Tag: Cannabis

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5 Questions Interviews Skunk Magazine

BEN LARSON OF VERTOSA DITCHES HIS PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS FOR THE PLANT

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.

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Podcasts

Respect My Region

RMR Podcast Ep 44 Ft. Warren Bobrow of Klaus

On this episode of the RMR Podcast, Mitch talks with the legend Warren Bobrow of Klaus. Klaus produces ready-to-drink THC-infused cocktails by famed master mixologist Warren Bobrow. Their 10mg drinks are great out of the can and even better as the base for a cocktail. Whether you have experience and want to go crazy or just add a spritz of something to Klaus, these beverages are bringing some new to the cannabis market. Warren has traveled the world, published books, grabbed notoriety as a mixologist, is a trained chef, and yet he says he found his calling “later in his career” in the cannabis industry. Today we talk about his journey, THC beverages, and more! Looking for more cannabis, CBD, and music content? Visit our website: https://lnkd.in/daxzcKjd Facebook: https://lnkd.in/dfjrSYtu Instagram: https://lnkd.in/gDrkMBDp Twitter: https://lnkd.in/dvkPQrwj #cannabisindustry #cannabisbeverages

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5 Questions Skunk Magazine

RYAN KILPATRICK DIGS HIS WAY INTO CHEEBA CHEWS


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

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Recipes

Infused Lemonade | Cannabis Cocktail Recipe

By Warren Bobrow @warrenbobrow

I love the basic cocktails. You know, the ones that are classics because they resonate with history, not just for getting swilled. Sure, they will take to the place of your dreams, but that’s just part of the equation. Back in the day of the early apothecary down in New Orleans, many punches were created to stave off diseases such as scurvy. Citrus was scarce in much of the south and places that saw plenty of shipping traffic, such as New Orleans would attract sailors who, to say the very least, were not drinking a glass of orange juice with their breakfast. The first thing that happens when you have scurvy is your hair falls out. Then all your teeth fall out. Then you take a flying leap off the yardarm. Because the mind is the next thing to go. Of course, scurvy can be prevented by taking citrus. That’s why British sailors were called Limeys for the fresh lime juice they squeezed into their rum cocktails. Only takes a little bit of citrus to make all the difference between sanity and insanity at sea. 

The Pharmacy Punch is a sum of several parts, so follow along with me… I think you’ll like the way this drink turns out.

Part 1: Infused Simple Syrup

First Step… Making the Simple Syrup… This is a 1:1 Spring Water to Demerara Sugar simple syrup… Boil water. Add a cup of Demerara Sugar and ½-1 ounce per cup of decarbed cannabis in a cheesecloth pouch. Simmer the cannabis and the sugar/water mixture at 160 degrees for 45 minutes adding a touch of fresh water as needed. Let cool. Place in fridge overnight. 

The next morning, remove the cannabis flower pouch from the simple syrup and set aside in the fridge until needed. Should last no more than a week. If the syrup starts jumping around in your fridge and speaking lost languages of the Brazilian rainforest, throw it out immediately… 

Part 2: Vietnamese Style Lemonade

I use only freshly squeezed lemons plus the cannabis infused simple syrup… That’s it! You’ll need 2-3 dozen lemons for this part of the recipe… sweetness to taste. Remember the simple syrup has weed in it, so if it gets on your hands, you’re going to get super stoned. 

Recipe: New Orleans Style-Fizzy Pharmacy Punch

Ingredients:

  • 1 Quart of Vietnamese Style Lemonade 
  • 1 Cup THC infused Simple Syrup (I do ½-1 oz. of cannabis per cup of simple)
  • Coconut Water Ice Cubes- Freeze a tray of coconut water overnight in an ice cube tray, inside two freezer bags- so they won’t smell like your garlic pasta, lurking in the back of the fridge for a month. it’s back there. I know. I can smell it from here in NJ…. 
  • Fresh Mint, well washed and picked over
  • Sparkling water
  • Pinch of Kosher Salt, and then another pinch. 
  • Creole Style Bitters, like Peychaud’s

Prep:

  1. Prepare the Vietnamese Lemonade with the THC infused Simple Syrup and a couple pinches of Kosher Salt
  2. Add Sparkling Water to taste 
  3. Add the mint and stir gently to combine
  4. Add the Coconut Water Ice Cubes
  5. Add about thirty splashes of the Creole/Peychaud’s Bitters
  6. Stir Again

I love to serve this punch in teacups, preferably with my pinkies out. Do not under any circumstances wash your fingers in this THC laden punch. It’s strictly a sipped punch, not a finger bowl. 

This punch can also be served in a punch bowl. Under those exceptional circumstances, may I please suggest freezing a large cube of the coconut water, like a gallon sized milk carton filled with above mentioned coconut water, then frozen overnight. Remove the wrapper and add to a punch bowl. Build the punch around that frozen block of coconut water ice. As it melts, the magic really takes place. Yum. 

I estimate this punch won’t let you down. You will get stoned. I promise you that. There is a serious amount of weed in that simple syrup. 

For an added kick, might I please suggest a healthy dosage of something medicinal… Craft… potent. I might suggest Foursquare Rum from Barbados. It’s not inexpensive, nor should it be with all the effort that you’ve put into this drink so far. It’s not always that you make lemonade from scratch. Nor do you prepare simple syrup with enough THC to knock down a small village. Ok, maybe not that much, but you get the gist. This is not a weak plonk punch made with uncertain ingredients. It’s a carefully woven story, best told amongst only a couple of like-minded friends who are accustomed to the best things in the world. 

http://resources.magappzine.com/feeds/production/comboapp/3120/media/207323/75e058f3-8dcb-41cb-b2d5-3acd29d889c1.html

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5 Questions Skunk Magazine

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

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
Categories
Uncategorized

10 best weed drinks of 2022 – L.A. Cannabis News

Klaus infused cocktails

Klaus, a canned cannabis cocktail, is crafted for flavor chasers by mixologist Warren Bobrow. The intense flavor of their THC drink is absolutely cocktail-like and ideal to serve over ice, though you can enjoy it straight from the can as well. The tart, tangy, and ginger flavors would likely appeal to those who usually order margaritas or daiquiris. With 10 milligrams of THC in each can, it was fast-acting and provided me with a potent — but not overwhelming — high. Currently available in one flavor, the Mezzrole, with two more flavors coming soon, each $12 can is priced like a craft cocktail.

You can find Klaus cocktails at two Solful locations in Northern California: Santa Rosa and Sebastopol. So if you’re in Sonoma County, be sure to check them out.

Available: Northern California

Shop Solful Sebastopol

Shop Solful Santa Rosa

Categories
5 Questions Skunk Magazine

BURROWING FURTHER INTO THE PLANT WITH JEFFREY L GARBER, CEO/FOUNDER OF YELLOW DREAM FARM 

Ifirst met Jeffrey a couple of years ago during the event known as the Hall of Flowers. I was immediately struck by the care and quality of his self-grown flower and ebullient packaging. In an age where so much cannabis is grown private-label, I found it deeply refreshing that Jeffrey’s cannabis is very much like his personality. And that would be outgoing with a ready smile and a firm handshake that says. We are the GoodGood, don’t forget it! And I didn’t forget because what Jeffrey has brought to the market is deliciously fun and deeply bemusing. I was especially impressed by his flowers. They speak my language. Their LOUD. And the effect? Deeply healing. They are, truly- in my humble opinion, the GoodGood. Impressive and agreeable to my body. I love the attention to detail in the rolling of their pre-rolls. They pack a lot of cannabis in each joint. Each one is just perfect. Every time.

But this article isn’t just about their marvelous flowers, it’s about the man behind the brand, Jeffrey Garber, and I hope you feel his challenges and successes, one puff at a time. Cheers! WB    

Warren Bobrow: What obstacles do you face in your company? How do you remove them? 

Jeffrey L. Garber: We have overcome many obstacles since the birth of the Yellow Dream Farm, starting with the licensing and construction stage, getting power, and doing a full license and build out in 6 months for our state-of-the-art 30,000 sq. ft. cultivation facility. Our biggest challenge has been pioneering vertical farming and dialing in our genetic line and our seven flower rooms of 162 lights double stacked with 20ft ceilings. Dialing in the microclimates, airflow, VPD, and managing the different dry backs of the plants throughout the different areas of the rooms. It has not only been a difficult challenge but a very exciting one. The team and I thrive on seeing the daily improvements we make through the different cycles. 

Vertical farming in cannabis has had rapid growth in the industry and has gained a lot of traction recently not only due to the advancements in technology in the industry but also the volatile marketplace, price per pound being lower than ever, worldwide inflation creating higher COGS, and high tax rates. We are looking for every edge above the competition to cut costs, maximize efficiencies, and lower costs to stay competitive without compromising the quality of flower we produce. This has been our main goal and mission for the company, and our first house brand GoodGood aims to prove that narrative and produce boutique quality cannabis at scale and provide luxury cannabis products at affordable prices.  

Vertical farming does not have decades of knowledge and experience like the traditional growing styles of single-tier HPS lights. We learn from trial and error as they did decades ago and always aim to share the knowledge we have gained along the way with other farmers looking to grow vert. We are able to remove these obstacles with our full automation of feeding and environmental controls and our media sensors, all of which collect an abundance of data that we thrive off. We live in the grow rooms but spending time analyzing this data is key to success in commercial cannabis and helps guide our decision-making process. 

Building the right team around you and finding trustworthy, passionate people remains our top goal and priority. We love to teach, and your team is everything; and finding a loyal, dedicated, passionate team that shares a similar mindset. We are so grateful for the team we have built today.  

WB: Goals? Six and twelve-month goals? 

JLG: Our big goal for Yellow Dream Farm is to become 100% vertically integrated through our delivery operations and eventual retail stores. We’d like to see GoodGood gain 30% of the market share in California on the branded side of the cannabis industry. In the next 6-12 months, we’ll have a fully operational delivery and retail arm, and we are looking forward to launching more in-house brands and collaborations with the best artists. 

We recently ran an exciting promotion on social media called #GoodGoodUnderground, where we asked artists to submit exclusive designs in a contest to design our next merchandise item, a t-shirt. 100% of the proceeds of this merch item will be donated to the Last Prisoner Project, whose mission is to free all non-violent cannabis prisoners and work to right the wrongs of the drug war. 

 WB: When you smoke, what is your favorite stoner food? Why?

JLG: I love pizza, especially because I’ll always be a New Yorker at heart. My favorite flavor is classic cheese pizza. 

WB: Favorite food memory from childhood? Why?

JLG: Right after school ended in high school in New York City, I used to go to my favorite pizza spot to get the 2 for $5 deal. Two slices of pizza and a drink for $5, and I’d spend the other $15 on a dub of Sour D. My friends would all reconvene in a coveted spot called the Great Lawn in Central Park, where I met some of my best friends. Weed always brought people from different neighborhoods and lifestyles together, and that was one of my favorite parts about growing up in the melting pot. 

WB: Favorite restaurant now. Why?

JLG: Now that I’m living in LA, I’m always on the hunt for the best sushi spots. Sushi Fumi is my most frequently visited spot as well as I love the chicken parm and spicy fusilli from Jon and Vinny’s. 

WB: What is your passion?  

JLG: Outside of cannabis, I play polo with my family (that’s the sport played on horses.) It’s always been a big passion of mine growing up, and I play with my siblings on our family team. We will soon be starting our GoodGood polo team in our area. I’ve also done a lot of charity events and philanthropic events through polo, serving underserved communities and hospitals in our area. I still play in the Santa Barbara and Palm Springs areas, and the sport is becoming more and more popular on the West Coast.

https://www.skunkmagazine.com/burrowing-further-into-the-plant-with-jeffrey-l-garber-ceo-founder-of-yellow-dream-farm/?v=7516fd43adaa
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Klaus

7 Elevated Mother’s Day Gifts for the Amazing CannaMoms in Your Life

Ah, motherhood. It’s often a thankless job, but one that’s rewarding… I assume. As a childless thirty-something, I have no clue if it’s rewarding or endlessly frustrating, but my friends with kids tell me it’s “worth it.”

So, if you’ve ever wondered if it’s possible to take a nap in the shower while eating lunch because your two-year-old nodded off for a few minutes — these mom-inspired cannabis gifts might be just what you’re searching for.

The Botanist Well-Being CBD Tincture

Every mom should have CBD in her medicine cabinet. If you’re reaching for the ibuprofen for every ache or pain, stop.

Many over-the-counter pain relievers cause serious harm to organs, especially the liver.

CBD tinctures absorb rapidly through the mucous membranes in the mouth for fast relief you can feel good about.

The Botanist’s blend pairs essential oils with fragrant terpenes and full-spectrum CBD that elevates well-being with every drop.

Available nationwide. Visit shopbotanist.com to learn more.

Flower by Edie Parker Smell Proof Pouch

Moms love a fragrant bouquet of flowers, but the fragrance of cannabis flower isn’t ideal for PTA meetings.

That’s why smell-proof bags and pouches are all the rage right now.

If you’re looking for something to slide into a purse or overnight bag, check out Edie Parker’s discreet travel pouch.

Its bonded seams and scuba-style zipper lock-in odors and preserve the freshness of your goods.

Now available nationwide for $48 from Edie Parker Flower.

Growing Up Grateful

Show mom you’ve grown into a thoughtful young adult with this cultivation-inspired card.

Etsy is loaded with fun cannabis-themed gifts and this $4 card from HanMadeDigs is sure to bring a smile to mom’s face.

Find yours here before stock runs dry.

Columbia Care Compostable Pre-Roll Tubes

If you’d like to make a purchase that supports all moms, including Mother Earth, look for pre-rolls packaged in Columbia Care’s new compostable tubes.https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=_PMiller&dnt=true&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=eyJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3NlbnNpdGl2ZV9tZWRpYV9pbnRlcnN0aXRpYWxfMTM5NjMiOnsiYnVja2V0IjoiaW50ZXJzdGl0aWFsIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd190d2VldF9yZXN1bHRfbWlncmF0aW9uXzEzOTc5Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InR3ZWV0X3Jlc3VsdCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1517506003587244033&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fcannatechtoday.com%2Fmothers-day-gifts-for-cannamoms%2F&partner=ogwp&sessionId=927759878c94d10752816203245c69e673ad0c90&siteScreenName=cannatechtoday&theme=light&widgetsVersion=c8fe9736dd6fb%3A1649830956492&width=550px

This eco-friendly packaging will prevent more than 250,000 single-use plastic pre-roll tubes from entering landfills this year.

They’re now in use in eight states, including IL, AZ, MA, VA, DC, DE, CO, and MO. 

Klaus Mezzrole 

The perfect cannabis cocktail should wash effortlessly over the palette, infiltrating your senses with delicately layered terpenes.

Mezzrole blends spicy ginger cane syrup with French lime puree to offer a zippy, refreshing canned cannabis beverage.

This cocktail is an ideal accoutrement for a relaxing Mother’s Day retreat.

Now available in California for $12 a can.

Cannapa Acacia Wooden Stash Box

Keep mom’s stash fresh and safely secured out of sight with this classically-styled wooden box.

Single serving pre-rolls enjoy their own brass doob tube until they’re snuffed out in the included concrete ashtray.

Plus, store up to 3 varieties of flower in the accompanying glass jars.

The detachable rolling tray adds another level of ease to this highly-organized locking humidor.

Order yours from LaCannapa for $128 while supplies last.

Wyld Sparkling Water Variety Pack

If the spa is calling your name this Mother’s Day, you’ll need an uplifting beverage to keep you hydrated and elevated.

Wyld uses broad-spectrum American hemp extract to create its CBD sparkling water.

Now available nationwide in 4 flavors, including Raspberry, Lemon, Blackberry, and Blood Orange for $16 a can.

Header image courtesy of JadeMazeShop on Etsy.

https://cannatechtoday.com/mothers-day-gifts-for-cannamoms/
Categories
Events Klaus

Cannabis Marketing Summit

June 7 – 9 2022 Denver Colorado

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Categories
5 Questions Articles Reviews Skunk Magazine

GAL SHAPIRA, PRODUCT MANAGER AT LEAFREPORT. A DEEP DIVE INTO CBD TESTING

This was the pitch. I’ve included it here because it offers the framework for a topic that I used to write about but stopped. Why? And what was it? It was CBD derived from hemp.

Photo Credit: Leafreport

The reason is pretty simple. Most CBD sold around the globe is no more than snake oil; quack medicine sold in gas stations as a cure-all. This topic is really not worthy of my time. Thus, I stopped writing about health products and got rich, quick CBD multi-level marketing scam products that may or may not do anything.

I turned down pitch after pitch because there really are no rules in CBD.

Why are rules important?

Well, look at the alcohol industry for an example. There are no rules in rum, for instance. You can do almost anything to it, from adding a hundred grams of sugar to caramel coloring that fools the drinker into thinking that dark rum is old rum. It’s not old, only colored and sweetened.

When was the last time that you saw an ingredient label on a bottle of rum or any spirits for that matter?

Wait, that sounds like the CBD business! No transparency.

Where was it grown, and what kind of nutrients were used? Is it toxic when smoked? All unknowns.

Here’s to transparency in CBD testing. Cheers!

Photo Credit: Leafreport

Hi Warren,

After reading a few of your CBD-related articles, I think you’ll find this research interesting. Could you believe that 1 out of 4 CBD products was NOT tested for microbial content, pesticides, or heavy metals?

Leafreport.com reviewed 2946 CBD products from 136 CBD brands in terms of purity and potency testing. It turns out that what is advertised and what CBD products actually contain are completely different.

Here is the full research.

Some interesting findings:

Only 13% of brands tested almost all of their products for purity testing, checking for microbial content, pesticides, or heavy metals

25% of brands reviewed didn’t carry out any purity testing at all.

84% of potency-tested products didn’t measure within the acceptable variance of up to 10%.

Only 42% of brands test almost all of their products for potency (90%-100%) and share their third-party lab results with consumers.

Spokesperson Gal Shapira, Product Manager at Leafreport, says, “Lack of transparency in CBD industry is a real issue for consumers. They are being fooled on a daily basis by brands and advertisers. This is the reason we invested $25,000 in this market research to bring more clarity to the CBD industry and protect consumers from false CBD products.”

Is this something you would be interested in covering?

If you need more information, feel free to get in touch.

How could I say no? Knowledge in CBD? Good luck with that until recently.

Photo Credit: Leafreport

Please tell me about yourself? Where are you from? What brought you to the cannabis (CBD) space? Curiosity? Health?

I was born in Russia and moved to Vancouver, Canada, when I was 12. I’ve always been interested in writing and started doing small online freelance writing gigs in 2010. I have an Associate of Arts degree in Creative Writing and a Bachelor of Arts in History and Geography.

After finishing university in 2015, I decided to go into freelance writing full-time. I got an ongoing gig writing articles about dietary supplements based on published research studies. It was a good fit because I’ve always been interested in health and have tried many supplements.

That’s how I discovered CBD in 2017. It was a new supplement that had a lot of hype around it but not a lot of good information. I tried it out and was impressed by its anxiety, sleep, workout recovery, and overall health effects.

I started reading studies about CBD, writing articles, trying products and decided to specialize in writing about CBD. I’ve written dozens of evidence-based CBD articles for Leafreport.

Please tell me about your philosophy on clarity and transparency in the CBD industry. What are the best practices? Why is CBD sold in gas stations?

Although the FDA has sent warning letters to CBD companies that make unsubstantiated health claims or sell substandard products, by and large, the CBD industry is unregulated.

Photo Credit: Leafreport

That’s why third-party testing done by independent, accredited laboratories is so important in the CBD industry. It’s essentially a form of self-regulation that assures consumers that CBD products actually contain what’s advertised and are free of potential contaminants.

The first thing I always check when reviewing CBD products and brands is third-party testing. Are the tests publicly available? Are they up to date? Are they done by a reputable lab? Are both potency (levels of cannabinoids) and contaminant (pesticides, residual solvents, etc.) test results present?

This gives you a pretty good idea of whether the CBD brand is reputable and trustworthy. Of course, there are many other best practices as well. For example, it’s always best when brands are vertically integrated, meaning they grow the hemp, extract it, and make the finished CBD products themselves.

CBD is sold in gas stations because it’s a popular health and wellness product. But these products tend to be of low quality because they’re often made by shady companies that don’t provide third-party test results or even have a website.

Who is responsible for policing the labeling of CBD products in the United States? What is permitted on the labeling?

The FDA is responsible for regulating the labeling and packaging of cannabis products. But technically speaking, the FDA doesn’t currently consider CBD products as dietary supplements and doesn’t allow them to be sold as such. That’s because CBD is used as an ingredient in a pharmaceutical drug approved by the FDA (Epidiolex). So, this creates a strange situation where CBD products are obviously being sold as dietary supplements even though the FDA is technically against that.

As far as I’m aware, the FDA has not released any specific labeling requirements for CBD products. Instead, CBD product manufacturers are following the established labeling rules for dietary supplements, which include showing the amount of the active ingredient, ingredients list, name and location of the manufacturer, supplement facts panel, and so on. Another rule is that they cannot make any health claims that their product can treat any disease or related symptom.

I hear it all the time that CBD is a cure-all, yet there is very little in the way of regulation on what can and cannot be stated on the label; who is the governing body?

CBD is not a cure-all. But the reason it gets that reputation is that over 9,000 studies of CBD have been published to date, suggesting a myriad of potential benefits for everything from inflammation and pain to neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s. But most of CBD’s potential benefits need higher-quality evidence (placebo-controlled clinical trials) before we know for certain.

In terms of health claims, those are regulated by the FDA and FTC. The FDA mostly regulates claims on product labels, while the FTC regulates claims in advertising. Dietary supplement manufacturers are not allowed to make claims that their products can help with any health condition or disease (with the exception of approved health claims, which require high-quality research and official authorization from the FDA).

Even though the FDA does not currently consider CBD products to be dietary supplements, it still treats them as such in terms of health claims. That’s why the FDA regularly sends out warning letters to CBD companies that sell misleading products or make unauthorized claims that their products can treat symptoms of related conditions, like saying that their CBD oil can help with cancer or treat insomnia.

What is your passion?

I’m passionate about improving my health and helping others do the same through safe, natural, time-tested methods. That’s why I was immediately drawn to CBD — it’s natural, non-intoxicating, has little to no side effects even with daily use, and has been used for its health benefits for thousands of years as a component of cannabis.

I exercise and practice meditation and intermittent fasting daily, in addition to taking herbal supplements like CBD and ashwagandha. I’ve read thousands of studies about CBD and other supplements and enjoy breaking down what I learn into simple language that helps others improve their health naturally.

https://www.skunkmagazine.com/gal-shapira-product-manager-at-leafreport-a-deep-dive-into-cbd-testing/?v=f24485ae434a