To Find the Origin of That Mysterious OG Bud, Use Your Senses
An OG by any other name would smell as dank.
The genetic lineage of OG Kush is murky and more uncertain than any other popular cannabis strain in the world.
Everyone has an opinion on what “OG” really stands for. The strain took on mainstream monikers like Ocean Grown, Original Gangster, and OG Kush — a name tag placed on it by the first crew to introduce the strain into California.
If you’ve smoked hybridized cannabis in California, you’ve probably tried OG, the strain ubiquitous with the west coast.
Over the past two decades, the “phenotypes” or varieties of OG Kush have expanded, bringing strains like these into the genetic fold: SFV OG, OG 18, Louis OG, Hardcore OG, 707 OG, Tahoe OG, Fire OG, etc.
Varietals differ from one another on multiple levels including color, structure, aroma, effects and maturation time. While growing, these differences can be subtle or pronounced. Cultivation methods coupled with the drying and curing processes during post production have an impact on the final output.
Different farmers grow and process the same phenotype of OG, yet will yield unique characteristics that can be observed by using our senses.
Sight and Appearance:
By observing the calyx structure, or individual growth pods, one can gain insight on the environment and conditions of where the flowers dried.
When the calyxes appear swollen and bulbous, it’s likely the drying was done “low and slow,” meaning a lower temperature and mid-range humidity (60 to 65 degrees, with 55% to 60% relative humidity) for a longer period.
When the calyxes shrink, or tighten in, it’s often indicative of a drying process that was quicker than recommended (above 70 degrees, and relative humidity of 45% and below.) Not only do these subtleties in drying effect the appearance, but they also carry over into the smell or aroma.
Aroma and Taste:
The aromas and flavors of cannabis are directly related to the terpene profile, or unsaturated hydrocarbons found in the oils of the plant. These oils are volatile, or likely to change based on the conditions around them.
Elevated temperatures and low humidity levels will deplete the terpenes more rapidly, resulting in harsher and less flavorful consumption characteristics. These differences can be observed and give clues, or insight, as to how the material was dried and cured.
Maintaining temperatures below 70 degrees, and humidity levels between 58% to 62% will help preserve and protect the terpene profile, resulting in great aroma and flavor.
This goes hand-in-hand with how the flowers react to touch.
Touch:
The way in which cannabis flowers react to touch can be attributed to the conditions in which they were dried and stored.
Over drying will result in lower concentrations of volatile terpenes and cannabinoids with a greater likelihood to breakdown.
Flowers that are dried too quickly and stored with too high of a moisture content will have greater chlorophyll composition and quicker degradation process.
Maintaining proper humidity throughout the drying, curing and storage process will increase the overall quality and retention of cannabinoids and terpenes.
