Category: Skunk Magazine

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A nice fresh pack of Space Coyote joints in my pocket…

I was recently out in California and although my time there was very short, I did have a moment to visit Med Men.

Visiting the Left Coast is always a thrill for me, since I was in my mid-teens when I stayed with my then-cool uncle at his home on the beach near Venice. I’m lucky to say that cannabis was woven into my deeply intricate past. But back to the dispensary visit on the thirty hours or fewer journey to the Los Angeles region. Thank you to those who took such good care of me during my sojourn, Justin and Rick especially made the two days very pleasant to say the very least.  The underlying reason? I had a nice fresh pack of Space Coyote joints in my pocket. Because I have always been interested in their product, I finally had a chance (at MedMen) to purchase a package, and then smoke one and then another.

As your intrepid cannabis aficionado, please allow me a moment to give you my insight into Space Coyote. Because they are infused with 10% hash, they take a bit getting used to from a flavor standard. The mix is quite remarkable. 90% Strawnana Flower and 10% Ice Cream Cake Hash. One might think that this blend sounds sweet and candy-like, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Each carefully assembled mini-joint is a joy to the palate and to the mind. The box reads, Get Glazed. That is very true. Because the mini-joint has some really righteous hash in it, you will get quite glazed. It’s really unavoidable. But that’s the rub. It took me only a tiny bit to really sense the effect, primarily because I hardly smoke hash anymore. Smoke a tiny bit of a Space Coyote joint, see how you feel and then smoke some more if you need to. Now, perhaps I can entice you with something that I can do well… Crafting some tasting notes for the mini pre-rolls named: Space Coyote.

The tin reads 2.5 grams. It’s handsome in overall design and quite slender in size, making the unobtrusive joint container the perfect foil against sometimes prying eyes.  Sliding open the tin, one discovers an inner sleeve and inside that there are several pre-rolled mini joints. It’s a clever way to package something like a mini pre-roll that can dry out quickly. The tiny resealable (by folding down) inner bag is most helpful to keep your pre-rolls fresh.

Of course, you could smoke them with your friends eliminating any interruptions or distractions from the task at hand. And that is enjoying your Space Coyote mini-pre-rolled joints with others.

Palate:

Sizzling hot Brioche toast spun into a brown butter nose. Bursts of caramel corn and Black Dirt Island loam. The first pull is slightly sweet, but this moves quickly into more sophisticated notes of bitter chocolate and lemon marmalade. The hash element is graciously tucked into the setting with creamy notes of steaming hot corn pudding, napped with citrus oil. The entire package is woven into the never-ending finish.

Nose:

I swear the smoke smells like a walk in a pine forest surrounded by woodland creatures who are curious as to what exactly I am doing there.  Coming into view under foot (running at high speed away from above said woodland creatures who now have me on their impromptu lunch menu…) and then dispersing in thin air is a mist of the most impossibly sticky sap raining down upon your entire periphery. The Space Coyote aromatics would smell like you think the air would taste. And if you had parked your car under one of these ancient trees oozing liquified sap and your windshield is now plastered in this thick overlay, you’d know what I am alluding to.

For some reason you feel compelled to lick this sticky pine froth that was coating most of your car. With each tiny lick of this sticky sap you’d know what a pull of Space Coyote represents to my taste buds. Oh, the magic this cannabis procures from me! It really works into my psyche. Space Coyote represents deeply the dreamlike effect of this tiny joint. Just enough to come back for more. I’ll revisit Space Coyote when I’m back out west again. Fun stuff.

The Experience:

Space Coyote is an inexpensive plane ticket to a place not yet discovered. I am charmed by the billows of thick, aromatic smoke and the deeper meaning encapsulated in the hash element. It is as if I am experiencing the art of getting stoned or glazed as the Space Coyote marketing reads in a new and unexpected way. I do recommend a couple things. Always when smoking hash, or any adjunct, less is more. You don’t have to be a hero and smoke the entire mini pre-pre-roll. I know it is small but let me tell you that you don’t need much for a deeply mystical experience. Should you live in California, you can get some and experience the fun of Space Coyote.

About Space Coyote:

Space Coyote is a cannabis company in a groove all their own. As California’s premiere infused joint maker, each Space Coyote combines high potency herb and delicious, out of this world extracts. Crafted for stoners by stoners, Space Coyote celebrates art, equality, and the psychedelic side of cannabis. Collaborations with cultivators, extract brands, and artists are at the core of Space Coyote’s mission. Each joint perfectly pairs full-bud flower with phenomenal concentrates like diamonds, live resin, and hash made by the top extract brands in California. Space Coyote is committed to the betterment of the planet and has an environmental focus on everything they do.

About Scott & Libby, Co-founders of Space Coyote:

Scott Sundvor and Libby Cooper are co-founders of Space Coyote. The idea for Space Coyote was conceptualized on one galactic night in Joshua Tree with a meteor shower overhead. They sought to merge together two previously segregated cannabis market segments — flower and extracts. Before Space Coyote, there was very little overlap between pre-roll consumers and concentrate consumers, and after years of rolling their own home-version of a Space Coyote, they wanted to bring them to market. Space Coyote combines high quality flower and well known, branded extracts into one delicious joint. This provides co-marketing opportunities to established extract brands, while in the process supporting small family farms growing the highest quality and most potent bud. Scott & Libby have developed a unique way of running Space Coyote where they alternate being the CEO and President, annually, as a statement of their equality. Scott was CEO at launch and 2019, Libby was CEO for 2020, and now Scott is CEO, again. Their roles within the company do not change with the title change, as they have very complimentary skills which do not cross over. It’s the perfect yin yang, one could say.

https://www.skunkmagazine.com/a-nice-fresh-pack-of-space-coyote-joints-in-my-pocket/

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Interviews Skunk Magazine

Ladies of Paradise: Lady Jays, Great Flower/Girl Power!

Photo Credit: Keasha Brown
Photo Credit: Keasha Brown

I’m quite a fan of the brand Lady Jays. My path to this brand came by osmosis and travel.

I was searching for mini pre-rolls while on a cannabis mixology trip to Portland, Oregon and our paths crossed. Not physically unfortunately (for me, not the Ladies of Paradise!), but through my enjoyment of their marvelous cannabis flowers woven into their admirable smokes named: Lady Jays.

Traditionally, I’m not a big fan of the variety of cannabis which is known as hemp. Nor hemp pre-rolls. They are in fact cannabis as I appreciate it, but with extremely low THC. The CBD and CBG components offers all the fine medical effects that we appreciate in medical cannabis, but without the pleasant body buzz. For myself, I’m looking for something a little different. But for those who want to experience Lady Jays without running into unnecessary attention from the “man” may I recommend their legal hemp line. Their hemp derived prerolls are quite lovely indeed. I know you’ll love them!

Warren Bobrow=WB: Please tell me about yourselves? What are you doing in the pro-women cannabis world? What about in the future?

Harlee Case: I’m a tornado of rainbow colors, alien theories, and weed. My “title” is Creative Director for Ladies of Paradise and Lady Jays. I’m in charge of all of our creative clients and original concepts for design and forward-facing marketing. We are only a few women, so in all reality we all have our hands in each other’s business. We have had a difficult time with splitting things up into roles as we all really enjoy working together on mostly everything.

Jade Daniels: I’m a connector. I love meeting new people and introducing friends who I know will vibe. I’m a doer, I can’t sit still. I always have to be on the go or planning my next move. I’m the CEO and founder of Ladies of Paradise and Lady Jays, and a visionary for creativity in cannabis.

WB: Please tell me what you’re working on right now?

Harlee: Ladies or Paradise is a creative agency that specializes in marketing to the wild feminine type. Lady Jays is our first in-house product, which is a 10 pack of half gram pre-rolls. We started with THC products in Oregon and now have CBD/CBG products that are available nationwide.

Jade: I work mostly with Lady Jays production, wholesale and expansion. I have done everything from assembling our boxes to shrink wrapping them, shipping them, establishing relationships with partners and meeting new people to work with.

WB: What makes you, YOU? How do you set yourself apart from your peers?

Harlee: I think our style in general really sets everything we do apart. We like to be loud and push the boundaries of design and style.

Jade: We have a very feminine and loud aesthetic and love to be a positive voice in the community. We bring people together and make everyone feel included. We embrace authenticity and encourage people to be happy being themselves.

Photo credit: Harlee Case

WB: What’s your favorite thing about your accomplishments in the cannabis space?

Harlee: I feel so blessed to be in a work environment that is supportive. We play by our own rules, so there isn’t anything that I’ve wanted to do that I haven’t been able to. If we can dream it, we can do it. I truly love the communities we’ve both created and been a part of — From parties, to photoshoots, to Zoom calls, the energy is incredible. I’m so grateful.

Jade: I love working in the cannabis industry and being a part of something new and exciting. The downside — we have to operate in gray areas because it’s not federally legal, and deal with constant regulation changes, guidelines and restrictions.

WB: Did either of you go to business school? How did you learn the necessary skills to run a successful business?

Harlee: I learn best from jumping in headfirst. I didn’t go to college, so it’s all really been trial and error.

Jade: I went to business school at the University of Houston, and I took a course one semester that really inspired me to start my own business. There’s so much more once it happens, though, that you learn hands-on.

WB: What’s contributed to your success? Where did your inspiration come from?

Harlee: Dreaming big, and always taking forward action towards those dreams.

Jade: Rolling with the punches and pivoting our business model constantly…Never taking “no” as an answer and constantly evolving.

WB: Could you have ever imagined working in the cannabis industry?

Harlee: I grew up in a very popular cultivation zone far before legalization, so it wasn’t that far off of an idea but still I didn’t necessarily think it would be so…Never in the way it has all transpired, at least.

Jade: Not at all. I went to high school and college in Houston, and never thought this was a possibility.

WB: Were your family and friends supportive of your venture?

Harlee: Yes, very supportive. My father wasn’t super excited at first, but he’s always supportive of my life choices even when he doesn’t agree with them.

Jade: My dad is a veteran and knows first-hand the medical benefits of cannabis for PTSD, so that was a really good way for me to validate my involvement in the cannabis industry. My mom was a hippie growing up and smoked weed in the ‘70s, so she’s down with the movement but wasn’t super stoked that this was my career path. I think she just wanted me to be a pro soccer player (and was the most emboldened with me when I was scoring goals).

WB: What has your personal experience with cannabis been?

Harlee & Jade: We love cannabis, always have and always will.

Thank you, Cheers! WB

Jade Daniels, CEO of Ladies of Paradise & Lady Jays

Harlee Case, COO of Ladies of Paradise & Lady Jays

Ladies of Paradise is a women-positive creative agency based in Portland, Oregon, where women are appreciated, celebrated and supported. Currently, LoP offers cannabis event planning services, graphic design, packaging, creative content development, educational meetups, and product lines ranging from clothing to CBD products, as well as the new LoP cannabis and hemp CBD & CBG pre-rolls, Lady Jays. LoP works to uplift, unite, and educate individuals in an effort to normalize cannabis by means of fashion, community and culture. Through their themed cannabis events and community of women of all shapes, sizes, and colors, LoP aims to elevate the aesthetic and remove the stigma from cannabis and the people who make up this community.

https://ladiesofparadise.com

https://www.smokeladyjays.com

https://www.skunkmagazine.com/ladies-of-paradise-lady-jays-great-flower-girl-power/

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Hopper Reserve: Cosmic Consciousness

Pre-Rolls for the Intellect

Iwish I had more joints of Hopper Reserve. Please allow me the right to tell you why.

At Hopper Reserve, they produce the kind of cannabis I grew up with in the 1970’s. Back then, there was People’s Express Airlines and their cheap fares. I spent many years during the 1970’s travelling back and forth, from New Jersey to the Coast. The West Coast that is. And when I had weed, which was almost all the time because my uncle smoked the good stuff, Hopper’s Reserve reminds me of those days.

No, we didn’t chase THC back then. We got high because we were too young to drink legally in California. When I was in my late teens, it was legal to drink in New Jersey (18), and you had to be twenty-one to drink in California. With this said, the weed was really good for the time and I smoked a lot of really good homegrown weed from California in my teenager years. Lucky me!

Which reminds me to smile more, as I take a deep pull on a Hybrid pre-roll from Hopper Reserve. This is not science-lab cannabis. It’s outside grown, under the sun. The way cannabis should be grown in my opinion. My thoughts on “chasing THC” is that when you only smoke thirty, forty, or more % in THC, you’re missing the elegant finesse that says craft, luxury cannabis.

Hopper Reserve is luxury cannabis.

But not for the reasons that you may think of. Again, Hopper Reserve does not offer those trendy, high THC levels. The luxury cultivars that Hopper Reserve employs are in the low twenties with the highest level found in the Indica. Their Gas OG rolls in at 22.13% THC. Their Hybrid is the cultivar named Sugar Shack. It has 21.56% THC and the Sativa is Pink Lemonade, smartly rated at 20.42% THC. See? You don’t need 40% THC to get stoned. Far from. What I seek is subtlety. Hopper Reserve offers luxury design in the packaging too, with Dennis Hopper’s photography featured on the full color boxes. There is a small QR code and it actually connect to a website where you can find more technical information. It’s really helpful.

Hopper Reserve is new-fashioned cannabis for an old-fashioned clientele. Each smoke comes packaged in a recyclable glass tube, easily re-sealed should you not be able to finish the entire one gram joint. Also, each joint is hand-assembled with a wavy tip. Nice touch! They look like someone obsessed over technique. It shows!

The joints themselves are carefully constructed using hand-selected luxury cannabis flowers. No stems or sugar leaf. Each joint speaks volumes to the care and love that Dennis Hopper brought to the universe. Creative, unambiguous, outspoken, and charismatic, Hopper Reserve encapsulates the man who was Dennis Hopper into an easily understood format. The pre-roll joint!

I hope to have the time to enjoy more of Hopper Reserve. They are the thinking-person’s joints, one chic pull at a time.

Tasting Notes:

Sativa:

Gentle pulls on the tip (with the joint un-lit) offer Asian spices and screened loam in the mouth. The Pink Lemonade strain is particularly refreshing even when not lit with citrus oil leading into notes of crushed spearmint.

Lighting the carefully pressed tip reveals notes of shiitake mushroom, peach pit acidity and lemon curd smeared across lightly charred toast points

Nose:

Lemon oil, peach pit, crushed stone, soil, sunshine

Mouthfeel:

Dark molasses syrup in the mouth (smoke) gives way to notes of crème caramel and bursts of Macoun apple slices. Crispy and aromatic with droplets of red fruits

The Experience:

Ok, we’ve established that the THC levels are quite low, yet I’m quite high. A conundrum indeed with the soft smoke, swirling around my head leaving a relaxed experience surrounding my entire body. The Sativa stimulates brain activity yet offers a summer barbeque after each puff along with a nap.

Hybrid:

Sugar Shack tastes like the name if you suck on the tip, inhaling lightly when the joint is not lit. I got flavors of Rhum Agricole, Angostura Bitters and sharper notes of grilled stone fruit marmalade. Lighting the joint reveals morel mushroom tones, caramelized celery and Caribbean spices. There are tiny bursts of sea salt that come into view, dissolving into grilled butter soaked cornbread slices. Each bit (puff) offering synergy and creativity

Nose: Crushed stones, caramel custard, tarragon, sage butter

Mouthfeel:

Full and rich with billows of soft smoke, not harsh at all. A virtual oil slick of spices coats the back of your teeth with alacrity

The Experience:

Sugar Shack gets me stoned! I’m comfortably relaxed, yet my mind is crisp and attentive. This is truly the good stuff with the low THC levels belying the thought that only high THC weed gets you stoned. False! Well balanced, outdoor-grown cannabis gets me the most stoned!

And fast! This is luscious herb.

Indica:

The Gas OG is every bit as memorable as the first time that I smelled New York Sour Diesel, but only that was back in New York. My experience of smoking the Gas OG was in California, a very different set of circumstances. I’m not sure that real New York Sour Diesel is still available. Gas OG is a very good imitation in this regard. The nose of Gas OG is pure petrol. The scent of a twelve cylinder Ferrari as it passes you on the road with whiffs of baby skunk and freshly turned soil. Gas OG is an afternoon at the race-track. Gas OG teaches you to breathe deeply, with reverence. When I smoke Gas OG I want to lay back in a bathtub with Kneipps German Bath salts and relax until all the bad energy evaporates. When sleep is forthcoming and the nook of reality sets in. This is the kind of cannabis that puts me down. If I was to smoke it in the morning I’d be “in the couch” because Gas OG is a heavy relaxant. It does to me what Indica is supposed to do. And it does this task very efficiently. I’m a massive fan of Hopper’s Reserve Indica. Great stuff!

Nose:

A touch of fruit salad, leading into petrol and the most impossibly cute baby skunks you’ve ever seen, just before they spray you. This is what I feel most closely represents New York Sour Diesel from the 1980’s. Wow, how do they do it?

Mouthfeel:

Robust and forthright, this is textbook Indica across the palate. Impressive, full-bodied smoke, yet no coughing at all. This cannabis is perfectly cured for maximum flavor and terpene quality.

The Experience:

If the couch was any closer, I’d lay myself down for a well-deserved nap. This Indica brings the careful enthusiast to a place where history and intellect meet. Creativity is unleashed with the Hopper Reserve Indica, if I can only keep my eyes open long enough to write. This cannabis really is the kindest kind!

WARREN BOBROW

Warren Bobrow has been a dishwasher, the owner of the first company to make fresh pasta in South Carolina , a television engineer and he even worked at Danceteria in NYC, then a trained chef which led to a twenty year career in private banking. A cannabis, wine and travel aficionado, Warren is a former rum judge and craft spirits national brand ambassador. He works full time in the cannabis business as an alchemist/journalist. Cocktailwhisperer.com Drinkklaus.com Instagram: warrenbobrow http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_Bobrow

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Reviews Skunk Magazine Tasting Notes

Getting High With Dear Old Dad On Father’s Day

My dad wasn’t thrilled that I smoked cannabis. At all… It’s a “Jersey” thing.

It’s my hope that you have a cool dad, because mine certainly was not. He was completely and utterly stigmatized. Really too bad, it may have steered my life differently. Oh well.

Should this really cool dad who is your dad smoke weed, well then you are the luckiest daughter or son in the world. I’m jealous!

Your nonchalant dad should be celebrated for his open-minded approach to the plant. But first, what kind of cannabis to buy for your dad on Father’s Day?

If he enjoys the finest wines, you can buy him wine.  I can help you in this regard, but this article is not about wine. Far from. It’s about the three choices you should make for Father’s Day if your dad smokes weed.

The first cannabis product that I think your dad will just go crazy over, is a mini-pre-roll joint named Dog Walkers Pre-Rolls. They come in a small, handsomely designed tin and are intentionally sized. What does that mean? Well, they aren’t an entire gram. Most pre-rolls are at least a gram or more, which may cause you to forget that you were walking the dog in the first place.

The idea of a dogwalker mini-pre-roll is having just enough weed to enjoy while you walk your dog around the block. No more than a healthy pinch!

Each mini dog pre-roll is perfect for an evening promenade while the larger big dog is ideal for those lengthier walks with your special pup. (You see the correlation here, right? The Mini Dog pre-roll and Big Dog pre-roll… Hence the name, Dog Walkers!)

I loved the little tin that I sampled. They really got me stoned in four words or less.

(I got really stoned!)

A portion of proceeds goes back to deserving animal shelters across the country.

The second weed that I sampled lately is medical. From Rythm in New Jersey (It’s Medical Cannabis!) their Rythm “Brownie Scout” Flower is flower elegantly elevated; skillfully urbane and fastidiously cured. Rythm’s premium flower offers peak potency, opulent aromatics and complex flavors of deep loam and bursts of rich stone fruit compote. Brownie Scout is one of Rythm’s most popular Indica strains that crosses Platinum Girl Scout Cookies with Stardog Guava. I tend to move towards Indica strains later in the afternoon as the day slips way from bright to dark. Rhythm is gourmet cannabis that offers a languid experience that doesn’t weigh you down. Quite the opposite in fact. Although my body is relaxed with Brownie Scout, my mind is crystalline and razor sharp. Lovely!

Of course, you want to do more for your dad than buy him just another necktie or plonk bottle of Merlot wine. With the stay-at-home workday being a thing of the present rather than of the past, your dad is working harder to pay your bills. It’s your time to reward him for his best efforts.

After all, he took care of you even when he wasn’t feeling up to snuff. You want to impress him!

I think one of the best ways to astound your father is by smoking some really great California cannabis with him. My opinions on which variety to choose from varies broadly on this regard, but for your dad may I please suggest the really cool, pre-roll flight from Canndescent.

Canndescent Pre-Roll Flight is in my opinion, the most suitable way to test-drive each of Canndescent’s luxury effects in their own proprietary, craft cannabis cultivars: Calm, Cruise, Connect, Create and Charge. Each perfectly fashioned pre-roll is stunningly presented using their own 100% ultra-premium flower. I am a massive fan of Canndescent cannabis because of the flavors that their talented growers coax out of the plant. Each puff deeply excites my palate. They are bright and vibrant against my tongue and lips. They get me comfortable with the present tense. Last year I was tasting through some recent purchases and Canndescent was amongst those brands that consistently fascinate me. The overall effort they put into each plant at Canndescent is truly brilliant. You should get some for your dad. He appreciates your good taste.

https://www.skunkmagazine.com/getting-high-with-dear-old-dad-on-fathers-day/

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Skunk Magazine Tasting Notes

FlowerShop “Functional Flowers” Mindful Inspiration

WARREN BOBROW

My mood today is comfort and what better way to examine this theory then by enjoying a lovely pre rolled cannabis joint from FlowerShop. Framed by a glass tip, reminiscent of Murano (Italian) glass, this hand rolled joint immediately charms the attentive smoker. One toke at a time.

This joint is truly a luxury experience. The backbone of this deeply pleasurable circumstance is formed by deep inhalations. Deeper than that. You know the experience of tasting really find cannabis. This is one of those brands that speak a language, in this case the terminology is comfort.

The peaceful enjoyment (smoking) of Indica flower is one of my favorite ways to slip into the early evening. I’ve been enjoying Indica strains for this purpose as long as I can remember. In the couch is the understood wording. After a couple hits of the FlowerShop Indica, I know what the words really mean. The feeling of being enveloped in warmth and relaxation. An acceptance of slumber. The ability to finally rest. Focus will come later, after a well-deserved nap. All these descriptions mean something after smoking a couple hits from the FlowerShop’s mini-pre-rolled Indica joints.

I’m very impressed by their candor and humor. Yes, I’m stoned but it’s not overwhelming, nor incapacitating. But I’m very, very calm. And peaceful. This is exactly what the experience should be. If I’m as euphoric as I think I am, this would be my professional recommendation, smoke less than I did. You can always take more.

Their Comfort strain is pretty strong stuff, so be patient and smoke ½ of a joint first. Or less if you are a neophyte. Taking fewer hits are more in this case.  Patience weed-hopper.

Wow. I’m feeling no pain.

Although not true “medical” cannabis, FlowerShop would like for you to feel better. Nothing is more rational right now, because I do feel better, inside and out.

I believe these well-woven, mini-pre-rolled joints are a class act.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: A dollop of sweet lemon curd melting over brioche toast points

Palate: Touches of petrol and wood smoke come into view leading to droplets of lemon oil

Flavor/Stone: I got really stoned on just a couple hits from the blue-glass tipped mini-pre-rolled joint

Read More Here At Skunk Magazine!

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Recipes Skunk Magazine

Shrub + French 75

By Warren Bobrow @warrenbobrow

Get ready to try my Cocktail Whisperer’s twisted take on the French 75, that classic combination of gin, champagne, lemon juice, and simple syrup. This version is actually my own hybrid of the French 75 and the traditional champagne cocktail, which calls for a bitters-moistened sugar cube, brandy, gin and a heady top of champagne. 

Fuse the two together, add a healthy whack of the zesty Squire’s Shrub and you’ve got a cocktail that’ll make your knees tremble because you get high and tipsy at the same time. It’s really unexplainable, you have to try it yourself. In the same way that alchemists of old attempted to turn base metals into gold, champagne can turn your plain old Tuesday afternoon into a full-on, hat-waving celebration. Be sure to keep a bottle on hand so you can whip these up the next time you find yourself hosting an impromptu shindig. Make a few batches of the Squire’s, if you dare—just keep that bottle of Fernet Branca on hand to help ease your head for the morning after.

Recipe: The Squire’s Shrub

Ingredients

  • 1 Demerara sugar cube or a teaspoon of Demerara Sugar 
  • Several dashes of lemon bitters (Fee Brothers works)
  • ½ ounce Rhum Agricole Vieux (Fresh Sugar Cane juice distilled into Rhum Agricole, then aged in either French Oak casks or once used Bourbon cask…. From Martinique) 
  • ½ ounce (15 ml) botanical gin such as the popular, rose scented Hendrick’s Gin (infused with a bunch of THC ) 
  • (I used 28 grams per 750ml bottle, then slowly infuse in the gin over a couple weeks, strain and use in cocktails)
  • 2 ounces (60 ml) Squire’s Strawberry-Rhubarb Shrub
  • 1 1⁄2 ounces (45 ml) champagne or dry sparkling wine
  • 1 long lemon zest twist

Process

  1. Add the sugar cube to a champagne flute and moisten with the lemon bitters. Then add your thc infused gin, Rhum Agricole Vieux and the Squire’s Strawberry-Rhubarb Shrub. 
  2. Top with champagne. 
  3. Garnish with a long lemon zest twist. 

Pro Tip: To prepare this libation, combine very finely chopped lemon zest and crushed Demerara Sugar, wet the rim of the glass with lemon, and dip the glass into yellow-colored sugar. Voila!

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Recipes Skunk Magazine

The Squire’s Shrub

By Warren Bobrow @warrenbobrow

When is a shrub not a shrub? When is a drink a plant? The quick answer is never, but these acidulated beverages are as old as history itself. 

In my recently released book, Bitters and Shrub Syrup Cocktails, I revealed the secrets of these refreshing beverages and attempted to introduce a flavor profile from the past into the modern era of creative mixology. But first, what is a shrub?

A Shrub is in simple terms a mixer that is included in both mocktails (cocktails without the kick) and craft cocktails. In the days before refrigeration, it was pretty evident that without some means for food preservation, keeping items fresh was difficult at best. Gastric blockages from eating food that was less than pure was the norm and people just didn’t live long because of food borne illnesses. 

Back in the times of the Egyptians, where the roots were sown for the argument that food and drinks were less injurious when they didn’t poison the imbiber. Food borne illnesses could be prevented or at least minimized by the use of an acid. In this case, the combination of vinegar and sugar when added to either fruit or vegetables contributed to the rudimentary food preservation system that existed to modern days. 

Ethnic groups have long practiced food preservation methods and the use of vinegar is a major catalyst for adding both spark and health to the end result. This is of course the refreshing kick that comes from drinking beverages, (and to a lesser extent) eating foods that are preserved with vinegar. But why vinegar? 

Vinegar is a powerful preservative and it also adds to digestion. The acid layer that enrobes the sweet sumptuousness of the often less than freshly picked fruit is beguiling in a liquid form, giving each sweet and tangy sip a depth unheard of prior. And the end result is good health for the entire digestive tract. Vinegar, after all, is what adds balance to the body. 

Have you ever felt less than healthy from eating heavy food? Take a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and add it to a glass of fizzy water, drink it down and feel better quickly.

Fast forward to the Colonial era when intoxicants were less than high quality and masking the often assertive aromas of poorly made liquors led to the invention of something named punch. Punch was a combination of acid, to sweet, to savory – all meant to intoxicate the drinker with a minimum of effort. Students from the Northeastern states discovered that adding vinegar preserved fruits to their spirituous beverages made for a refreshing drink, one packed full of health giving ingredients that were good for the gut. 

Was this vinegar based Shrub the original health drink? Certainly, it was used for good health, right up to the time when soda pop was invented. And soda pop as we all know, spelled out the demise of the Shrub until just recently when a resurgence of old methods took place in the mixology bar. Then add to that classic a voluminous portion of THC? Isn’t that irresponsible? No one said you had to drink the entire drink you know. 

Flavors from our modest shrub are what forced the mixologists of today to unlock the secrets of piquancy and good cheer! 

Shrubs are simply made with only three ingredients, fruit (or a vegetable), sugar and some type of vinegar. Here is a simple recipe for a Shrub that can be produced in about a week using easily acquired ingredients. It does have to be aged after the mashing of fruit, sugar and vinegar- but that timing is really up to you. It can age quickly overnight using balsamic vinegar, or the old-fashioned way. Often taking several weeks, slowly fermenting in a ceramic jug in the cellar. 

I call this Shrub the Squire’s Shrub. It is a very easy Shrub to master. This is, in actuality- the preference for a softer (to the palate), yet pleasingly tangy- end result with or without an intoxicating hit of liquor or the addition of THC. 

It’s true, the Squire’s Shrub does require a couple of extra steps, but I promise it’s worth your while: Your patience will be rewarded with a lush, crimson colored syrup that’s straight out of the eighteenth century, when America was in its infancy and early pharmacists would have relied on their gardens to supply the basis for their healing tonics. (Rhubarb has been used as a digestive aid for thousands of years.) There’s nothing difficult to it, though, beyond a little extra mixing, and caramelizing your fruit before making the shrub. The vinegar’s high acidity cuts through the sumptuous, charred, caramelized flavor of the roasted strawberries and rhubarb, making it a seductive addition to gin and rhum-based libations.

Recipe: The Squire’s Shrub

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (340 g) Roasted Strawberries and Rhubarb
  • 1 cup (200 g) Demerara sugar
  • 1 cup (235 ml) light colored balsamic vinegar
  • Time: 3–4 weeks. 

Process

  1. Add the roasted strawberries and rhubarb to a nonreactive bowl.
  2. Cover with the sugar, stir to combine, and cover it with plastic wrap. 
  3. Leave at cool room temperature for 24 hours. 
  4. Stir frequently during this time to combine as the berries and rhubarb give off their liquid. 
  5. Place a nonreactive strainer above a second nonreactive bowl, pour the fruit-sugar mixture into the strainer, and use a wooden spoon to mash the mixture in order to release as much liquid as possible. (Reserve the mashed fruit to use in cooking or baking, if you like.) 
  6. Add the balsamic vinegar to the liquid, stir, and let the mixture sit for a few hours. Funnel into sterilized bottles or jars, and age for 3–4 weeks in the refrigerator. 

This shrub will last nearly indefinitely, but if it begins to quiver, foam, ooze, change color to blue, then begin dancing and speaking in foreign languages, throw it out. 

Serving Suggestion: 

Add a few ounces of the Squire’s Shrub to a glass of cool seltzer water for a refreshing pick me up or add to a portion of THC infused gin and a slurp of Rhum Agricole to make a proper weed cocktail. 

This Shrub is for good health!

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Reviews Skunk Magazine

Xiaolin Cannagar

By Warren Bobrow @warrenbobrow

From the very moment that the outer packaging, deeply reminiscent of luxury Chinese incense with lustrous gold leaf on the outside of the box. This brings your attention to the strikingly handsome red lettering, and then the box opens to reveal the polished glass inner tube. From here, an almost mystical experience fills the room and your head. The box, upon examination in cannabis, nerd-speak reads several very important statements about the contents and the provenance of the flowers held within. The first and foremost is the name of this ultra-luxury cannagar. That is, quite simply, Made in Xiaolin. Turning the smooth paper packaging, in the shape of an octagon, and twisting it in a circle, reveals more pertinent information. Rolled Proper comes into view. This statement provides the quality framework for what rests within. The lettering states the name again, Made in Xiaolin. Pure luxury. Drilling down deeper, more information reveals itself with every twist of the wrist. Ring Gauge, in this case, the cannagar resting in my hand is a #40. Then, in block letters it reads information on the lit time, and in this case it is at least three hours! The flower is equally as important with the strain listed, making up this cannagar as Electric Lemon G flower and Electric Lemon G, Live Resin in the carefully chosen mix.

**Xiaolin doesn’t grow their own flowers, nor do they extract their own concentrates. 

Part of the art of a cannagar is the procurement of the finest raw materials depending on the harvest at the time. Crafted together to create a true work of living art. In my case, it’s ten grams of the most exceptionally well- propagated flower and two grams of the concentrate of the ‘chef’s’ choice. This amalgamation of raw materials comprises the cannagar. Glowing from within the inner glass tube, and the inner glow from the gold leaf wrapper. The cannagar is sealed from humidity and uncontrolled aging, with a secure, screw down closure for ease of access. Each ultra-high-end cannagar comes emblazoned with more of the luxury red and gold lettering that signifies elegance.

It reads Rolled Proper in gold and the lettering is carefully set handsomely upon the deeply colored, handsome red background. The packaging alone is representative of success, entrepreneurship and utter quality. It is safe to say that the packaging for this cannagar shows quite clearly the care and concern that goes into the assembly of each cannagar, as if it was the only cannagar made during the day. This is the quality quotient. When a product is created, not just to please the artist, but to offer a sense of self and luxury to the person fortunate enough to afford such opulence. If you are at the top of your game and want the very best cannagar that your hard-earned money can buy, find yourself one of these. It’s worth the effort because you are absolutely going to make it your business to find a Xiaolin Cannagar. As in the search for the Holy Grail, this is your quest. The Xiaolin Cannagar is a thing that exemplifies quality over quantity. It unlocks intellectualism and it makes you believe, deeply inside your CHI, that the enjoyment of this cannagar truly makes you one of the luckiest in the land. And the cost of this luxury?  Anywhere between $ 200 and $ 420 dollars in the USA depending on where you go. 

There is a scent that fills the room, and it is of perfectly aged flowers of the finest quality. Woven into a mixture of cannabis concentrate and freshly dried and then cured flowers. Good health comes into focus, because the experience of enjoying a Xiaolin Cannagar is not one to be rushed. Perhaps it’s the quality of the ingredients that bring the focus into view. First of all, the Xiaolin Cannagar is not a budget expenditure. The cannagar that I was fortunate to enjoy (via Carrier Pigeon), was assembled using absolutely the finest parts available in the marketplace. The outer wrapper is spun with SHINE gold leaf wrappers to form perfectly around the completely hand-crafted cannagar that will greatly exceed your expectations.

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Interviews Skunk Magazine

A Tasty Cannabis Beverage With 100MG? Why Not?

Matt McGinn

I first met Matt McGinn in the sprawling, farming town of Woodland, California near the location of the cannabis beverage packaging company that he utilizes named Spacestation. Matt struck me immediately as a brilliant young man with a ready smile and firm handshake. He was not new to the beverage business, having sold his coffee company in the recent past in Minneapolis. He took his profits and moved to the West Coast to become a star in the cannabis beverage industry.

California is a far cry from the Midwest.  This direction that he created in this nascent industry of cannabis beverages would certainly change the way people imbibe their cannabis. His cannabis infused products really got my attention with their bold packaging and high THC content-100mg, which is more than any other RTD (Ready To Drink) cannabis infused beverage.

I wanted to taste it and experience what his Instagram site shows as something different and delicious that really works.

Matt was not and is not satisfied with only getting his customers just a little bit stoned, far from! He is focusing on the legacy user of cannabis by not just “micro-dosing” the beverage with 2.5mg of THC for an entire can.

His invention, Uncle Arnie’s drink remix packs a full one hundred milligrams of high-quality, Vertosa cannabis emulsion engineering into each small bottle. Sure, you can divide these little bottles into ten servings at ten milligrams each, but where is the fun in that? This is a very adult beverage for the person who wants to feel something when they drink an Uncle Arnie.

They want to get lit up!

A bit of background into cannabis infused libations. I could never understand why some bartenders from my former life in the on and off premise liquor business would attempt to up-charge their guests with CBD. They would do this by dribbling a scant few drops of (unknown provenance) CBD into their craft cocktails. Of course, adding CBD to alcohol does nothing at all but lighten the drinker’s pocket, who probably doesn’t know any better to begin with.

Adding CBD to a craft cocktail doesn’t get you stoned, and it never will. And the strength of the alcohol negates any healing that the bartender is babbling on about, before charging you a minimum, ten dollar up-charge for the miniscule portion of what is really just snake oil.

Ask me what I think about snake oil!

Matt’s cannabis beverage on the other hand clearly gets you really blasted in a really fun way. They contain THC! Even if you were to drink just a quarter of the small bottle, you’ll have a clearly satisfying occasion. Think of his THC infused beverage as a journey to the center of the earth. The core of the earth being your mind and the very center of this core, is what little remains of your brain as it shatters into a billion pieces.

Take it slow when drinking Uncle Arnie’s. You don’t have to be a hero and drink the entire bottle the first time out, especially if you are new to cannabis edibles and drinkables.

Think of Uncle Arnie as you would a healing elixir from the early apothecary shop. It’s meant to take the edge off and fix what ails ye.

Matt has created something marvelous that tastes best drizzled over a few cubes of hand-cut ice with a splash or two of both freshly squeezed lime and orange juices. A mocktail that behaves exactly as you would surmise. With a massive kick.

Authors note:

I haven’t been writing about THC beverages, or any beverages at all. Matt’s story is really different than many of the forces at work in the cannabis RTD space. His beverage was not created by some Madison Avenue advertising agency. Far from. He’s a young guy with deep talent and the guts to do something that no one has done prior. That is put a spin on a classic, home-spun beverage in a way that would make Arnold Palmer blush.

Warren Bobrow/Skunk Magazine:  Do you play golf? Why the Arnold Palmer? 

Matt McGinn=MMG: I played as a teenager – I could hit the ball really far, but that’s about it.  I had some shoulder injuries that limited my ability to play, but I’m ready to start up again.  Uncle Arnie’s Iced Tea Lemonade is not related in any way to golf or Arnold Palmer – it’s a classic drink that most people like.  Uncle Arnie is a distant relative and a bit of a 60s party guy!

WB/Skunk Magazine: Why a cannabis beverage with 100mg?

MMG: The majority of the California cannabis market is currently for the legacy users and they need a higher dosed product to feel even lightly medicated.  For the consumer that doesn’t want that strong of an impact, there is a handy dosing gauge on the bottle, so you can make your drink exactly as strong as you like.

WB/Skunk Magazine: What are your six and twelve month goals?

MMG: New flavors are coming, and we are working hard to increase our regional and national footprint in legal markets.

WB/Skunk Magazine: Favorite food? Drink? Favorite food memory?

MMG: Chocolate Chip Pancakes with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!  YUM!  My drink of choice is Seltzer Water with juice – the more bubbles the better.  My favorite food memory is the mouthwatering food from Smoke in the Pit, a BBQ joint in Minneapolis.

WB/Skunk Magazine: What is your passion? 

MMG: I am passionate about bringing affordable and legal cannabis to the masses and making it more accessible for every consumer.

– Matt McGinn

Website: https://mattshighsoda.com/

Categories
Skunk Magazine

The Chill Bong is much more durable than my memories.

The Chill Bong, aka Chill Steel Pipe, is one of the most intriguing tools of the cannabis smoking trade.

But first, what makes it so good? Let me tell you why.

It smokes smoothly… Soft and serene against your mouth and plunging down to your lungs filling them deeply.

  1. Laidback pulls with profound velocity into your lungs. This bong hits like a freight train!
  2. Add some sizable cube ice for deep cooling. Large tube and deep bottom hold the cold inside for hours with enthusiasm.
  3. Comfortable in the hand, it won’t slip nor fall with the broad base holding everything together.
  4. Similar technology to a thermos. Keeps the cold smoke cold and the hot smoke hot for hours…
  5. Easy to clean, just use some ISO – cap with your hand and shake hard, your Chill Bong will be clean as a whistle!
  6. Sturdy and solid construction, this bong won’t shatter if it falls to the floor, unlike your usual glass bong, which will smash into sharp pieces.

I love my Chill Bong (Chill Steel Pipe) and full disclosure here. Normally I’m not a bong smoker. They tend to get me too high! The Chill Bong is everything I’d hoped for in a bong. It reminds me of my first bong, back in time when I was a teenager, all those decades ago. I bought my first bong at Wonderland in Philadelphia. I remember that it was big deal to buy my first bong, a tube bong. It served me well during my last two years in prep school, until I added too much ice one time and it cracked. I’ve owned only a couple bongs since then, although I’ve smoked many.

The Chill Bong is much more durable than my memories.

I recognize that about forty years have passed since I owned my first bong, times have changed along with technology. If I had a Chill Bong back in the seventies, I’d have saved myself a lot of money over the years. The Chill Bong is virtually indestructible… A massive savings over time.

I love my Chill Bong and you will too. The non-stick coating on the inside makes cleaning a breeze with the right implements. I recommend a long soft bristle brush for the task at hand. Cleaning a glass bong is far more difficult. The Chill Bong will charm you and your friends. They all should have their own Chill Bong. Just my opinion, but one based on solid use of a really well made tool.

And what smoke did I utilize for my journey into Chill Land?

Green Bodhi.  Just the best for unlocking the inner self and discovering mindfulness.

Was I too high? Perhaps…. Did I learn anything? Absolutely I did… Amazing work, this Chill Bong.

What did I listen to?

This: https://archive.org/details/gd1982-05-23.sbd.miller.96332.sbeok.flac16/gd82-05-23d2t07.flac

Say no more.

From the creator of the Chill Steel Pipe:

Chill – The Coolest Hit In The World

Chill is the world’s first stainless-steel, vacuum insulated smoking device, designed to take life’s bumps and bruises while also keeping your water cold for hours. With two patents to its name, nothing on the market is quite like Chill.

Q: What makes the Chill so cool?

A: Ice Cold Hits: Chill’s patented double-wall vacuum insulated construction creates a shield that prevents heat from penetrating, keeping your ice solid & water cold for hours. Enjoy ice cold hits all day long.

Q: Is it fragile like your typical glass bong?

A: No More Broken Glass: Chill is made from stainless steel and is relatively indestructible compared to standard water pipes, so you can easily take it anywhere.

Q: Is it easy to clean?

A: Chill’s patented ceramic interior hits and cleans like glass – you simply screw off the neckpiece to clean.

Q: Once I have a Chill Bong, can I add to it?

A: Designed to Evolve: Chill is “open source” and purposely designed to work with major water pipe components on the market. Mix and match your favorite percolators, neckpieces, and other accessories.

Website: https://chill.store/

All photos done by Jeremy Sailing, check out his website!: http://www.jeremysailing.com/