Review: Hop Cured Sweet Tea Flower by NGW

Both cannabis and hops are part of the same genetic family, cannabaceae. I’ve found it interesting that two plants involved in human intoxication are so closely related. Nature’s Grace and Wellness and Chicago brewer Half Acre also see the synergy between the two plants, teaming up to create a line of “hop cured” cannabis products. I recently stopped into Trinity on University and picked up Sweet Tea flower cured with citra hops.

Sweet Tea is a hybrid cross of Cali-O, Alcatraz OG, and Space Queen. This batch of flower was cured with citra hops. The flower tested at 3.86% THC, 20.35% THCa, and 24.47% total cannabinoids.

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Five separate buds, two larger than the remaining three, carried a consistent lime color throughout with thick fire-orange hairs dried into the creases where sugar leaves had been. The trichomes were visibly amber, bringing additional warmth to the color palate. The buds were loosely structured but still had a spongy springback after a pinch, leaving a slight greasiness on my fingers.

The addition of the hops was noticeable as soon as I popped the seal. Citra hops are known for citrus notes, and it was tangy grapefruit that I detected first, followed by candied lemon and caramel, before richer tones of aged cheddar, roasting fat, hot diesel, and pine took over. The flavor was even heavier with hop and citrus, tasting like a sharp IPA on the inhale but returning to the rich aged cheddar and pine on the exhale. The flavor had a lot of staying power, and I could taste the hop and cheddar tones for a long time after the bowl was finished.

Sweet Tea struck as a middle-ground hybrid. After a slow build up across 15 minutes, a tingling sensation in my arms and legs paired with a floating/lightness sensation in my core. My mood improved as a result of reduced anxiety levels for the initial half hour, but the back of the experience was much more introspective and “in my head.” Overall, the addition of hops created an interesting and novel flavor profile through natural means with an easy-going effect profile that I could smoke anytime.

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