – setting aside a brief high school career in Utah. After graduating from CalPoly, San Luis Obispo, with a Civil Engineering degree, I spent the first six years of my career as a professional engineer working in the transportation planning and engineering sector. Having moved to the Bay Area and immersing myself in the Silicon Valley community and culture, it wasn’t long before I took the leap of faith into tech startups. Like a true, ill-advised leap where I abandoned my professional license and cashed out my 401K.

While I never did prove myself as a successful tech startup founder – I had my fair share of tries – I did discover my love of the creation phase and the startup community-building aspect. After managing global operations for Founder Institute, mentoring many early-stage founders, and directing programs around the Bay Area and beyond, I decided to take my expertise and passion to the cannabis industry where my business partner and I launched California’s first cannabis startup incubator, fund, and co-working space, Gateway. It was here where I had the opportunity to earn my place in the California cannabis community, was educated on the history of cannabis, and discovered my purpose and responsibility in the movement.

I’ve since settled with my wife and two kids in the East Bay in the City of Walnut Creek, where we’ve called home for the past six years.

I met my co-founder, Dr. Harold Han, while I was investigating infusion technology opportunities in the cannabis space back in 2017. He was just starting to explore the industry and had an infectious curiosity, remarkable humility, and the perfect expertise to fill a void we were observing in the market. Sometime between Harold developing the first prototypes that would eventually become the core offering of Vertosa and the structuring of the business, I discovered I was destined to be back on the operating side of the industry.

Not only did I know that the industry needed reliable technology to create the next generation of infused products, I knew this industry needed a reliable B2B manufacturing partner that infused trust into an otherwise challenging supply chain. We also knew that this industry deserved a company that strived to be the best place to work and walked the talk when it came to building a corporate culture that resembled the ideals that we all sought for this industry. This is what we’ve focused on building over the past four years at Vertosa: superior, proven ingredients, building trust with our partners and the industry at large, and creating the best company culture this industry has seen.

Now, we haven’t always been called Vertosa. We were actually called Nanogen for the first year of business. It was a great starting point as it screamed science and built a great deal of trust, but as we built relationships with more mainstream natural products companies, we knew we would have to rebrand.

The name Vertosa speaks to who we are and the promise we deliver. VERT speaks to both green and truth – in line with our roots in cannabis and dedication to being the best partners to our customers. OSA, Spanish for the female bear, portrays our strength and proud California roots, with an important nod to the power of the female cannabis plant. Vertosa – not too dissimilar from virtuoso – was intended to be the trusted expert that walks the line between plant and science, commerce and medicine, and business and consumers.

WB: What are your six and twelve-month goals? What obstacles do you face? How do you anticipate removing those obstacles?

Ben Larson: For many in the cannabis sector and beyond, the next 6-12 months are all about survival. We know that great companies are born and proven in challenging markets. Those that learn to navigate these waters will have the opportunity to ride the next wave to success. We’ve had great momentum thus far, so I’ve asked our team to give themselves the permission to not only believe that we will survive but that we have the opportunity to thrive in today’s environment.

What does thriving look like? Well, we will continue to create market-leading ingredients that provide the foundation for the fast-acting, infused product category. We believe that all infused products in the future will be fast-acting. It’ll be table stakes. Fast-acting everything.

We have recently launched our private label offering, where we are helping companies map out their future product releases and designing the products that are leveraging our ingredients. Not all brands need this assistance, but not only do we have the greatest knowledge of our products and how to apply them. We’ve amassed a great brain trust internally with professionals that worked at the likes of Mondelez, Constellation Brands, and McCormick.

Finally, we’re striving to continue the expansion of our global platform that allows brands who work with us to access the same reliable ingredients and services in many markets around North America. While we’re headquartered in California, we’re very active in Canada, Nevada, Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, Maine, and several other states. The goal is to be a multistate B2B platform that enables brands to grow their total addressable market with ease.

WB: When did you discover cannabis? How old were you? Why cannabis?

Ben Larson: I discovered cannabis when I entered college, but it definitely wasn’t love at first sight. Like many, I chose alcohol in college, or I suppose it chose me. Not saying it was a great choice; that’s just the culture of much of collegiate America.

I rediscovered cannabis when I was at Founder Institute, and people began inviting me to coach cannabis startups and judge cannabis pitch competitions. I remember attending Weed Club’s 420 Pitch Competition back in 2015, where I met many of the OGs still around today. There was so much passion and enthusiasm in the room, but also a lot of really— let’s just say, raw talent. The community needed help—professionalizing— and the ability to speak investor language. This was my entry point. It was my passion for helping people realize their ideas while building supportive entrepreneurial ecosystems that really allowed me to see an opportunity to create value. That was the genesis for Gateway.

However, why I stayed goes much deeper. I became a student of the plant and the movement: the history, the politics, the false stigma, the drug war, all of it. I saw the immense amount of good this plant could bring society and so many wrongs that needed to be made right. I’ve always had a little bit of vigilantism coursing through my veins, and this was a way for me to dedicate my career to it. For the past seven years, I’ve been hell-bent on building up the community around me, being a voice for those unheard, creating opportunities for others as I create them for myself, and ensuring that we all get to benefit from the rising tide.

WB: Do you cook? If so, what is your favorite thing to prepare? Favorite restaurant? Where?

Ben Larson: I love to cook. My wife certainly does the majority of cooking when it comes to feeding the family, but given the privilege of time and freedom of thought, I absolutely love getting lost in the preparation of a meal. Perfecting my art around preparing challenging cuts of meat, like racks of lamb or lamb loin chops, and then creating the perfect sauce to pair it with is probably where I get the most joy, but I really love cooking just about anything. I mean, have you ever had the joy of turning spaghetti squash into actual spaghetti? It’s so awesome and easy. Most of the time, I just love the challenge of creating something from nothing or whatever we have in the pantry and fridge. Finding creative ways to cook vegetables or preparing an unlikely main is where my creativity really gets to show. When I hear someone say, “we don’t have anything to eat,” it’s like a Bat-Signal for me, and I find myself springing into action while saying, “au contraire.”

WB: What is your passion?

Ben Larson: My passion is for helping people manifest their dreams. From the time I was a kid, I always had a lot of ideas but didn’t always see the path forward. My life experiences have allowed me to discover those paths, and I find great joy in lending those learnings to others and helping them see their dreams come to fruition. And in the event I don’t know the path, which is often, I think I make a great companion in the entrepreneurial journey. There is no greater joy for me. I’ve done this for the past decade by working with early-stage startups and now get to continue it every day through the work we do at Vertosa and the hundreds of brands and partners we work with in the space.

Tags Ben Larson, Cannabis, Cannabis Cocktails, Klaus, Vertosa, warren bobrow, warrenbobrow

5 Questions Skunk Magazine

RYAN KILPATRICK DIGS HIS WAY INTO CHEEBA CHEWS

Post author By Warren_Bobrow
Post date July 3, 2022

If you’ve ever enjoyed a cannabis edible in the early part of the cannabis explosion which happened about ten years ago, it was probably a Cheeba Chew. They were one of the first to offer a taffy-like experience, using the best available ingredients, stuffed with a bunch of THC. I have had some memorable experiences with this venerable brand. They do everything beautifully in my book. Their range of flavors and textures remind me of fine French confiture, with a twist of solventless Rosin/THC of course. It’s about time that cannabis companies work in fine pastry and candy making with just the right balance of sweet to tangy, to memorable. Cheeba Chews have mastered this art of cannabis-infused confections and they have made them available to the discerning consumer. It’s a pleasure to enjoy their ebullient products after visiting their production facility, which is in itself, a joy to see, both ultra-modern and also clean as a whistle. Being a trained chef allows me the ability to taste at a somewhat higher level. What I perceive in Cheeba Chews- and in all their unique varieties that I savored, was quality in each of the small tastes. You don’t need much to have a really enjoyable experience. Their food scientist’s passion for European-inspired flavors oozes through every bite. There was one variety in particular that caught my attention. It was not unlike a confection known as pate de fruits from France and the addition of their proprietary solventless cannabis rosin recipe. Whatever their methods and the techniques that they utilize, these are not the edibles that I whipped up on my stove and crossed my fingers that they’d get me buzzed.

Cheeba Chews exceeds my expectations in every way because they use the best ingredients they can find. And I know some of their ingredients intimately, from my bartending years. Good call!

Photo Credit: Cheeba Chews

From their website:

PÂTE DE FRUIT CHEWS – Inspired by the elegant flow and organic beauty of freshly pressed premium rosin, Apricot MELTS are jam-packed with all-natural fruit purée, Colorado-grown cannabis extract, pectin, and little else.

INGREDIENTS:

Apricot Purée, Sugar, Corn Syrup, Citric Acid, Pectin, Solventless Extracted Cannabis Oil (Rosin).

BENEFITS:

All-Natural, Fruit Purée & Vegan-Friendly

WB Notes: The pate de fruits are really pure in their flavors and quite delicious. Each 10mg. piece offers a really subtle, introspective, and lovely long-lasting buzz.

WB: Please tell me about yourself? Where are you from? Where now? What do you do?

Ryan Kilpatrick: I’m Ryan Kilpatrick, a New Jersey native that’s been a Colorado resident for 22 years. Currently, I hold the position of Colorado General Manager at Cheeba Chews. For the last three years, my role has allowed me to focus on running the day-to-day operations in Colorado, while our founders focus on expanding the business. But I must say, the R&D is my favorite part of the job. I love coming up with new product ideas and putting them to the test.

WB: What are your six and twelve-month goals? What obstacles do you face?

Ryan Kilpatrick: Currently, we are laser-focused on our wellness line of minor cannabinoid-driven chews and our rosin-infused edible products. Our new dairy- and gluten-free line, MELTS, just launched and is growing rapidly. Additionally, the Live Rosin, Strain-Specific edibles that launched in 2021 continue to grow as new flavor-strain combos are released quarterly. We are very interested in seeing these products succeed, and the next six months will be crucial to that success. Beyond that, we have at least two other potential new product lines we are developing and hope to launch them in the near future. There is no shortage of excitement for what is coming down the pipeline from Cheeba Chews.

Photo Credit: Cheeba Chews

WB: When did you first discover the plant? How old were you? Do you remember with whom? Listening to what music?

Ryan Kilpatrick: We became acquainted back in the mid-90s. I was hanging out with a couple of my older brothers’ friends who needed a pipe to smoke. I happen to have one. So, we sat in the driveway underneath a house on stilts, listening to Ween and Beck, and got down to business. After that, the quality and availability of cannabis where I lived were less than desirable, but that didn’t stop the occasional session. Upon arriving in Ft. Collins in 1999, I very quickly learned where to find Kind Bud and we became great friends.

WB: Cheeba Chews is a class act product. I’ve been acquainted with it for years now. Please tell me about the new pate’ de fruits.

Ryan Kilpatrick: Thank you! MELTS by Cheeba Chews represents the first new brand launched by our company in a decade. MELTS were designed from the ground up to be a completely natural edible experience. A vegan-friendly, limited ingredient product made with fresh frozen fruit puree, solventless extracted live rosin cannabis oil, pectin, beet sugar and little else. We worked for over a year to ensure our MELTS provide a unique, balanced flavor profile rich with cannabis terpenes, supported by an intense fruit character. Our initial launch includes Sweet Strawberry Jam, Fresh Apricot Jelly, and Toasted Coconut Purée. All are amazing in their own way, but the Toasted Coconut is by far my favorite.

WB: What is your favorite Cheeba Chew variety?

Ryan Kilpatrick: In the last eight months, I have really been enjoying our Live Rosin, Strain-Specific taffy, and gummies, but now I’m obsessed with the Melts. However, my classic go-to edible is our Trifecta Chew–a caramel-flavored taffy infused with CBG, CBD, & THC.

WB: Do you cook? What’s your favorite food? Restaurant? Where? Favorite get high food?

Ryan Kilpatrick: I dabble a touch. I am the head chef for my household feeding a family of four nightly. I have a plethora of kitchen gadgets that I love to employ in my cooking. My favorite thing is to try something new; even when it doesn’t turn out to be that good, I simply enjoy trying something new. As the household cook, I also enjoy a good night out at a restaurant. In Denver, I have a hard time passing up a great spread of sushi. While it has become pretty common to find great sushi all over town, Sushi Den is still at the top of my list! If I’m sitting down for a smoke session after a long day, I usually have a bag of hard sourdough pretzels close by.

WB: What is your passion?

Live music! I am a fan of many different styles and genres. I will go see just about anyone playing live, but I tend to gravitate towards blues, jazz, funk, and jam bands. Summer doesn’t start until Widespread Panic plays at Redrocks!

https://www.skunkmagazine.com/ryan-kilpatrick-digs-his-way-into-cheeba-chews/?v=7516fd43adaa

Tags Cannabis, CHEEBA CHEWS, RYAN KILPATRICK, warren bobrow, warrenbobrow, Widespread Panic

5 Questions Interviews

DIGGING DEEPER INTO COOKIES PUEBLO WITH STEVE DURAN

Post author By Warren_Bobrow
Post date July 1, 2022

Steve Duran, Founder & CEO, Cookies Pueblo

Cannabis really tastes differently at sea level than it does at fifty-seven hundred feet above sea level. Hence the conversation that is about to take place. I sat down with Steve Duran and his wife when I visited Denver at the beginning of June. What I discovered by smoking his herbs was a crystalline reminder that I need to get more of his marvelous herbs the next time that I’m in town. Sure, they tasted pretty bodacious at altitude, but bringing the same flowers down to sea level with all the humidity that New Jersey is famous for, brings an entirely deeper experience. This is crafted cannabis that speaks a different language than my usual menu of herbs. Impressive? I’m humbled. Because it’s my job to capture the nuances in cannabis. The taste of the place if you will. With indoor grown cannabis this art is much more intrinsic of an experience. The quality is just so good, it’s hard to say one variety supersedes another. But the pleasure I experienced when smoking Steve’s cannabis is that of the first time, I tried Colorado herbs. A mile up it’s just a different metaphor. The air does something to this proficiency, an art form not yet discovered by mere tokers. If you are spending your life at sea level, you owe it to yourself to taste herbs as ebullient as the ones produced by Cookies in Pueblo. And when you get home, open up that little package stuffed into your shirt pocket and smoke some more. Let me know what you think.

Cheers! WB

Photo Credit: Steve Duran/Colorado Kush

WB: Please tell me about yourself. Where are you from? Living now? Tell me about Cookies. Where did the name come from? How long have you enjoyed the plant?

Steve Duran: I was born and raised in Pueblo, Colorado, by a single parent in a low-income household with every possible barrier set up against me. I actually started smoking at a really young age and the stigma associated with it followed me into my teenage years. Once I hit adulthood, I was incarcerated for cannabis, which surprisingly led to me qualifying as a social equity licensee. It’s still pretty surreal to think about everything I went through and know I was able to come out of it with this type of cannabis license. I always hoped cannabis use would become less stigmatized, so it’s awesome to see legalization happening in my lifetime. I feel blessed to be able to publicly embrace the power of the plant and share what I’ve learned over the years with my community. That focus and drive is really what pushed me to open my first dispensary, Seven One Nine – now known as Colorado Kush – with my wife in our hometown.

It wasn’t until a few years down the road that we opened Cookies Pueblo and that came from partnering up with Berner. We wanted to expand our footprint and felt like Cookies was the perfect fit for us. It’s effortless when you work with people that feel your vibe and share similar personal and professional values. We opened our doors a little over a year ago, in April 2021, and have enjoyed every minute of it. The Cookies team just gets it, and we’re grateful they share our commitment to quality above all else. In addition to owning and operating Colorado Kush and Cookies Pueblo, my wife and I recently launched a cultivation line called Colorado Kush Co. on the retail side, which is sold exclusively at Cookies Pueblo, so that’s definitely been a major highlight for me.

WB: What are your six and twelve-month goals? What obstacles do you face? How do you anticipate removing those obstacles?

Steve Duran: I’d say my six and twelve-month goals are focusing on keeping my businesses afloat, driving foot traffic to the stores, and building brand awareness around Colorado Kush Co., all while keeping social equity at the heart of what my wife, Monique, and I do. Our ongoing goal is to just share the knowledge we’ve gained with others in similar situations in hopes of getting more minorities involved and increasing representation in cannabis.

Even with legalization, there are many challenges associated with the cannabis industry as a whole – especially for black and brown Americans. As you know, the war on drugs continues to disproportionately impact people of color, making it extremely difficult to overcome the economic and regulatory obstacles associated with entering the legal market. I look around and ask myself, “Why aren’t there more owners and executives that look like me?” That’s what we’re trying to change through education and service to our community. I want to make sure that everyone, despite their race, gender, or socioeconomic status has a fair place in this industry.

Photo Credit: Steve Duran/Colorado Kush

WB: Who are your mentors and why?

Steve Duran: There have been a lot of folks who’ve helped me out along the way and given me solid advice, but on a personal level, I’ll always have to show my mom some love. Watching her do whatever it took to raise me as a single parent really instilled the value of hard work in me. I wouldn’t be who I am today without her love, support, and guidance.

Professionally, I have to give a shout-out to Berner. Seeing him turn Cookies into this international cannabis brand was inspiring – I knew I wanted to work with him and learn from his experience in the legal market. That level of insight and just knowing how the legal market works are priceless. We’ve both been in the industry for a minute so it’s motivating to see another Latino build this cannabis empire that’s still about the culture. We need to see more of it in the industry.

WB: When did you discover cannabis? How old were you? Why cannabis? What brought you to the plant?

Steve Duran: I was 12 years old when I smoked cannabis for the first time. Back then, you didn’t have all these reports on the medical benefits of it but everyone in my circle knew there was this holistic component to it. You can see how pills and hard drugs change people, but cannabis didn’t have the same impact. It was different, it actually helped people. It’s been a part of my life ever since. I’ve always used it to relieve stress and anxiety, boost my mood, and increase my appetite – and honestly, I just enjoy it. I truly believe this plant can elevate people’s quality of life by serving as a natural remedy to a variety of ailments. It’s the undeniable sense of community created by a mutual appreciation for the plant that’s kept me dedicated all these years.

Photo Credit: Steve Duran/Colorado Kush

WB: Do you cook? If so, what is your favorite thing to prepare? Favorite restaurant? Where?

Steve Duran: Yes, I love to cook! I grew up around my mom and grandma who were both amazing cooks so I got to taste some of the best homemade food in the world right at home. I would say my favorite thing to make is a pot of green chile cooked with Pueblo Chile of course. That’s my favorite meal to cook because of the smells and flavors that go into it (onion, garlic, chile, spices) – it’s always a reminder of home. When you walk in the house and there’s a pot of chile going there’s no other smell like it. I would take a pan of my mom’s red chile enchiladas, her Spanish rice, and this strawberry banana double-decker cake she makes over any restaurant that I’ve ever been to.

WB: What is your passion?

Steve Duran: My passion is centered around elevating people within the cannabis community. I really want to educate and empower people like me, who came from similar environments and circumstances. I want to be a driving force behind the effort to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion in the legal market. I want to help people transition from the illicit market to the legal market. Cannabis is a billion-dollar industry and yet thousands of people of color remain in prison for possession and/or consumption every day. I aspire to be an example of how legal cannabis can lift historically marginalized individuals and ultimately serve as a means of economic prosperity for a well-lived life. We’ve got a limited amount of time on Earth, and we need to make the most of it, regardless of what we’ve been through.

https://www.skunkmagazine.com/digging-deeper-into-cookies-pueblo-with-steve-duran/?v=7516fd43adaa

Tags Colorado Kush, COOKIES PUEBLO, STEVE DURAN

5 Questions Skunk Magazine

ELI MELROD OF SOLFUL DIGS INTO FIVE QUESTIONS ON TERROIR AND CANNABIS

Post author By Warren_Bobrow
Post date June 23, 2022

Warren Bobrow interviews Eli Melrod of Solful

I love what (full of boundless energy) Eli Melrod has achieved in the craft cannabis retail space. His esoteric and craft-oriented dispensary, Solful embodies my somewhat educated image of what a well-curated cannabis experience should look like. The environment is not overwhelming when entering the shop and the sophisticated, yet somewhat older clientele demands a deeper understanding of the plant. This is much different than the experience at most high-volume dispensaries. They seem to focus on getting the guest in and out, quickly and without much thought to the well-being of the customer.

More than just an allegory is how I describe the experience of visiting Solful. From the first time that I visited this dispensary several years ago, to the present day, I can honestly say that Solful offers a very wine store-esque, cannabis transactional experience right in the center of wine country. And I believe that the terroir of the cannabis mimics that of fine wine. It’s uncanny to taste a Sonoma Chardonnay, then inhale some cannabis, grown in Sonoma. Their terroir is very similar to each other.

Please allow me the honor of introducing you to my friend and fellow entrepreneur in the cannabis space, Eli Melrod, who is the CEO and Co-founder of Solful, award-winning cannabis dispensaries in Northern California

Photo credit: Mary Roll

Eli Melrod is CEO and Co-founder of Solful, award-winning dispensaries in Sebastopol and Santa Rosa, California, widely recognized for its broad selection of high-quality, locally-sourced cannabis products, as well as industry-leading in-store experience, and a commitment to making a meaningful impact in the community.

Under his leadership, Solful is dedicated to selling only 100% sun-grown flower purchased directly from small craft farmers in Northern California. A frequent visitor of partner farms, Eli and company directly manage Solful’s supply chain to ensure that every cannabis product sourced is planted, grown, nurtured, trimmed, and packaged according to the highest standards of care.

Eli has been an entrepreneur in the California cannabis industry since 2015. His interest in the health and wellness benefits of cannabis began in 2006, when his father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and discovered the power of cannabis to help him manage pain, nausea, appetite, anxiety, and sleep. Inspired by his father’s experience, Eli dedicated himself to bringing cannabis to people whose health, wellness, and happiness could be improved by its responsible use.

Today, Solful is known for its emphasis on cannabis bringing customers health and happiness. Focusing on training, education, and culture, Solful is reinventing the cannabis retail space. Their goal? For all customers – from experienced users to the cannacurious – to walk into their doors feeling comfortable and confident they will find the product they are looking for with the help of a long-tenured team that abides by the highest values, known as the Solful Standard.

Eli Melrod and Mike Benziger of Glentucky Farms: Photo credit: Brennan Spark

WB: Please tell me about yourself. Where are you from originally? Live now? What do you think about terroir in cannabis? Does “biodynamic” mean to you? What about Terpenes?

Eli Melrod: I was fortunate to be born and raised in Northern California. I spent my younger years in San Francisco and ultimately went between SF and Sebastopol as a teenager after my dad bought property up here. Since then, Sebastopol and Sonoma County have always been home. My interest in cannabis began when my father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. I saw firsthand the power of the plant and how it helped him manage pain and anxiety from the awful illness.

At the time, I was studying economics at Wesleyan University. Inspired by recreational cannabis use becoming legal in California and being a believer in its health and wellness benefits, in 2014, I left school and dedicated myself to bringing cannabis to people whose lives can be improved by its responsible use. I first worked for an established cannabis testing lab to understand the science of cannabis, and it was during this time that I started to build personal relationships with industry influencers, many of which included farmers. In 2015, I connected with a family friend and entrepreneur, Peter Dickstein, to launch Solful. Since we opened in 2017, Solful has been a destination cannabis retail brand with a focus on educating the community, offering personalized customer experiences, and sourcing the best craft sun-grown cannabis.

For me, terroir means the expression of time and place. All plants are going to be influenced based on where and how they are grown. What I love most about sun-grown and regenerative farmed cannabis is that the plant embodies that specific region and harvest. At Solful we work with farms that have a number of strains that they have developed over the years for their specific region. You can see and taste the variation of that strain each year, showing that the growing season no doubt impacts the end result of the plant. I’ve found that as I get to know our farming partners better when I smoke their cannabis, I feel the expression of their farm and the vibe of that region. It’s an intimate and special relationship that no other plant can offer.

Eli and his father. Photo credit: Brennan Spark.

With biodynamic farming, there’s a strict seven-year certification process by Demeter needed in order to use the term on labeling. That said, there are plenty of farms that use biodynamic practices, but don’t go through the official certification process. Biodynamics is a part of regenerative farming, which focuses on working with the land’s ecosystem – the farmers work with the land to help build a stronger, healthier system.

We are learning more and more about the plant and terpenes show there’s a lot more contributing to cannabis’s effects and medicinal uses than just cannabinoids. The science around terpenes is early and as an industry, it’s important that we are thoughtful in how we talk about the subject. We still have a lot to learn. What we do know is that terpene-rich cannabis tends to be more enjoyable to consume and has a more robust effect, compared to one that is lower in terpenes. Think of terpenes as the fingerprint of that specific strain and harvest. A strain’s terpene profile can act as a guide to help the consumer figure out what they like. As the industry evolves, I think it is great that we are shifting the conversation beyond just cannabinoids, especially for medicinal use.

WB: So many cannabis companies are hung up on high THC levels. Why is this flawed science? What are you doing to change this marketing into something more appropriate for the plant?

Eli Melrod: At this point, it is clear that higher THC doesn’t mean higher quality or potency. The overreliance on this number is misleading to consumers.

At Solful, understanding each strain of cannabis and product we sell is really important to us. We spend a lot of time educating our team to then educate consumers about where the farm is located, how the plant was grown, and the difference in strains. It’s all of this information that should ultimately play into the buying decision. At our stores, we display full terpene and cannabinoid profiles for each strain we carry. It’s a priority that our team members get to know the farmers we work with so they can speak to them as people.

An important lesson we have learned is that if you don’t train your team on how to translate industry knowledge into practical information for consumers, you aren’t educating them. We believe in meeting the consumer where they are – and we have built a program around this method so our team can offer more of a hospitality experience for everyone who walks through our doors.

Photo credit: Brennan Spark

WB: What are your six and twelve-month goals? How do you anticipate removing obstacles to cannabis? Who is your mentor/s?

Eli Melrod: We are excited to continue to expand Solful’s retail footprint. We opened our second location in Santa Rosa earlier this year and have a third location opening in an incredible community and neighborhood in San Francisco in the coming months.

https://www.skunkmagazine.com/eli-melrod-of-solful-digs-into-five-questions-on-terroir-and-cannabis/?v=7516fd43adaa

Tags Cannabis, Cocktail Whisperer, ELI MELROD, SOLFUL, TERROIR AND CANNABIS, warren bobrow, warrenbobrow

5 Questions Reviews Skunk Magazine

EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE WITH POSIBL CANNABIS: GROWN UNDER THE SUN

Post author By Warren_Bobrow
Post date June 9, 2022

Ever since I traveled to Holland as a boy, and saw how they grew flowers for the world, I was inspired by the concept of Dutch Greenhouses. Enter the current day — the concept of growing cannabis under the sun is more than just a possibility, it’s the reason companies like POSIBL exist in the first place. POSIBL is the cannabis farm of the future and engine for several of California’s leading brands. POSIBL is redefining what it means to produce the highest quality cannabis. Leveraging a state-of-art system that uses less to do more, POSIBL brings the best greenhouse technology and expertise from traditional agriculture into cannabis and pairs it with the best possible genetics to produce the perfect flower — grown in an ethical, sustainable, free of pesticide and cost-efficient way, year-round. The technology is as old as the greenhouses that I saw in Holland back in the 1970s. Growing cannabis in a greenhouse, using a mixed light supplemental system, is more than just intriguing, it’s the kind of cannabis that really gets me stoned. Not that I’ve tried the POSIBL brands yet, maybe I’ll have the chance when I’m out west again. It’s like that for me, making a laundry list of haves and have-nots. That is the question. And now, without further ado, may I please introduce Jesus Burrola, Chief Executive Officer of POSIBL. Cheers. WB

Photo Credit: Ben Lalande

WB: Please tell me about yourself, what do you do for work? Where are you from? Live now? What did you want to be when you grew up?

Jesus Burrola: My name is Jesus Burrola, and I am the CEO of POSIBL, a grower and co-packer out of Salinas, CA. We operate a 12-acre mixed light greenhouse, and power 15 large brands in CA. I was born and raised in Mexico and lived there until I was 18. I grew up around distribution, since my father owned a distribution business, and was interested in how to streamline logistics and operations. This led me to pursue a career in supply chain management, and I ended up working for the largest building materials distributor in North America for 15 years prior to joining POSIBL. The desire to help be a part of this new industry and help shape its direction of it and help destigmatize the plant led me to join POSIBL two years ago.

WB: What are you working on right now? Do you have a six and twelve-month goal? What makes your company different from its peers?

Jesus Burrola: We have 2 big priorities.

1) The launch of our first B2C brand Humo, which is focused on representing the Latino community. Being Latinos in the space, we felt there was no brand in existence that really catered to our community, which makes up over 30% of the California population and a huge portion of the participants in the industry. We see this as an opportunity to help reduce the stigma of cannabis in our community.

Photo Credit: Ben Lalande

2) The buildout of our new state-of-the-art greenhouses and processing facility. For the past few years, we have been working on getting a high-tech greenhouse project designed and permitted for expansion. We are, thankfully now, at the point where we kicked off construction. This project will take 14-18 months to be fully built out, but once it’s done it will be one of the most sustainable and tech-forward cannabis projects in the state.

WB: What obstacles stand in your way currently, and how do you anticipate removing them? Do you have a mentor or teacher who is valuable in your path?

Jesus Burrola: The largest challenge is the broken regulations and taxes that exist in California for cannabis operators. These in turn have created a very difficult market, where the heavy tax burden and added costs of the regulations make it extremely difficult to transition consumers to the legal market and have led to extremely low pricing for growers.

WB: Greenhouse, indoor or outdoor grown cannabis? Favorite strain right now? When you enjoy cannabis, do you have a favorite food that you prepare? What about your favorite restaurant?

Jesus Burrola: I am biased, but I would have to say greenhouse. I feel greenhouses with supplemental light are the best of all worlds, since you can incorporate the full spectrum of the sun and natural elements, but at the same time control the environment to give the ideal conditions for the plant to thrive and produce year-round. Sustainability is also important to us, and growing in a greenhouse environment allows us to reduce our carbon footprint.

My favorite strain right now has to be the Limonada. It is an energetic sativa with a citrus and sweet terpene profile.

To me, there is no better meal than authentic carne asada tacos. Being from Sonora, we take big pride in our claim to having Mexico’s best carne asada tacos. There is not a trip or visitor that doesn’t involve bringing freshly made tortillas to pair with some nice ribeye tacos and a cold beer.

WB: What is your passion?

Jesus Burrola: Apart from my family, I would say my passion is learning. I am naturally curious and coming into cannabis from the grower side has been an incredible experience. Cannabis is a fascinating plant. I get to work with a team that is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about the plant, and I learn new things every day. I am extremely grateful to be able to work with such a great group of people that truly care about growing the best possible flower.

—

https://www.skunkmagazine.com/everything-is-possible-with-posibl-cannabis-grown-under-the-sun/?v=7516fd43adaa

Tags Jesus Burrola, POSIBL CANNABIS, warren bobrow, warrenbobrow

5 Questions Skunk Magazine

DEEP DIVE INTO BEED, AENGUS CAWLEY, CANNABIS AND FIVE QUESTIONS

Post author By Warren_Bobrow
Post date June 6, 2022

Real cannabis imbibing intellects are the ones who dispel the notion that all cannabis smokers are still living in their parent’s homes, having failed to apply themselves in life. Nothing could be further than the truth. The popular culture paints cannabis smokers as unable to do anything but do bong hits all day. This is unfortunate, but a stark reality in many places in the world, especially in places like New Jersey, where I grew up. The very fact that I’ve used cannabis since the age of twelve- and I’m certainly much older than that now, made my parents practically livid with rage. It’s far too late now to change my misguided cannabis-fueled ways.

One of the things I learned from smoking cannabis is that it unlocks the creative side of my brain. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that cannabis made me an intellectual, that was already so… It just allowed me to think differently than my non-cannabis smoking peers.

When I recognize real thinkers, it’s usually through gatherings of other folks who do deep dives into their existence, usually with every puff of the finest cannabis in the world.

The Hall of Flowers is one such assemblage of like-minded heads. Aengus Cawley is one of the shining-star intellects that gathers with his peers in opening the minds and hearts of others through his ebullient smile. He truly has learned the secret and it unlocks the deep creativity that cannabis offers.

May I please introduce you to Aengus. He’s going to change the world, one perfectly curated cannabis experience at a time!

WB: Please tell me what you’re working on right now? What are your six-month and twelve-month goals?

Aengus Cawley: We’ve put an extensive amount of time, effort, and R&D into launching BEED, and we’re thrilled to have come to market in such a holistic, 360-degree way. Every detail and nuance of the customer exploration, discovery, and acquisition phase has been meticulously thought through from end to end on our part.

We recently launched our DTC ecommerce site, continue to work with key retail partners like MedMen, The Artist Tree, Grassdoor, Green Qween, Double Eye, and now have our eyes set on further inserting BEED into the larger cultural narrative. We have participated in many cannabis-oriented events like Smoker’s Club, Hall of Flowers Palm Springs, and Napa’s BottleRock, and see our trajectory as a technology meets cannabis brand to continue to evolve and innovate in lockstep with our consumers’ preferences and needs.

We are already working on expanding the BEED Capsule line so we can grow with the ever-changing cannabis consumer to ensure brand longevity. We initially launched with six effect-based capsule offerings (ranging from a 1:1 THC / CBD blend to a hash-infused, 40%+ THC option) and are keen to add strain-based and flavor-focused options in the near future. Another avenue we’re actively exploring is retailer-specific and brand-specific BEED Capsule collaborations. There is so much brand loyalty amongst cannabis consumers nowadays, and it’s the logical next step to reach these untapped consumers via branding cross-pollination.

Growing and diversifying our retail partnerships over the next year is a big priority for us. With each new retailer comes seemingly infinite possibilities for collaboration and innovation. We are most excited and inspired by the unexpected and love the notion of BEED popping up in unusual settings and environments for ‘surprise and delight’ moments. Our end goal and hope through the simplicity of BEED are that we further destigmatize the plant by leveraging technology and in turn, help break through cultural divides and barriers. We want BEED to help bring cannabis to the masses.

WB: Please tell me about your company. What is your technology? What makes you unique?

Aengus Cawley: Inspired by the ease and accessibility of making a cup of coffee, BEED aims to elevate and streamline the cannabis experience by producing fresh, mess-free pre-rolls at the push of a simple, single button. BEED is the first capsule-based appliance for cannabis in the California market and allows consumers to enjoy the freshest, fastest, and most fun rolling experience, all in an environmentally friendly and economically conscious way.

The BEED Machine is the first and only fully-automated appliance to produce a single cannabis joint in 20 seconds. Our fully recyclable aluminum BEED Capsules are nitrogen sealed and contain .5g of premium cannabis that will stay fresh and maintain the full spectrum properties of the flower for up to one year.

We are stewards of the Earth and strive to help our consumers lead a more eco-conscious life. It’s part of our brand DNA. Each individual aluminum BEED capsule and the exterior packaging tube they are sold in are fully recyclable, and we’re constantly challenging ourselves to design and engineer novel ways to be more environmentally friendly.

From a pricing perspective, the BEED Machine and Capsule line surpasses the typical cannabis consumer’s expectations in all the right ways. Currently, the most affordable 0.5g California pre-rolls hover around the $5.50 mark. In contrast, our capsules are sold in 8-packs of single-serve 0.5g Capsules for $32, meaning that if you enjoyed one fresh BEED joint every day for an entire year, on average you would save over $500 based on this industry standard.

What’s more, you’ll enjoy a wholly consistent, fresh smoking experience each and every time with our capsule technology to reap all the benefits of the plant.

WB: Do you prefer indoor to outdoor grown? Why? Terroir?

Aengus Cawley: I am personally (and likely as a result of my upbringing in rural Vermont) partial to outdoor, sun grown cannabis. There’s just something deeply special, even magical, about experiencing the plant in the most natural way. Unfortunately, it is not the most scalable option to provide consistent and fairly priced flower.

I’d be remiss not to acknowledge how indoor-grown cannabis has helped propel the industry into the $5.6B powerhouse it is today. It’s undeniable that indoor cultivation safeguards against external environmental elements and other hypothetical risks often out of growers’ control entirely. We at BEED have struck a happy balance between indoor and outdoor cannabis with the help of our partners at Glasshouse Farms. They believe the future of cannabis is greenhouse-driven, where high-quality, premium plants can be grown, nurtured, and cultivated using sustainably minded cultivation practices and in turn, sold at an accessible price point.

WB: Who is your mentor?

Aengus Cawley: It is less of a who has mentored me, and more of a what and where has inspired me.

First and foremost, I believe that physically disconnecting from society is essential to forming original (aka creative) thought. Getting out into nature and away from it all is the best way to ensure that your ideas are wholly your own. When you intentionally stop streaming, stop scrolling, and spend some time with just yourself, the universe tends to reward you with the clarity to create something unique and deeply impactful. Nature is a beautiful teacher.

My personal library is also a prized possession. Despite its physical weight and cumbersome nature, my library has been the perfect complement and often the driving factor of much of my personal and professional experience on this earth. Whether struggling through comprehending quantum physics by way of “The Dancing Wu Li Masters,” maximizing efficiency through pop culture phenomenon, Tim Ferris’s “4 Hour Work Week” or doubling down on the importance of having purpose beyond financials as I finish the inimitable Tony Hsieh’s “Delivering Happiness,” which was actually a recommendation from BEED’s CEO and a current mentor of mine, Ofer Kahana, literature has been a continual resource for further education.

WB: What is your passion?

Aengus Cawley: Making people smile. Bottom line. Whether it’s through art and approaching life from a uniquely creative lens, simple human interaction, or critical business decision making, bringing happiness to others is the most important thing to me at the end of the day. It’s actually what drew me initially to the cannabis industry and what ultimately led me to BEED.

First and foremost, cannabis is plant medicine and one that is essential to so many of the most important people in my life. The plant is so communal and it’s the shared experience of cannabis that brings people together in a positive way time and time again.

BEED’s technology helps democratize the plant in an approachable, lifestyle-centric way, and in turns helps further remove the cultural stigma of cannabis. When someone uses the BEED Machine for the first time, whether they were initially skeptical or are a cannabis veteran, consumers are always wowed by the simplicity of the process and are equally in awe when their freshly rolled joint is dispensed in a matter of seconds. … and after they take the first hit, well that’s when the real smiles set in.

https://www.skunkmagazine.com/deep-dive-into-beed-aengus-cawley-cannabis-and-five-questions/?v=7516fd43adaa

Tags AENGUS CAWLEY, BEED