Smoking raw flowers is a popular way to consume cannabis. It produces an almost instant high, especially if your stash has a high THC content. However, not all flowers are grown and cured similarly. If you’re a regular user, you might have experienced encountering low-quality cannabis.
Please note that the legal status of cannabis use varies by location. It is important to adhere to your local laws and regulations regarding the possession, use, and sale of cannabis products. Always consume cannabis responsibly and within the limits set by your jurisdiction.
Checking the quality of your cannabis flower helps you achieve an enjoyable and meaningful experience. Aside from the mind and body high, you must also taste and smell the rich flavor and aroma of premium cannabis flowers to get the whole experience.
Here are some tips on checking the quality of your cannabis flower to ensure you’re always getting the best value for your money.
- Smell Its Aroma
The aroma is the quickest giveaway of cannabis flowers’ quality. They have a distinct captivating smell due to their high terpene content. As you check out various high-quality cannabis strains, you can differentiate them by sniffing the buds.
You can expect a premium-grade cannabis flower to smell earthy, citrusy, woody, fruity, minty, floral, peppery, or gassy. Sometimes, it can be a combination of two or more distinct aromas. For instance, strains like Blue Cookies pack a complex terpene profile combining the smell and taste of vanilla, berries, and citrus with earthy tones.
When looking for the best quality cannabis flowers, avoid buds giving off grassy and moldy smells. These flowers aren’t correctly cured and are sometimes contaminated by mold, which can pose health risks.
- Examine The Structure
Another factor in evaluating cannabis flowers’ quality is the structure. Different strains may have distinct shapes, but you can easily differentiate between good and bad. To examine them closely, here are three factors to focus on:
- Trichomes: Some dispensaries trim their flowers using machines, while some stick to hand trimming. While the automated process is faster, it can remove the trichomes or the crystal-looking resin glands on the buds and leaves that carry the flavor and aroma. Hand-trimming produces higher-quality buds since it preserves the trichomes. As a result, you can enjoy the rich taste and smell of top-grade cannabis flowers, along with their high potency.
- Shape: Sativa-dominant strains are typically fluffy and wispy, while Indica-dominant flowers are fat and tightly packed. No matter the strain, the flowers should be intact, without bits falling off or too hard to pull apart.
- Hairs Or Pistils: High-quality cannabis flowers have intact and visible hairs or pistils from the bud. These are typically bright orange. Avoid ones in brown or gray since these colors indicate dryness and poor quality.
Examining the structure is one of the fastest ways to check the quality of your cannabis flower.
- Look For A Vibrant Color
High-quality cannabis flowers are in vibrant colors. Depending on the strain, they’re typically rich green, with hints of purple, orange, or red.
Vibrant cannabis flowers are typically top-grade ones you can only purchase in trusted shops and dispensaries. You can also recognize cannabis strains based on their colors. For instance, the Indica-dominant strain Grape Ape is purplish with orange hairs or pistils coming out of the bud.
When evaluating cannabis through its color, stay away from brownish buds. These are typically poorly cured or have completely dried through extreme heat and light exposure. Although you can still smoke them, they have very low potency and bitter taste.
- Check The Texture
Another critical feature to check is the flowers’ texture. Experienced users can tell whether a flower is a high or low quality by touching it. You must think twice about smoking if it’s too dry and crumbly.
High-quality cannabis flowers are sticky yet soft and springy. You can easily pull it apart for rolling a joint, but it doesn’t crumble like dried leaves. When it’s in the packaging, you can lightly pinch it and see if it springs back to its original shape.
- Get Lab Test Results
If you’re highly meticulous about your cannabis flowers, getting the lab results is the most accurate way to ensure their quality. The tests reveal the overall THC levels of the buds, indicating their potency.
Getting the lab results for your top-grade cannabis is easier than you think. Trusted cannabis dispensaries can give you a copy of lab tests of a specific strain upon request. Some even display it in their shops or on labels. Aside from the THC content, you can also see the levels of other compounds, like cannabidiol (CBD) and terpenes.
- Evaluate Moisture Levels
The moisture levels of cannabis flowers tell a lot about their quality. Properly cured ones are dry yet sticky. It means the trichomes are still intact, and they’re dried and packed carefully. Avoid ones that are too wet and dense. These buds are prone to mold contamination, making them unsafe for consumption.
- Smoke It
For all experienced users, perhaps the easiest and quickest way to test the quality of your buds is to smoke them. As you smoke your new stash, you can check its texture, shape, and colors and experience its aroma, flavor, and potency. However, remember to take it slow when smoking something for the first time, especially if it has a high THC level.
Conclusion
Checking the quality of your cannabis flower helps elevate your overall experience. Determining the top-grade, average, and poor buds becomes a natural skill as you consume different strains over time.