DE N V E R // B OULDER
THE NEW NORMAL
10.2017
the harvest issue
farm
flame
SP EC IAL
R EPOR T
to
HEALTH CONSCIOUSNESS in the age of CR AF T CANNABIS
Emerald Triangle
HEADING UP TO HUMBOLDT
{ PLUS} Colorado’s Wine Country Weird Pot Laws Pumpkin vs. Pumpkin Spice: The Basics
Rebel Smell
T HE HOT NEW BOTANICAL NOTE
sensimag.com OC TOBER 2017 9
oct2017
oct
contents.
T HE H A R V E S T I S S UE
ISSUE 10 // VOLUME 2 // 10.2017
FEATURES 20
Wine Country
52
Smells Like Rebellion … and Freedom
60
S P E C I A L R E P O RT From Farm to Flame
Our culinary critic, John Lehndorff, tours our state’s viniest wineries.
Cannabis is the hot new botanical note in hipper perfumes. Health consciousness in the age of craft cannabis.
every issue 9 1 2 20 26 38 42 98
Editor’s Note SensiBuzz NewsFeed: W EIRD L AWS
42
CrossRoads: EMERALD TRIANGLE TravelWell: HUMBOLDT COUNTY AroundTown: PUMPKIN VS. PUMPKIN SPICE SoCO: CEDAREDGE’S APPLEFEST
20
60 Sensi Magazine is published monthly by Sensi Media Group LLC. © 2017 SENSI MEDIA GROUP LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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ISSUE 10 VOLUME 2 10.2017
A DV I SORY B OA R D
editor’s
NOTE
The autumnal equinox had an almost physical presence this year. The first
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day of fall made itself known across Colorado in no unmistaken terms, pushing summer out with a force and alerting us all that change is in the air. And that change smelled pretty great. At least it did where I was: at the Pot Zero cannabis farm in the mountains of Eagle County. The plants were in full
RECREATIONAL CONCENTRATES
flower mode, mere hours away from the start of the harvest. As I strolled
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among the dense rows of thriving, pungent plants, I was downright giddy. Who gets to spend a day in the mountains of Colorado surrounded by golden aspens while frolicking in a field of legal pot? It was a strong reminder that it’s
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This was my first time at an outdoor grow—something so few people ever get to see, even in states where cannabis is legal. Almost all of Colorado’s cannabis is grown indoors in a controlled environment. But there’s reason to believe that may be changing in the not-too-distant future for a variety of reasons.
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lifestyle staple. Conscious consumers want to know the origins of the food they eat, the products they put on their skin, and the cannabis plants they ingest. The farm-to-flame movement is on the rise. This month’s special report by Randy Robinson, the managing editor of Sensi Southern Colorado, explores the impact of health consciousness in the age of craft cannabis—a buzzy term that I expect to gain a ton of traction over the coming months as California’s recreational use market readies to come online in 2018. In his CrossRoads column this month, Ricardo Baca imagines a future where California is producing 75 percent of the country’s cannabis. That’s not just pure conjecture. The Emerald Triangle, known as the epicenter of California’s cannabis world, is full of farms where elevating plants are thriving. For his Sensi article debut, former High Times senior editor Bobby Black takes us on a tour of Humboldt County, one of the three points that makes up the green region. Elsewhere in the Harvest issue, you’ll find articles about pot notes in highend perfumes, Colorado’s wine country, among other stories detailing what’s happening in Denver, Boulder, and beyond this fall. And there’s a lot happening. So get reading, and then get going. I’ll see you out there.
National Cannabis Industry Association Students for Sensible Drug Policy Women Grow
© KIM SIDWELL
MEDIA PA RT N E R S
Stephanie Wilson EDITOR IN CHIEF @ STEPHWILLL
sensimag.com OC TOBER 2017 9
10 Denver//Boulder OC TOBER 2017
sensimag.com OC TOBER 2017 11
THE NE W N O R M A L
fright
FEST
sensi
buzz
ELITCH GARDENS IN DOWNTOWN DENVER IS KNOWN AS A FAMILY - FRIENDLY THEME PARK WITH WATERSLIDES, ROLLER- COASTERS, AND MORE PRIZE GAMES TO EAT UP YOUR CASH THAN THE LOTTO.
LELAND’S
SENSIBILITIES
Sensi Senior Editor LEL AND RUCKER on the Elevation Blues. I TOOK A JAR OF CBD CREAM TO MY DERMATOLOGIST ’S OFFICE A FEW
MONTHS AGO. PULLING IT PROUDLY OUT OF MY POCKE T, I ASKED HIM
However, from now until October 29, Elitch Gardens descends into darkness, and the entire park becomes Colorado’s largest haunted house. During the day, kids can trick-or-treat in costumes and snag some free candy. At night, a lot more than just the rides can create scares, since this is when the ghouls come out to play.
I F HE’D EVER LOOKED INTO CBD AS POSSIBLE ME DI CI NE OVER THE
YEARS. IT SEEMS TO WORK FOR ME ON CUTS AND SCRATCHES AS WELL
AS WARDING OFF ECZEMA , I TOLD HIM, AS WELL AS OR BET TER THAN ANY OVER-T HE-COUNTER CONCOC TIONS I’VE USED ALL MY LIFE.
“If it works, keep using it.” Can it get more simple than that?
12 Denver//Boulder OC TOBER 2017
ELITCHGARDENS.COM – RANDY ROBINSON
© KIM SIDWELL
He looked at me, obviously amused. “Do you know how many ‘miracle drugs’ people have brought to me?” he asked and laughed. I felt pretty stupid realizing that over the course of his career, he’s probably run into all kinds of quackery that people believe in but aren’t part of the currently accepted medical canon. But then he added a kicker. “If it works, keep using it,” he said with a smile. I’ve thought about that a lot in the last couple of months. As I found out while doing a story on the endocannabinoid system, few doctors today have even had the opportunity to study the concept of marijuana as medicine, and there are few courses available for medical students. Some doctors won’t even consider the idea of cannabis as medicine, others are anxious about gaining a reputation as a “pot doctor,” and there are even some who believe that medical marijuana is little more than a ruse to get cannabis legalized. Veterans Affairs doctors, even those who might want to prescribe it, aren’t even allowed to talk with their patients about whether cannabis might be an alternative to opioids even in states where it’s legal. Most who are now prescribing cannabis do it only after hearing from patients who say it’s working for them and studying the issue themselves. What many of those patients, even those who are purchasing cannabis “recreationally,” are telling physicians is that they are using it to relieve pain or as a sleep aid, and that “getting high” is just another form of relaxation in a world of almost constant stress. And that gets us back to my dermatologist, the guy who has heard it all, but whose advice, I think, should be heeded by anyone, including doctors, who possess even a modicum of common sense. “If it works, keep using it.” Can it get more simple than that?
sensimag.com OCTOBER 2017 13
THE NE W N O R M A L
sensi
buzz
higher
LEARNING
The UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO is getting a reputation as a cannabis research center, including an ambitious project to map the genome of the plant. The Rocky Mountain Society of Botanical Artists share a love of botanical art and illustration. Research and art meld in a new exhibit, “Cannabis: A Visual Perspective,” that includes 20 botanical illustrations—in watercolor, acrylic, oil, colored pencil, pastel, print, and mixed media. Besides showing how illustration is used in science, the pieces function as works of art on their own. An added bonus is the chance to tour CU’s Museum of Natural History, which includes its own wonders, such as dinosaur skeletons right out of Game of Thrones and exhibits about other CU research efforts. “Cannabis: A Visual Perspective” is free to visitors of the BioLounge in the basement of the Henderson building on the CU main campus in Boulder through January 31. Hours and information: COLORADO.EDU/CUMUSEUM.
Feeling Blue BLUE HOUR AND FALL PHOTOGRAPHY
For photographers, whether professional or hobbyists, the fall season offers some of the best opportunities to shoot gorgeous photos. Most shutterbugs are well aware of the “golden hour,” a period where the sun peeks just over the horizon, scattering light in all directions and reducing shadows to nil. However, most photographers do not take advantage of the lesser-known “blue hour,” and some photographers avoid it outright. With the right equipment and technical know-how, scenes taken during the blue hour are cast over with deep blue and violet hues, generating cool, serene images. To photographers who know how to exploit light, the combination of golden hour and blue hour is known as “magic hour.” Blue hour occurs immediately before the morning’s golden hour and immediately after the evening’s golden hour, when the sun hovers -6° to -4° below the horizon. Since blue, golden, and magic hours change depending on the day and location, consider the PhotoPills photography app ( PHOTOPILLS.COM ). PhotoPills tracks the sun, moon, and Milky Way’s exact movements no matter where you are. Since blue hour offers the least amount of daylight, you need gear that can handle lowlight environments. Look into lenses with internal stabilization or apertures larger than f/4. And if you don’t already have a tripod, get one. Shooting on a DSLR camera with high ISO settings, such as the Nikon D5, Sony a7s II, or the Canon 5D Mark IV, can help, too. BLUE HOUR: a free lens filter provided by Mother Nature herself.
– RR
– LEL AND RUCKER
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THE NE W N O R M A L
sensi
buzz
weeded BLISS
Forget what you know about the spring wedding season: this time of year is gaining ground as the most popular for nuptials. The beginning of autumn presents Goldilocks conditions for a couple’s most special day—not too hot, not too cold, just right. Although weed-laced weddings may strike some as a newfangled hippie brand of bizarre, a passing fad, the trend is growing as more and more couples forgo the traditional champagne toast in favor of getting toasty at their reception. Cannabis-focussed event planning companies such as Top Shelf Budtending, Love and Marij, and CannaBride help ensure it’s an uplifting and sophisticated experience. Here are four more reasons cannabis pairs perfectly with weddings: It’s more AFFORDABLE. Serving cannabis flower instead of alcohol to a wedding of 100 guests could save the happy couple $5,000 according to one study cited by the news site Mic. Adding concentrates or edibles to the equation can drive the price up a bit—but it’ll still be cheaper than an open bar tab. It INSPIRES perkier spirits. It’s no secret that cannabis instills the chill at any gathering. Swilling booze, on the other hand, can lead to a more sordid affair. Fortunately, weddings that offer both cannabis and alcohol can reasonably expect a drama-free reception, as supported by a 2016 study from the Netherlands showing cannabis not only calms regular cannabis consumers, it does the same thing for drinkers, too. It looks SUAVE. Cannabis can be presented in all sorts of creatively luxuriant ways. Skilled budtenders can shape joints into tulips, bouquets can include lush cannabis crowns, and infused desserts can take an unlimited array of forms—elevating truffles, cupcakes, macarons, and crème brûlées. Oh my indeed. It SOLIDIFIES “I do.” Start forever on a high note. Couples who smoke cannabis have a better shot at a happier marriage. Researchers from Yale and Rutgers discovered in 2014 that married couples where one or both partners regularly got elevated were far more peaceable than married couples where neither spouse got lit. – RR
16 Denver//Boulder OC TOBER 2017
sensimag.com OC TOBER 2017 17
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sensimag.com OC TOBER 2017 19
{newsfeed} by L E L AND RUCKER
UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES Amendment 64 has solved a lot of problems—and created a few of its own. For the most part, Amendment 64, the 2012 voter
law, with bills that try and remedy laws that, though
initiative that allowed cannabis sales and possession
well intended, contain problematic loopholes or were
for adults, has been serving the state pretty well.
the result of compromises that just didn’t work.
Colorado’s seed-to-sale plant tracking system, its barriers to market entry, and its tax and fee struc-
IT’S ALWAYS THE FEDS : That cannabis is still il-
tures are seen as models by other states, and legis-
legal on a federal level creates unique difficulties. Al-
lators are regularly consulted on best practices by
though some dispensaries have managed to acquire
those interested in legalization.
bank accounts and allow credit cards, most consum-
The rollout hasn’t been perfect. One of Amend-
ers still can’t buy cannabis without cash. A memo-
ment 64’s requirements was that lawmakers enact
randum issued by the Obama administration, still in
regulations under serious time restrictions, and even
effect, suggested that banks can work with cannabis
though it helped that the state had already instituted
companies under certain conditions, but most, even
regs for medical marijuana, it was creating new rules
those in small towns that want to help local business-
for a substance still illegal under federal law, and un-
es, have resisted out of fear of its continued federal
der a strict deadline. And they were dealing with a
illegality. Those that do don’t publicize their involve-
substance that has been illegal and remains so on a
ment. The hypocrisy here is palpable: all state-regis-
federal level for more than 80 years.
tered cannabis companies are required to pay federal
There were some early bumps. After a couple of highly publicized incidents shortly after recreational
income taxes but not allowed basic business deductions afforded to others.
sales began and a New York Times columnist wrote about a miserable time in a Denver hotel room after
ORGANIC, NOT SO MUCH : Consumers in search of
she ingested a larger-than-suggested dose of an ed-
“organic” cannabis have a tough time. The US Depart-
ible product in early 2013, the state spent several
ment of Agriculture and the Environmental Protec-
months revisiting its rules on edibles and made sub-
tion Agency are in charge of regulating standards for
stantial changes in packaging and dosing that hadn’t
all agricultural products, and as long as cannabis remains
been anticipated during the initial rules creation. Law-
a federally controlled Schedule I drug, neither will get
makers still face new challenges every session on
involved in creating rules. Colorado has shown a
other unforeseen ramifications arising from the new
willingness to develop its own organic criteria based
20 Denver//Boulder OC TOBER 2017
around the DEA and USDA standards, but nothing has come of it so far. That doesn’t mean you can’t find organic cannabis—many growers are organic— but, at this point, you can only rely on their word. But most of the unintended consequences generally fall under the portion of the initiative that says to “regulate marijuana like alcohol.” In some ways it is, but in too many others, there are unintended problems. CONSUMPTION CONUNDRUM : What’s up with those buses that allow onboard consumption as they ferry people around Denver’s nightspots and dispensaries? Colorado has literally thousands of establishments where you can legally consume alcohol in public. But the legislature hasn’t been able to agree on a statewide policy that would allow any public consumption, and the long-awaited city of Denver plan is still in the application stage. Taking a cue from the state’s opencontainer alcohol laws, several companies found they could operate tour buses that fit under an exemption for motor homes and vehicles “designed, maintained, or used primarily for the transportation of persons for compensation.” Drivers, of course, are not allowed to consume. I’ve been on one of these tours, and they’re a lot of fun and a place for tourists to unwind. It’s hardly a solution for the public consumption problem, but it’s one alternative for out-of-towners who buy cannabis but can’t consume it unless they’re in a 420-friendly establishment or staying with friends. sensimag.com OC TOBER 2017 21
MORE DRI V ERS ARE SHOWING UP WITH CANNABIS IN THEIR SYSTEMS, B U T T H E R E I S NO R E A L E V I D E N C E O F I N C R E A S E D A C C I D E N T S O R R O A D M AY H E M AT T R I B U T E D S O L E L Y TO C A N N A B I S, A N D T HE S TA T E H A S S T R U G G L E D TO C O M E UP W I T H A W AY TO D E F I N E I N TO X I C AT I O N A S I T R E L A T E S TO D R I V I N G. WHAT’S IN AN OUNCE? : You can buy enough vod-
Police can issue a DUI ticket for driving under the in-
ka to last the rest of your life during one trip to the li-
fluence of cannabis, and lawmakers decided on a lim-
quor store, but you’re restricted to purchasing one ounce
it of five nanograms of THC per milliliter of blood as a
of cannabis at a time. It’s a fact that alcohol can be le-
baseline for impairment. Alcohol limits have been sci-
thal, but nobody has yet come close to a deadly dose
entifically established and can pretty closely assess
of cannabis. Beyond vague arguments about buying
whether a person is impaired. That hasn’t happened
and reselling on the black market, I’ve never heard a
with cannabis. The test can show that a certain amount
good explanation of why there's a limit.
of THC is in someone’s system, but it can’t prove that
Have you ever tried to buy flower, edibles, and con-
it causes impairment.
centrates at the same time? Daily purchase limits are
“It’s a relatively low limit, and it’s not a per se like
fairly complicated. Since concentrates, which include
you have with alcohol,” Boulder District Attorney Stan
dabs, kief, shatter, wax, hash, budder, hash oil, and
Garnett explains. Saliva and urine tests are invasive
other products, have much higher percentages of THC
and often take time before lab results are available.
than cannabis flower, the state in 2015 conducted a
Unlike alcohol, cannabis can stay in the system for a
study, “Marijuana Equivalency in Portion and Dosage,”
month or more, and though there are plenty of com-
to determine how to bring these different methods of
panies working on tests to determine whether a per-
THC ingestion into some kind of balance.
son is intoxicated or merely storing cannabis in his fat
Under the original rules, you could buy 28 grams of
molecules, so far none have succeeded.
concentrates or flower at one time. But regulators
Colorado juries are instructed on the law, which
decided on a standard that says two grams of con-
does allow defendants to take the stand and say they
centrates are equal to seven grams of flower. Which
can handle their cannabis. “We’ve developed these per
means that eight grams of concentrates equal one
se laws with alcohol,” Garnett says. “We’re not at that
ounce of flower. And 100 milligrams of edibles (a sin-
point yet with marijuana, and we may never be.”
gle dose in Colorado is 10 milligrams) equal 3.5 grams of flower. Since cannabis works differently with each
DOGGIE BLUES : Colorado drug-sniffing dogs have
person, this means that there are limits on sales, but
been trained to detect five drugs—heroin, cocaine,
no real way to know how you might react to what you
methamphetamine, Ecstasy, and cannabis—in vehi-
buy, which is why the state and everybody in the in-
cles suspected of drug use. Now that cannabis is le-
dustry encourages new and inexperienced users to
gal, a Colorado Court of Appeals ruled in July that its
always start with a low dose and go slow.
odor in a vehicle found by a police dog is not grounds for a search and that law enforcement must have
DRIVING DILEMMA : The subject of driving under
another reason. Which means that current sniff dogs
the influence is and will remain a touchy and tricky one.
will have to be retrained or retired and new ones will
More drivers are showing up with cannabis in their
have to learn only four substances instead of five.
systems, but there is no real evidence of increased ac-
A final thought: Federal alcohol prohibition ended
cidents or road mayhem attributed solely to cannabis,
in 1933, and the legislature still debates and passes
and the state has struggled to come up with a way to
bills to regulate it every session, so don’t hold your
define intoxication as it relates to driving.
breath that it will get cannabis right anytime soon.
22 Denver//Boulder OC TOBER 2017
sensimag.com OC TOBER 2017 23
24 Denver//Boulder OC TOBER 2017
sensimag.com OC TOBER 2017 25
{crossroads} by RICARDO BACA
SUSTAINABLE HARVESTING Why treating cannabis like the agricultural product it is might mean less impact on the environment. The sun shines faintly on this 60-degree Septem-
But unlike so many other products grown in the
ber day in Northern California’s Emerald Triangle, but
Golden State, cannabis can be cultivated successful-
the 10-day forecast promises rain—and so a grower
ly indoors on a large scale—and some would say it’s
purposefully strides across her 30,000-acre farm of
even better done indoors, at least in terms of the
flowering cannabis in the heart of America’s “canna-
ability to amplify THC and control a variety of factors,
bis bucket.” Every few feet, she pulls out her loupe to
as well as to produce multiple harvests in shorter
catch a closer look at the plants’ amber trichomes,
growing times.
and after making a few notes in her little notebook, she nods to herself and pulls out her mobile phone.
The problem is, it’s not necessarily better for the environment. Indoor cultivation inhales an enormous
It’s harvest time.
amount of electricity — for high-intensity lights, ven-
Meanwhile across the rest of the state, other large-
tilation systems, heaters and air conditioners, dehu-
scale cultivations—planted on hundreds of thousands
midifiers and humidifiers, much of it running 24 hours
of acres—are doing the same thing, because California
a day. And a recent study by Evan Mills, a scientist
now produces more than 75 percent of the country’s
with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,
cannabis.
suggests that indoor grows are one of the most ener-
The year is 2027 in an imagined, but definitely possible, post-prohibition world. Proposition 64 has all but disappeared in the rearview mirror, as have the federal laws that used to ban the interstate sale of marijuana,
gy-intensive industries out there, currently accounting for 1 percent of the nation’s electricity usage. That may not sound like a lot, but that's the same percentage used by Americans’ washing machines.
which is now the established darling of mass-scale ag-
It will be hard to move away from the indoor grow
riculture. As the country’s largest producer of almonds,
model, but for the industry to be sustainable and do
avocados, grapes, tomatoes, peaches, plums, arti-
right by the planet, it needs to be grown and regulat-
chokes, broccoli, and many other popular fruits, vege-
ed like the agricultural product it is.
tables, and nuts—in fact, California is responsible for
Of course, growing cannabis outdoors sprouts a
two-thirds of the nation’s produce—the state has al-
whole other set of issues, including things like in-
ways been uniquely poised to grow the majority of the
creased clear-cutting of forests and increased road
population’s pot plants, as well.
construction, which can result in a loss of wildlife
26 Denver//Boulder OC TOBER 2017
RICARDO BACA is a veteran journalist and the founder and original editor in chief of The Cannabist. His content agency Grasslands works primarily with cannabis and hemp businesses on messaging and branding via thoughtful and personalized content campaigns.
sensimag.com OC TOBER 2017 27
habitat and an increase in greenhouse gases (partly
the rest of the country.
because the loss of forest also means the loss of
And then we get into water use, a big deal in can-
trees and plants that filter CO2 from the atmosphere).
nabis cultivation. A task force in Oregon exploring
Erosion is a serious problem, too, as is the potential
environmental best practices for the state legisla-
effect on rivers and streams. Not to mention that the
ture found that on average, a mature plant can con-
runoff and air pollution from pesticides, fertilizers,
sume up to 6 gallons of water a day in a 150-day
T H E G R E E N - M I N D E D C I T Y O F B O U L D E R H A S R E G U L A T I O N S I N P L AC E R EQUI R I NG G RO W E R S T O D I REC T LY O F F S E T 100 PERCENT O F T H E E L E C T R I C I T Y A N D O T H E R F U E L S US E D I N P R O D U C T I O N B Y U S I N G R E N E WA B L E E N E R G Y O R PAY I NG I N T O A N E N E R G Y I M PA C T O F F S E T F U N D , O R T H E Y PAY A F I N E . and petroleum-based fuel can impact habitats, wa-
growing cycle. (By comparison, one grape plant grown
ter sources, and other crops.
to make wine uses half that.) Transplanting the en-
In addition, research scientist Mills found that the
tire industry outside, where unpredictable rain and
cannabis industry produces 15 million tons of green-
sun patterns can quickly alter normal water con-
house gas emissions annually, which is equal to the
sumption and wind can cause the plants to dry out
output of 3 million vehicles—more of which would
faster, could substantially increase water usage.
be needed on the roads to ship California cannabis to
But according to a recent study published in Envi-
‘
28 Denver//Boulder OC TOBER 2017
ronmental Research Letters by a professor in environ-
mented to help guarantee less wasteful production.
mental studies and a specialist at the University of
The green-minded city of Boulder has regulations
California Cooperative Extension, these concerns can
requiring growers to directly offset 100 percent of the
be addressed by, yep, more studies—difficult in the
electricity and other fuels used in production by using
current regulatory climate with cannabis still classified
renewable energy or paying into an Energy Impact
as a Schedule I substance. That research would result
Offset Fund, or they pay a fine. And in Oregon, where
in increased oversight on the environmental impact of
a report by the Northwest Power and Conservation
growing cannabis, as well as more careful, thoughtful
Council revealed that an indoor grow system for only
planning that would put pot farms in the least impact-
four plants sucks up as much energy as 29 refrigera-
ful, most environmentally beneficial places possible.
tors, cash incentives have helped to reduce energy
“Siting grows in areas with better access to roads,
use, and 20 percent of the tax revenue goes toward
gentler slopes, and ample water resources could sig-
offsetting the environmental impact of past and
nificantly reduce threats to the environment,” study
present cannabis cultivation.
authors Jake Brenner and Van Butsic wrote. They also
The bottom line is that under our current 2017
pointed to their study, which surveyed the water-
model, the concept of harvest is less about agricul-
sheds of northern California's Humboldt County, as an
ture and growing season than it is about plugging
example of the sort of analysis that could be done—
into the grid — so let's start considering a more en-
and is absolutely necessary—to inform land-use
vironmentally sensible approach that pays homage
plans for cannabis agriculture and to ensure that en-
to the sun-fed farming that got us here and takes
ergy-efficiency standards and laws would be imple-
less of a toll on the gigantic greenhouse we call Earth.
sensimag.com OC TOBER 2017 29
30 Denver//Boulder OC TOBER 2017
sensimag.com OC TOBER 2017 31
{ediblecritic} by J O H N L E H N D O R F F
RANDOM COLORADO Wine NOTE
• Colorado’s grape growing regions include the highest altitude vineyards in the Northern Hemisphere, Paonia’s Terror Creek Vineyard at 6,417 feet.
32 Denver//Boulder OC TOBER 2017
JOHN LEHNDORFF writes the Nibbles column for the Boulder Weekly and hosts Radio Nibbles on KGNU (KGNU.ORG).
ALTITUDE ADJUSTMENT Colorado wines have aged tastefully into the hipper local sip. Colorado has been pegged as a state of beer ever since I attended the first Great American Beer Festi-
ing drinkers to give Colorado wine a taste along with hard cider and mead.
val in Boulder, circa 1982. Back then, the state only
“It has been easier for restaurants to add local ci-
had two breweries: Coors and Boulder Beer. Now,
ders because they already have craft brew menus,”
Colorado is the epicenter of the craft ale universe
he says.
and literally blanketed with breweries. Colorado wine started reviving from the ravages of Prohibition only in the late 1970s. Initially disre-
While the state is well-known for its Rieslings, Colorado’s vineyards are growing a wide range of red and white wine grapes.
garded as a cute, novelty item for tourists, the state’s
“For reds, there’s greater interest in Cabermet Franc,
early grape and fruit wines were not extraordinary,
Petit Verdot, and Syrah grapes because those varietals
but the growing conditions on the Western Slope
have been shown to produce stellar wines in Colorado
showed a lot of promise.
in recent years,” Schlachter says.
Whiskey and hard cider may have made some news,
“Riesling is still the top white varietal, along with
but the Colorado beverage with a buzz is wine. May-
Viognier, Gewurtztraminer, and Chardonnay.” Those
be there’s a yearning for something different. Maybe
well-regarded and highly sippable Colorado Ries-
our collective palate is just tuckered out from all
lings run the gamut from sweet to unexpectedly dry.
those astringent, pucker-producing IPAs.
Wineries have benefited from the state’s wildly
Winery tasting rooms are popping up from Grand
popular and relaxed tasting room culture at brewer-
Junction to Cortez and Boulder to Castle Rock, with
ies, cideries, meaderies, and distilleries that includes
some unique urban winery oases in Denver. Serious
entertainment and an equally vibrant food truck cul-
winemaking talent has flocked to the state and the
ture that has grown up serving places that don’t offer
wines are winning national awards.
food. Even though you’ll find shelves filled with local
“We’ve seen the Colorado wine industry steadily
wines at larger liquor stores, wineries sell most of
growing in the last five years. There are now 150
their bottles through tasting rooms, not in stores or
wineries in the state,” says Kyle Schlachter, Out-
restaurants. That is also where you’ll find small quan-
reach Coordinator for the Colorado Wine Industry
tities of rare or experimental vintages being poured
Development Board. They are tasked with convinc-
for visitors.
sensimag.com OC TOBER 2017 33
Colorado seems to have avoided the pricey wine snob atmosphere endemic in the wine country of California and the Pacific Northwest. “A new generation of winemakers and younger wine drinkers don’t necessarily care about bottles and corks,” Schlachter says. Following in the footsteps of local canned beer pioneers, unpretentious canned wine is now a legitimate thing. Denver’s edgy Infinite Monkey Theorem is credited as being the first Colorado winery to can some astonishingly good vintages. Palisade’s Colterris Wines recently released Canterris White, Red, and Rose of Cabernet Sauvignon Colorado wines. Other wineries offer takeout, refillable “growlers” of local vino. While Colorado’s great weather, vistas, outdoor recreation, farm-to-table fare, and cannabis all make it an attractive place to visit, many visitors are coming for the wine and the state’s wine country. In fact, USA Today recently named the 26-year-old Colorado Mountain Winefest as the top wine festival in the country. Take that Napa and Sonoma. And Wine Enthusiast has named the Wine Board’s Kyle Schlachter as one of 40 Under 40 Tastemakers nationally who are “trailblazers ... shaping the future of wine, beer, cider, and spirits.” Colorado wines will never be as inexpensive as mass-marketed ones, according to Schlachter. “I think Colorado wines are still a great value. There are very few priced at over $30 a bottle,” he says. For that price, you get an eminently drinkable red or white you can serve to discerning friends who could use a break from yet another heavy ale.
34 Denver//Boulder OC TOBER 2017
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FOUR COOL COLORADO WINE TASTING ROOMS
FOUR COLORADO WINES TO TASTE TODAY
SWEET ELEPHANT AT VINO COLORADO WINERY
ALFRED EAMES MÉNAGE
The Old Colorado City location in a historic building
A reasonably priced, berry-nice, full-bodied Colorado red
offers free tastings of wines, from Colorado Zinfandel
blend from this award-winning Paonia winery.
to Pinot Gris, plus coffee and bites such as panini
ALFREDEAMESCELLARS.COM
and meat-and-cheese plates. SWEETELEPHANT.CO
BOOKCLIFF FRIDAY’S FOLLY A fresh tasting, light-bodied white table wine blended with
INFINITE MONKEY THEOREM URBAN WINERY
Colorado Viognier, Muscat Blanc, and Riesling in Boulder.
This super-hip taproom in a 15,000-square-foot urban
BOOKCLIFFVINEYARDS.COM
winery in Denver's RiNo district boasts tastings of wines from a Dry Hopped Sauvignon Blanc to a hearty Colorado
CARLSON VINEYARDS CHERRY WINE
Malbec plus live music and food trucks.
Erase any concept of a too-sweet fruit-based wine from
THEINFINITEMONKEYTHEOREM.COM
your mind even though this Palisade-made varietal will
TWO RIVERS WINERY
Colorado-grown Montmorency cherries. This ruby red
remind you of tart cherry pie since it’s made with Two good reasons to visit this winery: a gorgeous setting
tart-sweet wine is one of the best I’ve ever found to
at the base of Colorado National Monument in Grand
accompany holiday roast turkey with all the trimmings.
Junction and an equally gorgeous and steak-worthy Two
CARLSONVINEYARDS.COM
Rivers Cabernet Sauvignon. TWORIVERSWINERY.COM
GUY DREW MERITAGE This is as fine a classic red blend—oak-aged 60 percent
BONACQUISTI WINE COMPANY
Merlot, 20 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 20 percent
It’s easy to love the family-owned (and family-friendly)
Cabernet Franc—as any from California at the price.
atmosphere at this Italian-inspired winery in Denver’s
This wine from Cortez should be appreciated in a large
Sunnyside neighborhood. Tours of the wine production
Riedel red wine glass.
area are available. Bonacquisti offers one-liter wine
GUYDREWVINEYARDS.COM
growlers—glass bottles refillable with reds and white from the winery’s rotating taps. BONACQUISTIWINE.COM
36 Denver//Boulder OC TOBER 2017
sensimag.com OC TOBER 2017 37
{travelwell} by BOBBY BL ACK
HEADING UP TO HUMBOLDT “It is not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon men’s hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air that emanation from old trees, that so wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit.” — ROBERT LOUIS S TEVENSON
California is home to some of the world’s most
named the Redwood Highway. A few years ago, my
popular tourist destinations: from the historical cul-
wife and I made just such a sojourn as part of an epic
ture of San Francisco to the winter and water sports
Pacific Coast odyssey from Los Angeles to Portland.
of Lake Tahoe; from the star-studded nightlife of
For those wishing to take a similar road trip and enjoy
Hollywood to the family fun of Disneyland and Uni-
the wonders of Humboldt County for themselves, al-
versal Studios. For us nature lovers, the Golden State
low me to recount some of the highlights:
also features some of the most jaw-dropping land-
Driving up the 101, one of the first few towns you
scapes in the nation, including Yosemite, Big Sur, and
pass through is Garberville. Garberville is the site of
Joshua Tree—all of which, though quite beautiful,
the popular Reggae on the River—a four-day music
tend to be swarmed with sightseers during the nicer
festival that takes place on the bank of the Eel River
parts of the year. But if you’re looking for a more
in early August each year—as well as the short-lived
low-key getaway, one that’s a little quieter and less
Cannabis Film Festival. It’s also home to several quirky
crowded, you might consider venturing a bit further
little roadside attractions, including the One-Log House
north—past all of that hubbub and up into the won-
(a small home carved out of a single, giant hollowed-out
derful wilds of Humboldt County.
log) and the 1,800-year-old Grandfather Tree, where,
First and foremost, Humboldt is best known for its
at the gift shop, you can pick up your very own live
trees. Ok, yes—the smokable kind, too. Humboldt,
redwood burl. Up the road a ways is another unique
along with Medocino and Trinidad counties, comprise
souvenir shop called the Legend of Bigfoot, where you’ll
the legendary “Emerald Triangle”—the region long
find all sorts of carved wooden treasures, as well as
credited as producing some of the best cannabis in
anything and everything related to the mythical Sas-
the world. The ones I’m referring to, however, are Cal-
quatch of the sequoias. Garberville proper is a quaint
ifornia’s official state trees, the fabled redwoods. Red-
little town filled with cozy places to rest your head or
wood trees aren’t just the oldest living organisms on
grab a bite before heading up into Redwood State
the planet (up to 2000 years), they’re also the tallest,
Park. For a hearty, home-style breakfast, make a pit
reaching heights of up to 350 feet. There’s almost no
stop at the Woodrose Café. Or for slightly fancier fare,
better place to see these majestic beings—and no
try Cecil’s New Orleans Bistro.
better way to see Humboldt, in general—than via the
From Garberville, it's just another 10 minutes or
peaceful and picturesque Route 101, appropriately
so up the road until you reach the entrance for the
38 Denver//Boulder OC TOBER 2017
sensimag.com OC TOBER 2017 39
eats
A giant sequoia with candelabralike branches is the main attraction of Drive-Thru Tree Park, where travelers can drive through a tunnel carved into the tree’s trunk.
ARCATA SCOOP // Arcata
FACEBOOK.COM/ARCATASCOOP
THE LIGHTHOUSE GRILL // Trinidad TRINIDADLIGHTHOUSEGRILL .COM
PASTA LUEGO // Arcata COCOPASTALUEGO.COM
CAFE BRIO // Arcata
CAFEBRIOARCATA.COM
WOODROSE CAFÉ // Garberville THEWOODROSECAFE.COM
MOONSTONE BEACH BAR & GRILL // Cambria MOONSTONEBEACH.COM
AT T RAC T IONS GRANDFATHER TREE // ONE - LOG HOUSE // Garberville IMMORTAL TREE // PAUL BUNYAN STATUE // Redcrest SHRINE DRIVE - THRU TREE PARK // Myers Flat LIVING CHIMNE Y TREE // Phillipsville
Avenue of The Giants, a scenic byway that runs parallel to the 101 for 31 miles, leading you through the 50,000-plus acres of old-growth redwood groves in
AVENUE OF THE GIANTS LEGEND OF BIGFOOT GIF T SHOP // Garberville WORLD’S TALLEST TOTEM POLE //
Humboldt Redwoods State Park. These forests, among
City Center Road, McKinleyville
the most serene and majestic scenery in America,
CONFUSION HILL // GRAVIT Y HOUSE REDWOOD SHOE HOUSE // Piercy
are an absolutely ideal spot for a hike, a picnic, some quiet meditation, or a relaxing smoke break—a sentiment shared by legendary director Oliver Stone, who happened to be enjoying a joint when we were
Tree, and the Immortal Tree, which is located directly
lucky enough to bump into him and his wife in the
across from the can’t-miss giant statues of Paul
Founder’s Grove. Just remember to be extra super
Bunyan and his blue ox Babe.
careful with any matches or roaches. These trees are far too precious to risk starting a fire here.
While you can drive right along the shoreline for the majority of the Pacific Coast, the same cannot be
With their impressive heights, it’s no surprise that
said for Humboldt County. Here, the Pacific Coast
the redwoods can be rather wide as well (up to 25
Highway (Route 1) turns inland and is gobbled up by
feet in diameter). Some are so wide, in fact, that you
the 101, making the shore a lot harder to access. But
can drive a car through them, and naturally there are
if you’re feeling extra adventurous, you might con-
places where you can do just that—namely, the
sider taking the long detour off the main highway to
Shrine Tree and the Chandelier Tree. Some other fa-
explore the rugged Lost Coast, including the small
mous tree attractions along the route worth a photo
fishing hamlet of Shelter Cove (just under an hour’s
op are the Eternal Tree House, the Living Chimney
drive southwest of Garberville), where you can snap
40 Denver//Boulder OC TOBER 2017
?
what? when?
a few photos of the Cape Mendocino Lighthouse and
WHERE
take some sun on the secluded Black Sand Beach.
MADAKET CRUISES Take in the sights of the coast on a historic vessel. Cruises include historical, eco/wildlife, sunset/cocktail, full moon or fireworks (4th of July only). WHEN: Check website for tour times WHERE: Humboldt Harbor, Eureka
towns that make up the county’s main population cen-
WHAT:
HUMBOLDTBAYMARITIMEMUSEUM.COM/ MADAKETMAINPAGE
ALE & SPIRITS TRAIL Humboldt Beer Tours WHAT: Drink your way up the redwood highway at some of the many breweries, distilleries and cider houses along the way. WHEN: When you’re done driving for the day, of course. WHERE: Along Route 101 HUMBOLDTBEERTOURS.COM
L ANTERN FLOATING CEREMONY A 35-year-old peace ceremony that commemorates the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki with the ancient Japanese custom of floating lanterns on the lake. WHEN: August 11, 2018 WHERE: Klopp Lake, at the Arcata Marsh WHAT:
CITYOFARCATA.ORG/365/L ANTERNFLOATING-CEREMONY
DICK TAYLOR CHOCOL ATE FACTORY TOURS WHAT: A 45-minute tour showing how its organic, fair-trade chocolate is made and packaged, plus a 15-minute tasting. WHEN: Check website for tour times WHERE: Eureka DICKTAYLORCHOCOLATE.COM
RAMPART INDOOR SKATE PARK WHAT: 4,000 square feet of indoor wooden ramps, artwork, and music for skaters and BMX riders. WHEN: Open year-round WHERE: Arcata RAMPARTSKATEPARK.ORG
Further north, as the 101 snakes westward back towards the shore, you’ll find a number of great little ter: there’s the charming Victorian village of Ferndale; Eureka, an artist and artisan haven (and the seat of the county); and, on the other side of the bay from Eureka, Arcata, home to Humboldt State University and one of the oldest movie theaters in the country—not to mention a thriving glass art community, a few gourmet ice cream parlors, and even an indoor skate park. Head up a bit further, and you’ll have easier access to more beautiful beaches, including Moonstone Beach. Known for its craggy outcroppings, tide pools, and hidden sea caves (accessible only at low tide), Moonstone is a popular destination for amateur rock climbers and surfers. After working up an appetite spelunking or hanging ten, chow down on some fresh, delicious seafood right on the beach at the Moonstone Beach Bar & Grill. Another 15 miles up the road in Trinidad is Agate Beach, named after the many smooth, colorful stones you’ll find in the tidal pools along its shore. It’s a remote spot that’s ideal for whale, sea lion, and bird watching, as well as beachcombing—but definitely not swimming, as its notoriously rough waters and riptides make it too dangerous. While in Trinidad, you have to stop at the Lighthouse Grill to try one of their trademark “mash cones”—a savory waffle cone stuffed with mashed potatoes and topped with your choice of beef, bacon, cheese, gravy, or veggies. Beyond that, it’s just another two-hour drive through Prairie Creek Redwoods Park until you hit the northern county line. Where to go from there is entirely up to you: do you head back down to revisit your favorite spots and catch some of the attractions you missed? Grab a flight home from Arcata/Eureka airport? Or continue your adventure northward into Oregon? In the end, it’s not where you end up that matters, but the memories you made and lessons you learned along the way. Here’s hoping that your journey through Humboldt is enjoyable, enlightening, and elevated. sensimag.com OC TOBER 2017 41
{aroundtown} by JOHN LEHNDORF F
42 Denver//Boulder OC TOBER 2017
GOOD GOURD The straight story about lattes, lies, and real pumpkin pie spice. The harbingers of autumn fill the chill air. It’s that special season of sweaters, colorful leaves, football, early sunsets, and a scary infestation of horrific pumpkin spice
ing the exceptional kabocha squash, which are much tastier than the canned stuff.
Pumpkin Spice Peanut Butter, Revel Stoke Pumpkin Spiced
RU L E NO . 3 All pumpkin spice products are not alike.
Flavored Canadian Whisky, Hostess Pumpkin Spice Twink
I don’t like to paint them all with the same hold-my-
ies, and Extra Pumpkin Spice Sugarfree Gum?
nose brush, because there are some fine local examples
products. Will you be stocking up on Peanut Butter & Co.
While the word “pumpkin” is certainly everywhere
available, especially from the breweries. Top-notch local
this season, 99 percent of the items contain virtually
pumpkin ales range from lightly spiced Upslope Pump-
no pumpkin at all—including the gateway beverage
kin Ale to heavy duty Avery Rumpkin (aged in rum bar-
for the whole trend: Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte. It
rels) and New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Atomic Pumpkin
seems there is a lot of fake news out there about
Ale, made with Saigon cinnamon and habaneros.
pumpkins so we are providing this handy primer:
RUL E NO . 4 There are some pumpkin spice foods that I actually crave.
RULE NO . 1 Don’t buy a jack-o’-lantern if you want to bake a pumpkin pie.
Creamy Colorado-made Noosa Pumpkin Yogurt tastes
The big carve-able ones are tasteless and don’t have a
like pumpkin pie with ice cream, and Boulder’s Farmer’s
lot of meat. Look instead for smaller, rounder ones la-
Porch Heirloom Pumpkin Seeds offer organic hulled
beled “pie pumpkins” that produce sweet, smooth pu-
snacks that are nutty, creamy, and spiced three ways:
ree that’s great for baking. Long ago, hard jack-o’-lan-
Turmeric Lime, Cacao Cinnamon, and Ghost Pepper.
tern-type gourds were used as a kind of pan for baking pies and other foods.
RUL E NO . 5 Pumpkin spice does not grow on trees.
RULE NO . 2 Most of the pumpkin pies everybody loves on Thanksgiving—I’m partial to the Costco version—are really filled with Dickinson squash, a relative of butternut squash.
ing a small batch using bulk seasonings: 11/2 teaspoons
“Squash Spice Latte” sounds a little less enticing. Col-
(I use even less cloves than that because it tends to
orado produces tons of great winter squashes includ-
overpower every other flavor.) I add ground allspice and
You can buy it premixed, but it tastes best when you make it yourself from fresh spices. Test it out by creatground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves.
sensimag.com OC TOBER 2017 43
{ DEN V ER -AREA}
pumpkin patches
& fall festivals There are a multitude of locations to pick up a pumpkin along the Front Range. The following destinations provide a full family fall experience along with those carve-able jack-o’-lanterns. TAGAWA GARDENS NURSERY
On the first three weekends of October, Tagawa hosts a longrunning fall festival that includes live music, kids’ grape-stomping, chile-roasting, and pony rides plus pumpkins for carving. 7711 S. PARKER RD. // CENTENNIAL // TAGAWAGARDENS.COM
ROCK CREEK FARM
This is a big and popular family destination with about 100 acres of pumpkin fields to pick from with miles of corn mazes and a farm animal area. Open through October 31. 2005 S. 112TH ST. (NEAR US -287) // BROOMFIELD // ROCKCREEKFARM.COM
DENVER BOTANIC GARDENS PUMPKIN FESTIVAL
From October 13 to 15, the Denver Botanic Gardens’ pretty Chatfield Farms location is the site for colorful gatherings featuring live music, artisans, food trucks, beer and wine, horse-drawn hayrides, face painting, and giant Jenga games. 8500 W. DEER CREEK CANYON RD. // LIT TLETON // BOTANICGARDENS.ORG
COLORADO PUMPKIN PATCH The wide range of activities through October 29 include outdoor large checkers, a straw slide, a maze, a straw bale pyramid for climbing, a petting zoo (including alpacas), pony and hay rides, and, of course, lots of pumpkins. The big fun for adults includes catapulting large gourds at targets. Open through October 29. 4600 HIGHWAY 86 // CASTLE ROCK // COLORADOPUMPKINPATCH.NE T
vanilla. Cardamom also adds a nice floral note. It is notable that many of these same spices are also found in chai spiced tea.
P.S. : I haven’t found a pumpkin spice-flavored cannabis vape pen … yet. JOHN LEHNDORFF hosts Radio Nibbles on KGNU. He admits to drinking one Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte in his life. He objects to some of its ingredients including sugar, annatto, salt, potassium sorbate, mono- and diglycerides, carrageenan, and sulfiting agents.
44 Denver//Boulder OC TOBER 2017
sensimag.com OC TOBER 2017 45
"When traditional medicine gives up, cannabis gives hope." Teri Robnett, Founder, Cannabis Patients Alliance
Changing hearts and minds, one conversation at a time.
(303) 455-3801
CannabisPatientsAlliance@gmail.com CannabisPatientsAlliance.org
46 Denver//Boulder OC TOBER 2017
sensimag.com OC TOBER 2017 47
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SMELLS LIKE
REBELLION… C ANNABIS is the hot new BOTANICAL NOTE in hipper perfumes.
54 Denver//Boulder OC TOBER 2017
AND
Freedom
Back in the day
by ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE
(AND TO THIS DAY FOR FAR TOO MANY PEOPLE IN NON-
L E G A L S TAT E S ), G E T T I N G YO U R H A N D S O N A P U N G E N T BAT C H O F C A N N A B I S WAS B OT H EXHIL ARATING AND TERRIFYING. THE PLANT’S DEEP GREEN AROMA—ROBUST, EARTHY, FLAMBOYANT—PORTENDS ALL SORTS OF SENSUAL SATISFACTIONS AS IT PERFUMES CLOTHING, CARS, AND ROOMS. THAT FRAGRANCE IS OLFACTORY BLISS FOR CANNABIS LOVERS— AND PROBABLE CAUSE FOR LAW OFFICERS. SO BACK IN THE DAY, WE CARRIED BOT TLES OF PATCHOULI OIL OR CALVIN KLEIN’S OBSESSION FOR DOUSING OURSELVES AND OUR AUTOMOBILES IF WE GOT OUR HANDS ON SOME DANK HERB. We evolve (though not fast enough). As cannabis
“So Gorgeous and Sexy and Grrr”
laws loosen in many states, cops and their dogs are
Translated from the Latin per fumum, the word per-
being retrained to ignore the smell of terpenes
fume means “through smoke.” The art of scent has
(most commonly myrcene), the aromat-
been evolving since Roman and Byzantine nobles
ic compounds that give cannabis away.
began perfuming their bodies, homes, and public
Those same terpenes are instead pop-
spaces with plants. Early Christians believed scent
ping up as elite botanical notes in fine
transformed a profane space into a sacred one and
perfumes created by and for people who
conveyed the presence of divinity, so incense was
like to push boundaries. Avant garde perfum-
heavily used in churches, but personal fragrance
ers are playing with the once-verboten scent of
was forbidden. Ottomans blended herbs and spices
cannabis, The Perfume Lover author Denyse Beau-
from the East with musk and rosewater to make
lieu told fragrance industry magazine The Whale &
perfumes. Ancient Egyptians had a perfume god,
The Rose, because it signals a quiet rebellion.
Nefertum, and could detect status by the scent peo-
For those of us in legal states, smelling like
ple wore. Egyptian Queen Hatshepsut sent expedi-
skunk represents freedom. We no longer have to
tions to gather frankincense resin to feed her prolif-
smell like hippies or frat boys. We can wear per-
ic use. Napoleon is said to have used 50 bottles of
fume that smells like cannabis if we want to.
cologne per month.
The question, then—do we want to?
Commercial perfume production started in Paris
sensimag.com OC TOBER 2017 55
in 1190, the first distilled alcohol-based perfume was created in the 14th century, and the first commercial fragrance, Royal English Leather, was launched in 1781 to honor King George III. Revlon’s Charlie was the first perfume to be mass-marketed in the 1970s, and no one who lived through
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56 Denver//Boulder OC TOBER 2017
the ′80s could forget Poison—so cloying that many restaurants banned customers from wearing it. Personal fragrance had grown into a $10 billion industry by 2008, right around the time early disruptors started introducing cannabis as a signature note. Pennsylvania-based Demeter Fragrances claims to be the first to market with Demeter’s Cannabis Flower, launched in 2006. The company’s web-
SMELL
like weed
LOOKING TO ADD CANNABIS TO YOUR FRAGRANCE WARDROBE? GOOD THING YOU’RE USED TO PAYING THREE FIGURES FOR AN OUNCE OF FLOWER—THESE PERFUMES AREN’T CHEAP. Black Afghano by Asomatto “The best quality of hashish” 30 ml/$150 | NASOMATTO.COM Demeter Cannabis Flower Skunky cannabis, flowers, spices 29.5 ml/$18.90 | DEMETERFRAGRANCE.COM Forbidden by House of Matriarch Absinthe, cannabis, damiana, tuberose, wild mushroom 15 ml/$120 | MATRIARCH.BIZ Jack by Richard E. Grant Cannabis, mandarin, lime, clove, pepper, white musk 100 ml/$123 | JACKPERFUME.CO.UK Reefer Madness Collection by Xyrena Blue Dream (sweet blueberry, skunk), OG Kush (lemon, pine, burnt rubber), Space Cake (salty, buttery vanilla) 50 ml/$74.20 | XYRENA.COM Smoke for the Soul by Killian Tart, woody, hint of smoke and cannabis 50 ml/$270 | BERGDORFGOODMAN.COM
site describes Cannabis Flower, one of Demeter’s most popular scents, as “slightly floral, slightly spicy, but unmistakably cannabis.” Perfumer Mark Crames designed the scent for Sephora, which took a pass on his pot perfume but later released Cannabis Santal, a patchouli-based cologne that doesn’t list cannabis as an ingredient.
sensimag.com OC TOBER 2017 57
Brooklyn-based musician Killian Wells, a punk per-
cannabis buyers really based their opinion of the
fumer who describes himself as “the Andy Warhol of
quality of the cannabis on the fragrance.” Using ter-
fragrance,” created the first strain-specific cannabis
penes such as pinene, limonene, and caryophyllene,
perfumes for his company Xyrena, which sells scents
Wells attempts to capture that epicurean appeal in
like Basic Bitch (pumpkin spice latte, boxed merlot,
the Reefer Madness Collection.
cold-pressed kale juice, fresh-cut grass from Coach-
Swazi-English actor and perfumer Richard E. Grant
ella), Pool Boy (suntan lotion with notes of chlorinat-
never thought twice about making cannabis a top
ed pool water), Funeral Home (white flowers, mahog-
note, along with lime and mandarin, in his award-
any, and oriental carpet), and Plastic by Trixie Mattel
winning signature unisex perfume Jack because
(that fresh-out-of-the-box smell because “life in plas-
“the leaves smell so gorgeous and sexy and grrr!”
tic IS fantastic!”). Xyrena’s unisex Reefer Madness Col-
he told Tatler. Like all the ingredients in Jack, he
lection includes Blue Dream (sweet blueberry with a
added, cannabis triggers “great sensory feeling.”
hint of skunk and earthy pepper finish), OG Kush (sour lemon, pine, cedar, and a hint of burnt rubber), and Space Cake (cannabutter base with notes of salted butter, cannabis trim, earth, cedar, skunk, and buttercream frosting). Wells created the collection after he was prescribed cannabis for an anxiety disorder. Not a fan of “the skunk-heavy scent of smoked bud,” he does enjoy the aroma of raw flowers. “I’ve always liked the smell of bud when I would go to a dispensary,” Wells told
L.A. Weekly, “and I thought it was interesting that
58 Denver//Boulder OC TOBER 2017
sensimag.com OC TOBER 2017 59
PERFUME H ACKS *
Apply perfume to pulse points: back of knees, elbow crooks, wrists,
neck, décolletage. (Don’t rub it in; that crushes the smell.) *
Scent a room by putting a few drops of perfume on an oil burner.
*
Store tightly stopped bottles away from heat and sunlight.
*
If perfume loses color, it has gone bad.
Anti-Princesses and Iconoclasts Cannabis is also showing up as a complementary note rather than the star of the show in cutting-edge perfumes. Christi Meshell, owner of Seattle-based House of Matriarch, used it along with absinthe, damiana, and lantana in Forbidden, a scent based on
based style columnist, author, and marketing strat-
historically feared and outlawed aromatics. Balen-
egist, predicts major brands like Gucci and Prada
ciaga’s Florabotanica includes a cannabis note in its
will begin to include it as a “clean, environmental
dark, woody perfume that a reviewer described in
scent” that represents the ideals of a lifestyle—like
The Whale & The Rose as fit for “the anti-princess—a
chakra jewelry and yoga pants. Maybe we’ll see can-
princess perhaps that also wouldn’t say no to a lit-
nabis vaginal steams on Goop.
tle green indulgence.”
“I look at the proverbial marijuana leaf, and I see
As stigma dissolves, more and more perfumers
something clean and beautiful,” Weingarten says.
are likely to include cannabis as a fresh new note with
“Both baby boomers and thirtysomethings feel like
an outlaw-lite edge. Rachel Weingarten, a New York-
the cannabis scent defines them as an iconoclast.”
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S TR ANGE
scents
Cannabis isn’t the only ingredient that’s
raising eyebrows as perfumers strive to outdo each other with challenging fragrances that take people to new places.
Bacon Fragrances by Fargginay:
“bring your bacon with you and harness the subtle and seductive powers of bacon in a bottle” (FARGGINAY.COM)
Comme des Garcons Series 6 Synthetic Garage: “evokes childhood memories of a
The novelty scents aren’t always winners. These two are no longer available.
Eau de MacBook Pro: designed in 2012
to mimic the scent of an Apple product being opened for the first time — plastic wrap,
printed ink, ripped cardboard, aluminum laptop straight from China
Flame: body spray for men described in
2008 as “the scent of seduction with a hint of flame-broiled meat.”
garage, father’s car, various interesting tools that smell manly” (FRAGRANTICA.COM) Dzing!: “a magical evocation of a circus, the
scent of warm hay, cardboard cutouts, sawdust on the ground, and saddle leather” (ARTISANPARFUMEUR.COM) Horse: “literal interpretation of dry animalic
musk laced with soft, sweet hints of cedarwood and oats” (ETSY.COM) Paper Passion: “the unique olfactory pleasures of the freshly printed book” (AMAZON.COM) Pork Barrel BBQ Que Barbecue Cologne:
“an intoxicating bouquet of spices, smoke, meat, and sweet summer sweat” (AMAZON.COM) Secretions Magnifiques Etat Libre
d’Orange: “blood, sweat, sperm, saliva … that
extraordinary and unique moment when desire triumphs over reason” (FRAGRANTICA.COM) Vulva Original: “the natural vaginal scent
produced by movement and sweating in the female intimate area” (VULVA-ORIGINAL.COM)
sensimag.com OC TOBER 2017 61
62 Denver//Boulder OC TOBER 2017
S PECIA L
REPORT
from to
by RANDY ROBINSON
HE ALTH CONSCIOUSNESS in the age of CRAF T CANNABIS.
Over the past few years, THE CONCEPT OF “FARM-TO-FORK” OR “FARM-TO -TABLE” HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF FOODIE DISCUSSIONS. SOME E VE N DESCRIBE IT AS A FULL-FLEDGED MOVEMENT. FARM-TO-TABLE DESCRIBES AN APPROACH TO DINING THAT FOCUSES ON TRANSPARENCY AND MINIMAL TRANSPORT TIMES. THE PHRASE PL AYS ON THE IDEA OF PRODUCE AND MEAT GOING STRAIGHT FROM THE FARM TO THE CONSUMER’S TABLE OR FORK, WITH LITTLE TO NO MEDIATING BY A STORE OR DISTRIBUTOR. THIS BEELINE PATH ENSURES THAT INGREDIENTS ARE ALWAYS FRESH A ND OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY. WE ARE WHAT WE EAT, AND WE ONLY WANT TO E AT THE BEST. This movement can, in some sense, be applied to cannabis as well. Cannabis, after all, is just another
S ON
of the S UN
“People ask me why my stuff gets them so wacked,”
crop in Colorado. It’s used as an ingredient for juic-
says Shawn Honaker, the founder of Yeti Farms. “I
ing, its infusions medicinally enhance otherwise
used to think it was just because I grew everything
inert foodstuffs like hard candies and cookies, and
organic under the power of the sun—and that’s par-
its oils can be heated alongside other essential oils
tially true, but that’s not the only reason.”
as aromatherapy.
Honaker’s farm and extraction operation are lo-
Basically, our state’s cannabis consumers desire
cated along a rural road in Pueblo County, which The
much more from their cannabis than just high THC
Gazette recently dubbed “The Napa Valley of Weed.”
levels. We now know over a hundred different can-
Honaker and other farmers in this area are some of
nabinoids besides THC can confer health benefits.
Colorado’s only outdoor marijuana cultivators. This
We also know terpenes influence the mood of our
is because Pueblo County was the first district in the
highs, and researchers are currently unlocking the
state to permit outdoor and greenhouse pot farms.
roles that the plant’s flavonoids play. In short, we’ve
Roughly 5 percent of Colorado’s cannabis cultiva-
gotten pickier about our pot, and we wish to know
tors operate in this manner. All others grow in en-
where our products come from with the assurances
closed warehouses, powered by electric lights rath-
that the products are safe and clean.
er than the sun’s rays.
sensimag.com OC TOBER 2017 63
I met with Honaker one morning at the farmhouse he built himself at Yeti Farms. As someone who has enjoyed cannabis for over half my life, I was curious if his products would stand out from the others I’ve sampled over the years, which were all grown indoors regardless of whether I got them from a dispensary or a caregiver. This was, to my knowledge, the first time I tried a cannabis product grown outside, under the sun. And, boy, was it a doozy. A few minutes after my first series of massive inhales, I hovered at
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that perfect point, where the elevation’s escalation kisses a serene zenith, and letting everything else go feels like hitting terminal velocity while skydiving to a sunset melting into the horizon.
“Outdoor plants tend to test lower than most indoor plants in terms of quantifiable metrics such as THC percentage, terpene percentage, even bud size.” ANDRE W PHAM // C ANNABIS CHEMIST // ILP SCIENTIFIC
No jitters. No racing thoughts. No second-guessing. Just pure guava, an undulating surge of awesome vibes from head to toe. But does cannabis grown outdoors possess greater potency than pot grown indoors? Not really, says Andrew Pham, a cannabis chemist with the consulting firm ILP Scientific. “Outdoor plants tend to test lower than most indoor plants in terms of quantifiable metrics such as THC percentage, terpene percentage, even bud size,” he says. Was my first-time sun-grown pot experience a placebo effect? Or was there something more to it?
G A R DE N
of E A R THLY DE L IGH TS
When Honaker uses the term “organic,” he means this in a practical sense. At the moment, there are no formal credentials for organic cannabis, because this label comes from federal standards, and the federal government still considers cannabis a Schedule I drug—in other words, a banned substance. However, that little bureaucratic hiccup doesn’t prevent farmers like Honaker from following organic practices anyway. “I don’t allow any artificial fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides on the property,” he says. Instead of synthetic chemical nutrients, Honaker employs bokashi compost to feed his plants, which nurtures a probiotic soil environment to clear out old root mass. His blend of bokashi also exploits the genetics of other nearby flora to transfer their “cellular memory” to his cannabis crop. “We make our bokashi from sunflowers. But our next batch will be made
SALES@THEDABSLABS.COM 64 Denver//Boulder OC TOBER 2017
from black-eyed susans that come from this property,” Honaker explains. “The black-eyed susans have been evolving out here for over a thousand years. They’ve seen every weather condition, they know when to go dormant, they
sensimag.com OC TOBER 2017 65
know when to wake up. We’re going to feed that cellu-
very possible that Honaker’s sun-grown pot instills
lar information to our cannabis plants by breaking
such a clear-headed high not because it contains
down the black-eyed susans in bokashi, then taking
greater amounts of cannabinoids and terpenes, but
the cellular structures from that and feeding it to our
because it contains a greater diversity of cannabi-
plants.”
noid and terpene ratios.
How does this “cellular memory” thing work? Pro-
“Why am I going to reinvent something that’s
biotic cultivation methods maintain a harmonious mi-
evolutionarily proven itself over millions of years?”
croorganism environment around the cannabis plants’
he asks. “I’m never going to outdo Mother Nature,
roots. This environment is made up of bacteria and
ever. What I can do is emulate it. And what you’re
yeast, two organisms that can absorb surrounding
going to get is the purest of what that plant can be.
genetic material into their DNA. Probiotic methods
It’s not adulterated in the least bit.”
have long been used for other agricultural crops, and studies show these techniques generate larger, stronger roots by producing greater amounts of phytohor-
Consumer ENDS
How do these properties of cannabis grown out-
mones, or hormones made by plants. Not only do pro-
doors translate to our bottom line, to the table, to the
biotic environments encourage phytohormone output
flame? There are a few distinct advantages, and these
from the crops, the microorganisms themselves—be-
perks may establish sun-grown cannabis as the new
cause of gene transfer—can also secrete these phyto-
industry standard.
hormones for a double-whammy of natural biochem-
One of the biggest perks is that cannabis grown
ical signaling. Hormones regulate all of the plant’s
outdoors requires little to no pesticide. Pesticide res-
behavior, from vegetation times to flower size to our
idues on cannabis became a concern in 2015 when
most prized outcome: richer, more complex cannabi-
several grows were caught using synthetic treatments
noid and terpene profiles.
that the state considered unfit for medical or recre-
Although the scientific consensus is still out, it’s
ational grows. For health-conscious consumers, min-
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66 Denver//Boulder OC TOBER 2017
sensimag.com OC TOBER 2017 67
imizing exposure to any pesticides is ideal. For some
came down to what I could afford.”
medical marijuana patients with severely compro-
Cannabis enthusiasts today can seek out canna-
mised immune systems, ingesting pesticide-free can-
bis branded as sun-grown from companies like Los
nabis isn’t just ideal, it’s a necessity.
Sueños, Nature’s Gift Shop, Yeti Farms, or Strawberry
Some outdoor operations may use chemical treat-
Fields. The state’s seed-to-sale tracking system guar-
ments for their plants, but because cannabis’s natu-
antees that consumers are receiving cannabis prod-
ral biochemical constituents act as inborn pest re-
ucts from specific cultivators, but hunting down these
pellants, most outdoor cultivators skip the bug-killers
brands may not be necessary in the foreseeable fu-
altogether. Susan and Dan Irey own Nature’s Gift Shop, a can-
ture. That’s because most, if not all, of our pot may soon be farmed under the sun.
nabis outlet based in Pueblo, and all their pot is sun-
the
grown. “We have a strong belief that a very healthy cannabis plant can fight off pests and disease on its own,” says Susan. “That is what we strive to grow: strong and healthy plants.”
I NE V I TABIL I T Y
of the I N V I S IB L E H AND
The price point may be the final determinant re-
Honaker makes the same claim about growing can-
garding the trajectory of cannabis cultivation—and
nabis without pesticides. “If you grow a healthy plant,”
our purchasing habits. Because sun-grown canna-
he says, “the bugs won’t attack it.” And clean cannabis
bis flourishes just fine without synthetics, can be
grown outdoors has another perk, and that’s price.
watered by nearby sustainable sources such as riv-
Jamie Bateman is a Thornton resident with a chron-
ers or aquifers, and is cultivated by harnessing the
ic medical condition that requires a strict diet. This
incredibly cost-efficient power of the sun, overall
diet is primarily plant-based, with a strong preference
production costs can be reduced by over 80 percent
for organically grown produce and free-range meats.
compared to indoor grows. “We can only speak from our own experience, but it seems that the biggest change as a result of these large cultivations is the reduction in prices,” says Irey. “There are more and more wholesale growers, both indoor and outdoor, so we can expect the prices to continue to fall.” Honaker believes, in the end, large outdoor grows will prevail. “The average price for a pound of weed on the rec market is about $3,000. What happens when outdoor grows can sell a pound for $500? Eventually, it’ll cost more to produce cannabis indoors than they can sell it for. They won’t be able to compete.” If Irey and Honaker’s predictions turn out to be correct, sun-grown cannabis may become the norm rather than the exception. This shift may lead to more Colorado cities and counties allowing outdoor or greenhouse operations to keep up with Pueblo County’s ex-
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plosive trend, with consumers ultimately being the winners on all fronts. In theory, at the current pace, an
Bateman purchases sun-grown cannabis from Los
ounce of outdoor cannabis could go for as little as $10
Sueños Farms, another Pueblo-based cultivator.
wholesale—placing cannabis alongside other com-
“It really came down to price,” Bateman says. An ounce of sun-grown cannabis can currently go for as
mon produce such as tomatoes, potatoes, or onions in terms of pricing by weight.
little as $80, even on the recreational market, where
“Next year, the only expense I have is water and
prices are traditionally high due to licensing fees
the labor to grow it and dry it. That’s it,” Honaker says.
and a tiered tax rate. “I prefer that my weed not have
“It’ll only cost me $20 to produce a pound. And it’s
a bunch of chemicals on it, but really my decision
fire weed, too.”
68 Denver//Boulder OC TOBER 2017
sensimag.com OC TOBER 2017 69
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P R O MOT ION A L F E AT URE
QU EST CONCEN TR AT E S
In the Air A NE W WAY TO B R E AT H E IN THE G O O D N E S S . It’s no secret that Colorado is one of the most
flavor profiles such as Sour Diesel. The flavors change
physically active and health-conscious states in the
often—it depends on the terpenes we have com-
US. For our huge population of year-round and
ing out of our in-house garden,” Weiner says.
seasonal hikers, bikers, and climbers, enjoying can-
Besides appealing to those who snowboard and
nabis has always been problematic. Smoking any-
do yoga, the no-smoke AeroInhaler also produces
thing, including cannabis, in any form can negatively affect lung capacity and performance. Consuming edibles can be an unpredictable experience which provides a different, less immediate high. That challenge was the genesis of the innovative new Quest AeroInhaler created by Colorado’s Quest Concentrates, a company well-known for live resin products. Quest repurposed the familiar pocket inhaler typically used for asthma and other lung disorders to deliver a metered dose of THC. “Instead of medicine, it’s filled with THC distillate, the most predictable form of THC,” says Lee Weiner, director of sales and marketing for Quest Concentrates. One of the first THC inhalers on the market, the gamechanging AeroInhaler is filled with pressurized pharmaceutical grade air and a proprietary blend of ingredients. “Each puff dispenses 10 mg of total ingredients with no heat and no irritation to the throat or lungs. It takes the guesswork out of it,” he says. You simply put the actuator in your mouth, press down, and inhale. Because it uses distillate, the AeroInhaler
no odor, so it is perfectly discrete. “The lack of aroma
gives consumers a pure THC experience with nei-
appeals to all kinds of consumers and fits many
ther the heady sativa high nor the sleepiness of an
situations,” he says.
indica. The AeroInhaler is not refillable but each one delivers 100 precisely metered puffs.
The Quest AeroInhaler is sold at recreational cannabis stores across the state of Colorado, includ-
The AeroInhaler puffs taste like high-quality can-
ing Green Dragon, LaConte’s, Simply Pure, Doctor’s
nabis because of another innovation. “We add live
Orders, Animas Herbal, Rocky Mountain High, Pig
resin terpenes back into the distillate so it has an
’N’ Whistle, Gunnison Cannabis, Freedom Road,
authentic cannabis flavor. They come in distinctive
Frosted Leaf, Medicine Man, and The Herbal Cure.
80 Denver//Boulder OC TOBER 2017
sensimag.com OC TOBER 2017 81
VAPOR SLIDE
P R O MOT ION A L F E AT URE
Water World A M O R E E F F E C T I V E WAY TO USE C O N C E N T R AT E S The problem was too much stuff: Dabbing, using
grade. “The new V-2 has a 100 percent ceramic coil.
a water pipe, a vape pen, and other ways of enjoy-
It heats faster and maintains temperature longer.
ing cannabis required too many different pieces of
We reengineered the refillable cartridge. It’s all
equipment, tools and accessories that filled whole
magnetic now and slides into the body of the
tabletops. Naturally, none of the stuf f was inter-
V-2, allowing the V-2 to work in any female wa-
changeable.
ter pipe or dab rig,” says Brendan Gillis, founder
When it was introduced on 4/20 in 2015, the
of Denver Vapor Slide.
Vapor Slide V-1 presented a sleek solution to some
The V-2’s more powerful battery lasts three times
of the problems. This hybrid between a pen va-
longer on a charge than the standard cartridge
Dabbing, using a water pipe, a vape pen and other ways of enjoying cannabis required too many different pieces of equipment, tools and accessories that filled whole tabletops. porizer and a dab was a cleaner, more effective
pen battery. “The V-2 also has improved airflow
way to use concentrates. The V-1 had a stronger
through the pen. The result is that it hits stronger
battery than other pens, pass-through USB char
and smoother,” Gillis says.
ging, and a twistable voltage knob to adjust the amount of vapor.
In addition to the refillable cartridge, the V-2 also works with most other pre-filled cartridges that use
The biggest innovation was that the V-1 worked
airflow activation. A hidden connector on the in-
independently as a vape pen or with a standard
side of the slide allows you to enjoy your favorite
water pipe using a patented adapter. There is a pres-
cartridges with a better, longer-lasting vaporizer.
sure sensor inside the cartridge that automatically fires when inhaling using a water pipe.
Also new on the vaporizer is a button offering essential enhancements. One click is a two-sec-
Besides cooling the vapor, using the cartridge in
ond pre-heat. Two clicks is a handy battery life
a water pipe proved to be a much more social way
check. Three clicks offers various heat levels. Five
to vape with a group versus passing around a pen.
clicks is the on-off switch, but users can happily
With consumer feedback and technology advances, that original product was ready for an up82 Denver//Boulder OC TOBER 2017
ignore it and use the V-2 with air-draw alone.
sensimag.com OC TOBER 2017 83
B IOLI V E I T
P R O MOT ION A L F E AT URE
Drizzle It A P URE AND CLE A N A LT E R N AT I V E TO PA I N R E L I E F Steve Tertipis has been chasing after cannabi-
Tertipis started researching CBD extracted from
diol, or CBD, for five years. He was living in the Chi-
hemp. He says there is a good reason why he is
cago area when he started traveling to Colorado
known in the industry as “CBD Steve.” “Over those
with one thing in mind: “Relief. It was about stay-
years, I’ve talked to almost every hemp farmer in
ing alive,” says Tertipis, founder of BioLiveIt, a line
Colorado,” he says.
of premium CBD products made with hemp organically grown in Colorado.
He had mainly taken CBD as a tincture and tried combining it with other bases like coconut oil, alco-
Tertipis has lived with Crohn’s Disease for most
hol, or seed oils. “My body doesn’t digest them well,
of his life. He was diagnosed with Crohn’s at 9 and
but I’d always been able to enjoy olive oil,” he says.
had his first surgery—a bowel resection—when
That’s when Tertipis decided to market a new
he was 12. “I’ve been on IVs, tons of steroids, and
health-oriented product. “This is first one of its kind,
all kinds of drugs,” he says.
an organic CBD-infused extra virgin olive oil (EVOO),”
“I had never been a cannabis user but I found that
he says. It’s not just any CBD. “I have a partner who
cannabis relieved my symptoms a little. I heard about
grows hemp organically near Alamosa, and the crop
CBD and started to look for it. It was hard to source
is processed in Colorado and turned into full spectrum hemp extract with optimized concentrations of CBD,” he says. It’s also not just any olive oil. He uses organic cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil that his uncles import from Greece. “It’s the purest, cleanest olive oil in the world with a low acidic level, and it isn’t expensive, just good,” he says. Tertipis drizzles the CBD-infused EVOO on pizza, salads—basically any food. “The CBD helps me with inflammation reduction, muscle spasms, nerve pain, anxiety, and sleep and boosts my appetite. It doesn’t make me nauseous. I completely stopped using opiates for pain and medicine for sleep after I found CBD,” he says. BioLiveIt products include Hemp Extract, Hemp Extract-infused EVOO, Hemp CBD Isolate Powder
the real stuff, the CBD that worked for me,” he says.
99%, and Mango Body Butter. Currently BioLiveIt
“Doctors were clueless about where to find it—the
products are only available online at BIOLIVEIT.COM
market was full of counterfeit products four, five years
but Tertipis expects them to be available soon at
ago. That’s the reason I found myself in Colorado.”
Colorado cannabis dispensaries.
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P R O MOT ION A L F E AT URE
SOURCE COLORADO
Straight from the Source C O N N E C T I N G THE C ANN ABIS I N D U S T RY
Source Colorado has built a network of cultivators, processors, and dispensaries across Colorado that list their wholesale cannabis products. You won’t find the name “Source Colorado” on
by Source Colorado. “We are brokers, but in Colora-
any growing facility, dispensary, or cannabis prod-
do that word has a bad name from the early days
uct, but if you’re a cannabis business owner or con-
when they were all independents,” he says.
sumer, the chances are good that you’ve encountered Source Colorado’s services.
“Initially some people were hesitant since suppliers have to sign a contact with us. We’ve shown
Source Colorado is a wholesale cannabis con-
the difference that professionalism and good busi-
sulting and distribution company working exclu-
ness practices can make. That’s why we stand out
sively in Colorado, says Dan Lauber. He and Con-
from our competition,” Lauber says.
nor Thompson launched Source Colorado more
Source Colorado has built a network of cultiva-
than two years ago and now have offices in Crest-
tors, processors, and dispensaries across Colorado
ed Butte and Denver.
that list their wholesale cannabis products, includ-
“ When we started, most of the cannabis grow-
ing MED & REC flower, trim, and concentrates.
ers distributed independently. We both noticed
“Our business has grown across the state because
that a lot of the products were not being seen on
of the long-term relationships we have formed in
both sides of Colorado, so we started working to-
the industry. We make it easy. Rather than making a
gether. We went across the state in a camper and
hundred phone calls to a hundred cultivators, cus-
tried to visit every grower and establish relation-
tomers can come to one place and utilize our net-
ships,” he says.
work of the best,” Lauber says. As a result, Source
“We connect cultivators with dispensaries and processors and distribute primarily on the production side. We also consult on cannabis licensing and business issues,” he says. Part of the challenge for Lauber and Thompson has been in categorizing the niche services offered 86 Denver//Boulder OC TOBER 2017
Colorado has become one of top companies in the wholesale cannabis marketplace. Among the many companies using the services of Source Colorado are The Green Solution, Lucy Sky, 5Buds, The Grow-Off, The Hash-Off, Eureka Vapor, and Better Baked.
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P R O MOT ION A L F E AT URE
L AB SOCIET Y
High Society T HE L E A D E R IN D I S T I L L AT I O N K I T S Lab Society has built a strong reputation in Col-
Solutions, Lab Society’s service that provides
orado for its extensive range of high quality labora-
equipment training, onsite consulting, and in-
tory equipment and products, including lab tools,
lab courses on Fractional Distillation as well as
vacuum ovens and pumps. The Longmont-based
Cannabinoid Chemistry and CBD Isolation.
company also provides services such as lab design
“These in-depth courses are a great introduction
and process design along with addressing produc-
to the industry. People can really find out about dis-
tion challenges from dosing to scalability.
tillation and decide if they want to set up their own
However, one line of Lab Society equipment—
business,” King says.
short path distillation kits—has caught the atten-
While Lab Society’s focuses on serving larger busi-
tion of Colorado’s cannabis industry with good rea-
nesses, its terpene distillation kit has become popular
son. “The ROI (return on investment) numbers speak
with consumers and small business owners. “We offer
for themselves. Even if customers don’t run these
an entry-level kit that can be used to extract terpenes
machines at full capacity, they will make back the
from cannabis as well as eucalyptus, rose, and other
money they spent in one or two runs,” says Patrick
botanicals using steam or inert gas,” King says.
King, marketing director for Lab Society.
The process takes about 45 minutes, and the ex-
“We design the kits in Colorado and manufacture
tracts are pure aromas. “The terpene distillation kit
them in the US, and they can be customized for indi-
doesn’t extract any cannabinoids,” he says. THC,
vidual needs,” he says. The components are constantly
CBD, and other cannabis and hemp components
being redesigned with customer feedback.
can be extracted using other processes from the
Lab Society’s three sizes of kits allow customers to upgrade as their businesses grow. 2-liter Distillation Kit: This model can process up to 1,200 grams of dewaxed oil per run. Runs last 6 to 8 hours. 5-liter Distillation Kit: This model can process up to 3,300 grams of dewaxed oil per run. Runs last 4 to 6 hours. 12-liter Distillation Kit: This model can
process up to 7,700 grams of dewaxed oil. Runs last 4 to 6 hours. With each kit, customers can expect to get 50 to 80 percent of the material back that they put in. The products come with strong customer support throughout. If clients need more detailed assistance, they are referred to Elevated Research 88 Denver//Boulder OC TOBER 2017
material left over from the terpene distillation.
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S P E C I A L A DV I S O R Y BOA R D S E C T I O N
A S T H E C A N N A B I S I N D U S T R Y G R O W S, SO DO T H E N U M B E R OF N I C H E E X P E R T S W I T H I N IT. FROM TOP-TIER DISPENSARIES AND EXTRACTION BRANDS TO EDIBLE MAKERS AND MARKETING SPECIALISTS, THESE COMPANIES ARE INCREDIBLE SOURCES OF INSIDER INFO ABOUT THE TRENDS AND ISSUES DRIVING THIS THRIVING MARKETPLACE FORWARD. THE SENSI ADVISORY BOARD IS COMPRISED OF LEADERS FROM A VARIETY OF FIELDS WITHIN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY. EACH ISSUE, ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS SHARE SOME OF THEIR KNOWLEDGE WITH OUR READERS IN THIS DEDICATED SECTION. THIS MONTH, WE HEAR FROM EXPERTS AT 1906 N E W H I G H S, AND DE N V E R C US TO M PAC K AG I NG .
For a full list of Advisory Board Members, turn to the masthead on page 9.
Innovations in Edibles: Fast Acting, More Control by Peter Barstoom, 1906 New Highs IF MANY OF US EDIBLE CONNOISSEURS HAD ONE WISH — JUST ONE — IT WOULD BE FOR EDIBLES TO HAVE A FAST ONSET TIME. IN A PERFECT WORLD, YOU’D KNOW WHEN YOUR HIGH WAS GOING TO KICK IN. YOU’D CONSUME AND THE HIGH WOULD COME RIGHT WHEN YOU EXPECTED. BECAUSE TIME IS SUCH AN ESSENTIAL FACTOR IN THE EDIBLE EXPERIENCE, GETTING TO A FASTER ONSET TIME IS WHAT AN EDIBLE LOVER’S DREAMS ARE MADE OF. IT’S THAT SIMPLE : PEOPLE WANT FASTER ONSET TIMES FROM THEIR EDIBLES. Most edibles take up to 90 minutes before you feel
have started to look closely at solutions to the onset
the effects, and many manufacturers have accepted
time and manageability issue. One of our primary goals
this fact as an industry norm. The consequences of this
in starting 1906 was to significantly reduce onset time
slow-acting high can be troubling. Tired of waiting for
to help customers better control their experience.
the high to kick in, consumers take more and end up
Reducing onset times involves applying absorption technologies from pharmaceutical and food science to the edibles market. Science has come a long way in this category in recent years, driving innovation in THC and CBD absorption rates. One of these breakthrough technologies, lipid microencapsulation, can be used to protect THC and CBD molecules from the digestive process so that more THC and CBD reaches the liver and bloodstream faster. This process is safe and effective, and it’s shown to reduce onset times from 60–90 minutes to as little as 15–20 minutes. That is a game-changing advancement that is revolutionizing the edibles category. Not
regretting it. Just call it the “Maureen Dowd” effect —
only does it make the experience more predictable
the New York Times columnist who wrote about her own
and enjoyable, it is also more manageable. And it just
experience with slow-acting edibles. With the growth
might make the days of nightmare edible stories a
and maturation of our industry, however, many of us
thing of the past.
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S P E C I A L A DV I S OR Y BO A R D S E C T ION
Why You Want a Packaging Professional by Rao Murukurthy, Principal at Denver Custom Packaging IN LIFE, YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR; PACKAGING IS NO EXCEPTION. IT’S ONE OF THE FASTEST WAYS TO CREATE YOUR BRAND IMAGE, COMMAND A PRICING PREMIUM, DIFFERENTIATE FROM YOUR COMPE TITION, AND APPEAL TO CONSUMERS. THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT IN CANNABIS, WHERE THERE’S A RACE TO THE BOT TOM IN MANY SEGMENTS. FOR COMPANIES WISHING TO STAY COMPETITIVE AND PRESERVE MARGIN, PACKAGING IS KEY. THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO GET PACKAGING –YOU CAN SOURCE YOURSELF, USE A PACKAGING PROFESSIONAL, OR FIND A BROKER. EACH OPTION HAS ITS BENEFITS AND DRAWBACKS, AND ALL OF THEM FOLLOW THE GET-WHAT-YOU-PAY-FOR RULE.
Many people think that the self-sourcing approach will be easy. Look online, find a manufacturer in China through Alibaba, and reach out directly. Unfortunately, it’s usually not so straightforward. There are the foreseeable obstacles like time zones and language barriers—these can be overcome but, over time, losing two days trying to have a simple conversation has a huge impact on timing for your product. That said, it’s the unforeseen issues that wreak havoc on your business: delivery timing, customs holdups and, perhaps most importantly, issues with materials and compliance. Many of these manufacturers will assure you their components and materials are child safe
the materials impact your product integrity and the con-
when, in actuality, they aren’t certified. At the end of the
sumer experience. Most people don’t know that you
day, the MED doesn’t care what you were told: if your
shouldn’t have terpenes in contact with polyethylene,
packaging isn’t truly compliant, you’re liable.
the same plastic used in milk jugs, because the hydro-
A packaging professional, on the other hand, becomes
carbons will bind and leach into the product.
an extension of your team. You’re free to focus on your
The majority of packaging companies out there are, in
business when you’re not trying to become an expert, so
fact, just brokers. They have no formal packaging experi-
it pays to leverage someone with tons of experience.
ence and are frequently only slightly better than sourcing
Professionals understand the industry, compliance, the
yourself. They make the phone calls to China in the mid-
options, the materials, and the implications for your brand.
dle of the night and add their margin. As mere resellers,
It’s their job to uncover your objectives and help you cre-
they don’t necessarily care if something is not actually
ate the brand equity you need, on budget. They’ll man-
compliant or have any recourse when components get
age the entire process—customizing every element,
held up in customs. They don’t have a background in ma-
or guiding you on where you can customize from stock
terials, and it’s very difficult for them to do anything truly
products. They manage direct relationships with manu-
custom for your brand.
facturers so you can have your items made locally or in
With your brand’s profitability and reputation on the
the USA, ensuring your components will be right, and
line, the cheapest option in packaging is often penny
right on time. They understand your products, and how
wise and pound foolish. Use a packaging professional.
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sensi
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDRÉ VELEZ
SENSI CONNEC T
SCENE
What: Sensi Connect Where: Cutivated Synergy When: September 6, 2017
Cannabis industry leaders come together for a night celebrating The New Normal, hosted by Sensi.
9.6.17
Team Sensi with Colin Weynand of HRVST Labs (left) and Marion Mariathasan (second from right)
SEN SI
Deloise and Elyse of Better Baked with Tara Schwartz
Sensi Publisher Tyler Tarr with LucidMood CEO Charles Jones
Source Colorado’s Kyle Hammons (right)
96 Denver//Boulder OC TOBER 2017
CONNECT
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{soCO} by RANDY ROBINSON
FESTIVAL OF APPLES
GET READY FOR CEDAREDGE’S APPLEFEST
Few fruits come in so many varieties with so many colorful names: Honey Crisp, Pixie Crunch, Diamond Jubilee, Pink Sparkles, Esopus Spitzenburg, and—my personal favorite— Bloody Ploughman. Over the first weekend in October, Cedaredge will play homebase to Colorado’s largest Fuji-licious celebration, the AppleFest. Of course, visitors can expect music, games, hardy ciders, fruit-touched beers, and other apple-infused treats, and where better to hold this annual event than in Delta County, once considered the Apple Capital of the World? Besides local farmers offering up some of the tastiest, juiciest, shiniest produce in the Southwest, you’ll also find rare varieties exclusive to AppleFest. Since these crunchy pomes can only be snagged in Cedaredge during the festival, grab some this weekend and keep the doctor away—for way more than a day.
98 Denver//Boulder OC TOBER 2017