Why Colorado Tokers Love Sunset Sherbet

With plenty of public parks to play in, classic amusement parks to visit, a decent baseball team to watch and great views of the Rocky Mountains, there’s no shortage of summer activities to satisfy your Americana cravings. And the perfect treat to enjoy alongside almost all of those activities is ice cream. Unfortunately for anyone looking for wholesome refreshments after 10 p.m., options are somewhat limited.

So instead of going to the grocery store for a hard-frozen pint on a hot Saturday night, my girlfriend and I opted to spend our money on a big bag of weed, hoping that would make us forget about the two inches of frost layering the vintage popsicles in my freezer. Lucky for us, we came across a strain called Sunset Sherbet, so we didn’t need to eat any Obama-era ice pops.

A potent but friendly hybrid that leans indica, Sunset Sherbet is another branch of the Cookies family tree, taking genetics from Girl Scout Cookies and Pink Panties — a heavy indica with old-school Kush influences — to create a dark, visually striking strain that routinely reaches THC percentages in the high twenties. The overflow of Cookies genetics in legal markets has given us plenty of unworthy derivatives, but Sunset Sherbet’s sustained run has only increased. It scores high in looks, smell and taste (all of which contribute to its name), while its OG Kush, Cherry Pie and Durban Poison grandparents and Pink Panties lineage combine for a stiff body high and gentle mind effects that don’t overpower users.

The temperature has already soared into the high 90s, so it’s safe to say that Sunset Sherbet is in season. I’ve found over ten shops carrying the strain recently, including Euflora, Good Chemistry, Pure, Lightshade, Denver Clone Store, Fine Trees, The Herbal Center, High Street Growers, Kind Love, Natural Selections, Peak and Seed & Smith; wholesale operation Veritas Fine Cannabis also sells the strain. So far, my favorites have come from Good Chemistry, Kind Love and Veritas. The Good Chemistry version is more affordable at $30 an eighth, but the cuts from both Kind Love and Veritas — plump and delicious, compact yet light, and easy candidates for weed porn — are the best scoops of Sherbet in town.

Looks: Reminiscent of a cup of rainbow sherbet or a summer evening, Sunset Sherbet carries deep patches of violet and thick orange pistils, which shine against the light, dull green on the rest of the calyxes.

Smell: Sugary, tart and tropical notes dominate, like an orange-mango-raspberry smoothie, with subtle skunky and earthy notes to round things out — although not enough for a true balance. Still, it’s a pleasant whiff, to say the least.

Flavor: Sunset Sherbet’s taste is a little grainier with more soil notes than the smell suggests, but it still carries an immensely sweet flavor profile for cannabis, as rich notes of citrus and berries are present from start to finish.

Effects: The high is calming but can last for hours without crashing if you don’t go overboard and aren’t already tired, making this a good option for pain patients and calm morning sessions. While not overwhelming, Sunset Sherbet is euphoric and creative on the mind, which pairs well with the soothing indica effects. Medical benefits include potential treatment of anxiety, stress, fatigue, pain, eating disorders and depression.

Commercial grower’s take: “This has been getting bigger across Denver over the last year. Pretty strong and long-lasting, but it’s not too strong on the mind unless you smoke a lot by yourself. It’s relaxing, and it gives a lot of people that epic body high they’re searching for after a long day or working out. Takes some experience in the grow, I’d say, and it takes a while, at least [eight to ten weeks]. Yields are just okay, too, so if it’s $20 an eighth, expect to be smoking to heavily-nuted buds, because this is a quality-not-quantity strain.”

Is there a strain you’d like to see profiled? Email [email protected].