Name:  Grape Ape Wax

From:  The Herbal Cure

Type:  Butane-extracted hash oil made from 100% in-house Grape Ape trim, whipped to a wax/budder consistency

Price:  $50/gram

Grade:  A

See full report here: https://secure.fullspectrumlabs.com/report/1104146

Consumption Method:  TI Skillet via bubbler

Visual: (9/10)  This wax had a medium golden color which had some whiter areas within it, especially when the chunks were broken apart.  The texture was soft enough to dab by just squeezing something against the wax, but it was also able to be scooped, making it easy to handle no matter what type of implement is used.  We saw a few random hairs and flecks of debris, but the actual extraction itself seemed extremely clean, judging from the color and the lack of visible plant matter.  Like their Papaya Wax, we’d suggest calling this one “budder”, as its consistency and color was more in line with that than standard (and lower-grade) “wax”.

Aroma: (9/10)  This extract was fairly unique in that it really smelled like the parent strain (see our review of the flowers this extract was made from here), with a mix of skunky and sweet smells which are uncommon in the “lemon-pine” world of BHO, where that pure trichome taste seems to overwhelm the more subtle nuances of smell and flavor.  Not here — the extract artist did a great job preserving the strain’s aroma, and it was one of the more pungent-smelling BHO samples we’ve had overall.

Flavor: (9/10)  Like the aroma, the flavor seemed to come through as a true Grape Ape experience, as we picked up some of the “purple” incense-floral-sweetness taste on the inhale, and there’s a lingering sweetness on the exhale as well.  It caused a good amount of coughing among our staff, but there was no lingering chest constriction or continual coughing/throat-clearing as happens with some BHO.  Seems clean, and it was very flavorful — again, great job by the extract artist.

Consumption:  Like most high-grade butane extractions, this wax disappeared when dabbed onto a skillet, leaving behind only an oily golden sheen on the dabber.  There was zero sizzling or other noises when it was vaporizing, and it seemed to be very clean overall.  Though we did cough, it was nothing out of the ordinary for a large dab and we were breathing free and clear a minute later.

Effects:  This extract had a smoothly relaxing effect that didn’t really come with much of the early jitters or Sativa-like raw potency that many BHO samples come with.  From the start, we felt fairly clear-headed and mentally active and able to function and focus on tasks, but there was an underlying deep relaxation that seemed to lay in wait over the first hour and a half or so of the experience.  One reviewer was dealing with terrible back spasms while performing the review, and while this extract didn’t outright kill the pain, it did relax the area and took his mind off the pain, which is really the battle when nearly any movement causes crippling pain.  This Grape Ape induced relaxation and we felt most comfortable sitting or laying down for sure.  As the second half of effects began to kick in, the body became heavier than before, and the eyes followed — sleep can definitely come with this extract if one allows it to — some of our staff were asleep at the 2-2.5 hour mark, waking up a few hours later and still feeling slightly medicated.  This is a long-lasting extract, and the lingering effects/comedown seem to add to the medicinal value for those seeking sleep, muscle relaxation, and pain distraction.

Duration:  Main effects 2.5 – 3 hours, lingering effects 4+ hours

Medicinal Traits:  (We are NOT doctors – personal opinion ONLY)

Overall:  This is one of our favorite wax samples lately, and The Herbal Cure continues to show that their extract artist is someone to be reckoned with in the MMJ community, turning out clean, great-tasting BHO routinely testing among the tops we see.  This Grape Ape was even more flavorful and like the initial strain than the Papaya Wax was, reminding us immediately of the parent strain and also having some of the same “up then down” qualities as the flowers have.  The long-lasting effects were smooth and enjoyable, lasting longer than most samples and carrying a high medicinal value for those struggling with pain, muscle tension, and sleep problems especially.

Grape Ape Medical Marijuana Strain Review

From:  The Herbal Cure

Grade:  A-

Type:  Indica-dominant hybrid

Lineage:  Afghani x Skunk #1

Price:  $45/8th

See full report here: https://secure.fullspectrumlabs.com/report/1104135

Appearance:  (9/10)  As with many bright purple samples, it gets some bonus points for simply being colorful and a change of pace from the greens and oranges that are so common in the cannabis world.  The trichomes were well-preserved and showed a nice array of cloudy heads, which is unusual it seems, as most samples are clear and amber-heavy.  We found no real flaws with this one, it was perfectly dense without being blocky, had no signs of tiny seeds or other grow issues, and arrived in a nicely-cured, crispy dry state.

Aroma:  (8/10)  While it lacked the sweet grapey qualities that some versions of Grape Ape have, this one replaced it with an almost more appealing (to our staff anyway) combination of spicy, almost woodsy aromas, and a backing soft, floral, grape-kissed sweetness.  It was almost Kush-like at times (Hindu Kush) and even had a hint of skunkiness, which converted to more of a spicy sharpness when ground.  It was nicely pungent once ground, but could still be detected from a few inches away pre-grind.

Taste: (8/10)  While some reviewers liked this one more than others, overall it was a well-done example of the Grape Ape flavor, with a mix of sweet grape (like juice or candy, not wine), incense, and floral notes, which even brought to mind high-quality hash, especially on the exhale.  The smoke was expansive and fairly thick, yet hit the throat smoothly and only caused a light amount of coughing.  The resulting ash was a crisp light gray and white, showing that a quality flush had taken place.

Effects:  This strain seemed to be fairly versatile in terms of changing its effects slightly depending on context, especially time of day.  Regardless, it started strong, with a complete package of head, eye, and facial effects that felt relatively Sativa in nature early on.  An increase in heart rate, a general awakening of the senses, and some light visual activity (eye “floaters” and tracing qualities seemed increased, or at least more noticeable), and a surge of creative energy were the main early effects.  However, the ‘pace’ quickly changed at about the 30-45 minute mark, bringing a rather heavy body presence and feeling of calm euphoria to the mix, and overwhelming the initial Sativa-like uplift, especially in reviews that were started post-7 PM.  Relaxed, jellied limbs, and a smoothly relaxed mental state made this one a semi-functional Indica overall, one that came with occasional bouts of memory or concentration loss, but was mostly clear-headed after the initial blast of potency.  This sample’s effect seemed to drop off the planet right around 2.5 hours, but held strong before that — good example of a med that will have strong effects and then clear off without any lingering qualities.

Medicinal Traits:  (We are NOT doctors – personal opinion ONLY)  Mood elevation, body relaxation, moderate pain relief (especially neck and back), anti-anxiety, ocular issues, and sleep aid.

Overall:  Though we wished that the duration was a little longer to kick it into the true ‘A’ range, the quick drop in effect is nice when one wants to medicate with a fairly potent strain, but don’t want any lingering effects creeping into the rest of the day.  Its versatility was appreciated as well, as we felt that we could use this one in the morning for pain without knocking the legs out of our daytime plans, while at night (especially at high dosages), it was a quality sleep aid after an initial period of fun.  The deep purple color with the almost golden pistils and abundant trichome coverage impressed us visually, while the aroma and flavor gave us exactly what we expected from this strain — great job by the grow and post harvest team overall on this notoriously tough-to-grow strain.

Grape Ape Medical Marijuana Strain Review

From: Urban Dispensary

Grade: B+

Type: Indica-dominant hybrid

Lineage: Afghani x Skunk #1, from Apothecary Genetics (others claim it’s Purple Pakistani x Skunk #1 and was discovered by Kyle Kushman)

Price: $45/8th

Appearance: (8.5/10)  Like most Grape Ape smaples, this one was visually-appealing to the eye simply due to its array of colors, which ranged from an almost pastel mint green on the leaves to royal purple and creamy orange in the calyxes.  It seemed as if this one was pulled slightly early, as Grape Ape is known for purpling up additionally later in flowering, and the mostly clear-cloudy trichomes and occasional yellowish-white pistil told the same story — another few days would’ve probably helped this one.  That said, we didn’t find any real flaws with the grow, and there were no tiny seeds or other glaring issues.  We liked the dryness level, which allowed for a bit of give before the stems snapped, resulting in a nicely sticky texture.

Aroma: (8.25/10)  The smell in the jar/bag is a lightly musky aroma with hints of nag champa incense and a floral quality.  The aroma changes for the better after being ground-up and takes on quite a bit of soft sweetness that reminded us of white grapes or an Asian pear (mix of light apple and pear-like flavors).  We only got a hint of the typical “purple” aroma, this one was mostly floral-sweet.

Taste: (8/10)  We had a little bit of disagreement on the overall appeal of this sample’s flavor, as one reviewer reported a slightly chemmy taste that hampered the experience.  The other two reviewers noted no such thing, so it may have been an isolated occurrence.  The dominant flavor was most like the post-grind smell, with a very floral and light quality and undertones of sweet fruit and incense.  The flavor duration was above-average and there was something pleasant to get out of the experience even when ash was beginning to show.  There was a bit or harshness to this sample, but nothing major — we only coughed a little bit towards the end as the smoke became rather thick.  The flush appeared to be solid, as the final ash was a fluffy medium-light gray with white areas.

Effects: Though we never felt that this one was all that potent, it does start off rather quickly, causing a lot of warmth that courses throughout the body and head almost immediately — however, that seems to just be the pre-cursor to effects, which increased in potency over the initial 30 minutes and resulted in a package of head pressure, mood elevation, and body relaxation.  The body feeling was unique in that it felt both like a “body glove” as well as an internal outward pulsing, as if the med was battling itself from both sides of our skin — it resulted in a very relaxing and pleasurable body effect though, which we enjoyed thoroughly.  Beyond the initial 90 minutes, the potency took a steady but smooth dive.  We felt happy and calm the whole time, but our mental processes never felt overtly affected by this strain, which is good for a day of mixed work and leisure time.  A lingering relaxation and calmness was the lasting effect, and there were no negative or pushy effects on the comedown.

Medicinal Traits: (We are NOT doctors – personal opinion ONLY)  Mood elevation, muscle and nerve pain relief, body relaxation, anti-anxiety, and appetite stimulation.

Overall: While we all enjoyed this Grape Ape and found it relieving for a variety of medical issues, it just fell a little bit short of the best Grape Ape samples we’ve seen, including some previous grows from Urban itself.  We know that this strain can get denser and more calyx-heavy, which would likely improve the overall potency — this one seemed a little heavy on pistils and frosty leaves compared to some other GA’s we’ve had.  The smell and flavor were nearly identical and fell squarely into the “sweet floral incense” category rather than the candy Grape/Kool-Aid type of flavor that shows up in some versions of the strain.  The effects were only moderately potent, but that’s honestly a good thing for many people, as this made for a functional, yet very relaxed and positive experience — we think it would be perfect as a mid-morning pain-killer and mood-elevator without inhibiting function too much.  This strain is a great choice for beginner and intermediate patients who want a not-so-heavy Indica for daytime hours.

[smooth=id:89;]

Grape Ape Medical Marijuana Strain Review

From: Karmaceuticals

Grade: A-

Type: Indica-dominant hybrid, Afghani x Skunk #1 (from Apothecary  Genetics, though it’s clone-only)

Price: $43/8th + tax

Appearance: (8.5/10)  This one was mostly special for its great structure, lack of flaws, and ridiculous density.  It isn’t the pure purple phenotype of Grape Ape, but rather a very deep green, with purple accents and neon orange pistils.  The trichome coverage was above average, though it didn’t really look that way until you get real close to it — the harvest timing seemed good as well, with plenty of amber and golden trich heads.

Aroma: (8.5/10)  A bit unusual for a Grape Ape, this one smelled almost Kush-like, with a sharp and nearly acrid aroma that had elements of the typical purple scent, but was way heavier than normal.  A bit of sweetness came out once it settled a bit post-grind, but definitely no grape scent (not a bad thing in this case).

Taste: (7.5/10)  The sweetness that was hinted at with the smell came out a bit more in the taste, while the other flavors (and the pungency overall) seemed to decline quite a bit.  Musky on the attack, flowery and slightly sweet on the exhale…  The final ash was a little on the dark side, so a longer flush may have been needed — but overall, it was rather smooth and that wasn’t noticed in the smoking experience except perhaps in the taste degradation, which happened quickly.

Effects: This was a rather heavy-feeling Grape Ape — it came on strong with some forehead pressure, and a pervading warm, buzzy feeling all throughout the body and the eyes.  There were bouts of spacing out early on, and they’d rear their head again later in the experience, when it took an even heavier turn.  It went from semi-functional to couchlock and intense relaxation at about the 45 minute mark, making us feel a little zombie-like and unresponsive to social interaction.  It seemed to clear up as the potency lifted and didn’t necessarily make us want to sleep afterward.

Medicinal Traits: (We are NOT doctors – personal opinion ONLY)  Strong relaxation qualities, anti-anxiety, tension/body pain relief, and sleep aid at higher dosages.

Overall: This was a bit of an unusual Grape Ape in that it was so sharp, musky, and reminiscent of its Afghani parentage.  That sharpness and the strain’s Indica roots showed plainly in the effects package, which was very heavy and relaxing.  The grow team did a great job with this one, as there were no real flaws to speak of, with superb structure, density, and plenty of trichomes.  This particular Grape Ape is recommended for patients seeking deep relaxation… though it’s strong, you can limit your dosage if you don’t want such a heavy experience.

KING’S KUSH STRAIN INFORMATION

General Information

Type: Indica-dominant hybrid

Genetics: OG Kush x Grape Ape (Green House Seeds version)

Geographic Origin: California, USA via Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Seed Company/Clone: Apothecary Genetics stock for both parents, released and distributed by Green House Seeds

Description: Two of California’s most famous strains meet the Netherlands’ largest seed bank — King’s Kush is the result. By combining the sweet and incense-heavy Grape Ape with the spice-citrus-skunk-fuel-funky OG Kush, Apothecary Genetics and Green House have created a stout and resinous plant with deep green leaves and a perfect mix of the parent strains in terms of bag appeal. The plant purples up easily later in flowering, even without cold temperatures.

History

Story: Apothecary Genetics out of California “reversed” and bred their Grape Ape mother with one of the many OG Kush cuts floating around the area, then hooked up with Green House Seeds in Amsterdam for mainstream distribution of seed stock.

Awards: None

Growing Information

Flowering Time: 8-9 weeks

Preferred Growing Medium: This plant grows stout and has a strong central cola with moderate side branching. To maximize yield and reduce risk of mold, pruning some of the inner branches and leaves is suggested. Letting it go the maximum 9 weeks or a bit longer will allow for maximum resin development and flavor.

Patient Expectations

Scent: The smell really takes on a lot of the Grape Ape, bringing that grape-kissed musky incense sweetness it’s most known for and receiving a boost of spice from the OG.

Flavor: The OG is most prominent here, lending a spicy and somewhat aggressive flavor with a backing incense-heavy sweetness

Effects: The effects of this strain are exactly what one would expect given the parent strains — quality relaxation, mood elevation, and high levels of mental clarity. While both strains are potent, neither is potent to the point where functioning becomes difficult or sleep becomes inevitable — you can think and react but are simply more relaxed and positive while doing so.

KindReviews: