Purchase Date: May 20, 2016
Strain: Head Banger
Hybrid 50/50 1g
Cost $9
CBD 0%
THC 22.1%
Look of Bud: A plump bud that weighed exactly 1gram with only a few long orange hairs. The larger trichomes are fairly abundant making a slightly higher than medium amount of frost.
Smell of Bud: First I detected a piney/woody smell that was earthy and warm. The lightest note is best described as diesel.
Taste of Bud: Yes I ate raw bud. It’s actually good for you. Gives you those cannabinoids that still contain the acid chain attached (CBDA, THCA, etc) and have health promoting benefits all on their own. (I’ll eventually discuss this in another blog post-it’s on my “To Blog” list).
As with the smell there was no one overpowering taste to this strain. A slight Diesel taste mixed with the generalness of eating vegetation. Not an unpleasant taste at all. (Though I’d not recommend chewing much bud as the trichomes do like to stick to your teeth leaving a gummy feel)
Handling of Bud: Bud moisture was good. Not as moist as the Champagne I review earlier this month. I did do what the Budtender at HBB Medical recommended though, I removed the buds from their packaging and let it sit in a dark glass jar to air a bit before I was ready to use it. When it came time to grind it up I was very happy with the result. I rolled some into a lovely long slim blunt and it handled just like it should, dry enough to not bunch up in the grinder, but sticky enough to stay packed while hand rolling (not my strong suit).
Burn and Effect:
Blunt: As I mentioned above the flower rolled well into a hand rolled blunt because it was sticky enough to hold together as I manipulated the stuff. She burned slow and did not need to be relit, a rarity for me. The effect for me was pleasant. I didn’t feel particularly high but rather happy and relaxed. I did notice the friends I shared with demonstrated more paranoia, but that may have been because neither of them are medically legal as I am. (Admittedly, I may have too little fear cuz I don’t know better as I’ve only known “legal”)
Bong: Its unfortunate but my first reaction is to want to cough due to the peppery effect of this strain. I’m also not a big smoker so those of you who do smoke more might not have such a big reaction. The smoke is good a milky cloud. I feel its effects almost right away. A cerebral high that is causing me to loose a bit of focus because there are so many other senses of mine being stimulated right now as I type this on my deck this gorgeous Sunday afternoon in May. So CREATIVITY IS BOOSTED! YAY. I love that! P.S. I’ve only smoked half the bowl and feeling fine! Interestingly, I did not experience the dry eye effect after smoking the bong like I did after vaping. I'm wondering if my eyes were dry from the vents blowing in my car instead...? Not to be forgotten, ash was white right through.
Vape: First taste from the vape was diesel, than came the woody, earthy flavour. The inhale left a peppery feel in my throat that tickled a bit. There is a slight lemony note in the taste as well. The cerebral effects were very pleasant. I had a general overall sensation of wellness with no sharp turns into feeling high. I can’t say I felt it coming on or leaving but I defiantly felt emotionally light and happy. I was not prone to navel gazing or ruminating on past or future like some high indicas can do to me. The downside came on about an hour after inhalation. Major dry eyes! Easily solved if ya got some drops with you (which I didn’t!).
Grade:
My grade scale will be out of five. A point per category listed above with 0, .5, 1 as possible scores.
I give Head Banger from HBB Medical Inc. a 4.5/ 5
Look: 1
Smell: 0.5
Handling: 1
Burn: 1
Effect: 1
Weight Accuracy: I actually purchased two grams of this and decided to weigh the contents of both packages individually. Both were exactly 1 gram on a scale that weighs to 0.01g. Thumbs up guys and gals!
Last Notes: I was specific in my purchase this time as I had a special event this weekend. Three ladies out on the town looking for some fun. Dinner and a comedy show out of town, so I wanted something that would give us a happy mood but not make us anxious in public, nor sleepy cuz I was driving an hour there and back. I asked for a 50/50 Indica/Sativa hybrid mix and Mr. B pointed me right to two strains in the showcase. Head Banger and Tahoe. The only reason I choose one over the other was because I had heard the name before. I wasn’t disappointed.
I never felt lethargic or muddled the whole night. Was able to navigate new streets with ease, feel relaxed in a new situation in a new city, in a dive of a bar. It was sketchy but I felt at ease and capable of handling an event I’d normally not even entertain attending. It was the perfect choice for a night out with friends. A perfect day strain. It would probably be great for doing any kind of creative activity as well. Over all, I love this strain. I’d chose it again.
Correction: I want to mention again the topic of moisture in the bud that I paid so much attention to in my first review. When I stopped by HBB Medical Mr. C was kind enough to educate me in the fine timing of curing. And I fully admit to still being Newbie enough to not know everything. Remember, my only experience so far is getting perfectly cured bud from LP’s in plastic jars with air tight sealing. So I’m willing and wanting to learn from anyone, even my mistakes. So hopefully I can correctly retell what I think he was telling me.
When HBB packages their product it is done so when the moisture is such that the trichomes are not so brittle that they crush easily. It is recommended that after purchase you store your bud in a dark glass jar (or similar). I did this and the product was better only a few hours later.
I’ve asked the guys to feel free to comment below the first review and describe what he told me in person. Hopefully one of them will get around to it, as my desire is to learn myself, but educate others as well. And if I’ve made a mistake in something I’ve conveyed here I’d love it if someone out there who knows I’m wrong would correct me. I’d hate to think I’m spreading false information when false information is what we are trying to get away from as we as a Country work on legalizing.
