Why Colorado Tokers Love Dead Hot Strawberries

Strawberries used to be an underrepresented fruit in the cannabis world, with Strawberry Cough essentially holding down the fort all by itself. That's far from the case today, however. Strawberry Fritter, Strawberry Fields, Strawberry Diesel, Strawberry Sequoia, Strawnanna, Strawberries and Cream, Strawberry Shortcake have all made recent appearances in Denver dispensaries, with varying degrees of strawberry-ness.

None of the newer strains have dethroned Strawberry Cough's classic strawberry syrup flavor, though I'm always happy to let new kids on the block give it a try. But Dead Hot Strawberries, the latest challenger, had the odds stacked against it, despite its intriguing name.

The words "dead hot strawberries" make me think of a bowl of strawberries that someone forgot to put back in the fridge; what was once a beautiful snack is now overripe and bleeding onto my hands, practically begging me to put it out of misery. While that sounded like a lot of fruity stank and strawberry flavor, the genetics behind Dead Hot Strawberries left me unenthused.

Oni Seed Co. mixed Strawberry OG and Tropicana Cookies to create Dead Hot Strawberries. I've never doubted Oni's ability to produce stiff and effective cannabis, but that combination sounds more like a solventless extractor's choice than a strawberry snatcher's. Oni has earned enough respect to justify giving Dead Hot Strawberries a shot, though, and I'm glad I did.

Dead Hot Strawberries doesn't come close to Strawberry Cough's mantle or even crack the top five of strawberry-tasting strains, but the high is a perfect primer for feasting and provides a fail-safe path toward an early bedtime. Burn this around dinner time, and it's lights out before 10 p.m.

Looks: Looks can vary, but the majority of cuts I've seen weighed relatively light despite being tightly knit, with a moss-green color and above-average pistil coverage. Trichome presence can also depend on the grower, but being an Oni strain means that Dead Hot Strawberries has serious resin potential.

Smell: There is a clear sweetness to the aroma, but I get more citrus and dark stone fruit, like cherries or plums, rather than strawberries. A rubbery funk makes a brief appearance afterward, but it's quickly overtaken by a stronger floral back end.

Flavor: Dead Hot Strawberries carries a syrupy taste that could be mistaken for strawberries when that accompanying lemon-lime flavor plays along. It usually reminds me of cherries, however, followed by a rubbery grapefruit aftertaste, with hints of roses lingering. It's a true summertime flavor, but the high is anything but bright.

Effects: Most strawberry-inspired strains trend toward daytime effects, but not this one. Although the high was effective at killing stress and physical pain, I couldn't focus after smoking, and my energy flickered out almost immediately. Production comes to a standstill after Dead Hot Strawberries, and naps are so frequent that they go from side effect to simply part of doing business. Reserve Dead Hot Strawberries for those nights when falling asleep early carries more importance.

Where to find it: We've sniffed out Dead Hot Strawberries at Colorado Harvest Company, Complete Releaf, Del Mundo Cannabis, the Joint, Kaya Cannabis and Rocky Mountain Cannabis so far, but more dispensaries likely carry the strain. Colorado Harvest Company grows an in-house version of Dead Hot Strawberries that is more than worth the $20 price tag for an eighth. Del Mundo grows an in-house take, too, which is also sold at dispensaries, while Indico and Durango Cannabis Company grow and sell wholesale cuts of Dead Hot Strawberries around the state. Nomad Extracts extracts Dead Hot Strawberries for concentrates, as well.

Colorado Harvest's is my favorite, but anyone who doesn't live near its Aurora or Denver dispensaries should consider Indico's version, too. Both of them have a little more funk than your average Dead Hot Strawberries and provide a flavorful change-up from Kush during nighttime smoke sessions.

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