Why Colorado Tokers Love Sour Berry Blue

Stoned rabbit holes are unavoidable, but not all of them are as interesting as we initially think — like my midnight dive into the existence of blue raspberries. The mystery is enthralling when I'm a baked tater staring at a Skittles bag. Not so much the next day, though.

For my fellow high minds out there, a blue raspberry actually does exist. Well, sort of...but not officially. Something called a white bark raspberry (which is more closely related to a blackberry than a raspberry) is now mostly responsible for blue raspberry flavors and colors, but this happened years after ICEE and Otter Pops had created "blue raspberry" by simply adding blue dye to raspberry flavoring so that it wasn't confused with strawberry, cherry or other red syrups. This concludes my episode of How It's Made, and you can thank me later when this question comes up as you try Sour Berry Blue, a spunky daytime smoke from Boulder.

A mix of Alpha Blue and Sour Strawberry from breeders at the Farm dispensary, Sour Berry Blue is one of the fruitiest strains I've tried in a long time. Dark buds and an aromatic blast of berries and sugar conjured visions of blueberry pies, strawberry milk or boysenberry syrup before my first hit, which quickly gave me a palpitating high similar to a sugar rush. But the comedown never came.

Strains that are pure energy usually turn me into a dehydrated goldfish, wandering the earth in search of a glass of water while constantly forgetting the last ten seconds. Sour Berry Blue's racy effects didn't quite reach that mark, but they came damn close, drying me out and blocking my appetite as if I'd had five cups of coffee. Despite feeling fried in nearly every sense of the word, my concentration was still half alive, but that's not always a good thing: Being aware enough to realize the high is subpar is worse than going full-send into stoner land. Still, that fruit flavor will bring me back like a toxic ex. The sex was that great.

I've spotted Sour Berry Blue at the Chronic Factory, the Farm and L'Eagle, but if the Farm is sharing it with other dispensaries, odds are that the strain is sold elsewhere. Go to Boulder to try it from the source, and check out the rest of the Farm's sugar-laden creations.

Looks: Usually a dark forest-green with purple spots, an appropriately glazed Sour Berry Blue plant looks like a cone of blueberry soft serve. Although not very tall, the plant produces larger buds with average density.

Smell: Heavy on the blackberry syrup with subtle hints of cinnamon, bergamot and a tart strawberry back end, Sour Berry Blue smells like the fake, sugar-packed syrup at a Hawaiian shave ice shack, with enough spice and musty hints of pine to bring my nose back to cannabis reality.

Flavor: The Farm really deserves credit here, because Sour Berry Blue's snow-cone scent translates almost flawlessly while smoking or vaping. With a sour mixture of sugar berries, spice and pine, joints of the strain reminded me of a cranberry-orange custard pie I demolished on Thanksgiving.

Effects: Pacing frequently and keeping my head on a swivel for no reason, I reacted to Sour Berry Blue the same way I would to a blue raspberry slushy. Sitting was not an option, but neither were full thoughts and concentration. This lasted for about three hours before I slowly got clear again.

Home grower's take: "I was able to get these from a local dispensary, and that's always interesting. My air conditioner shit out twice between weeks four and eight, though, so I don't think they were able to reach their full potential. It was still pretty tasty and had this mixed-berry flavor to it — like blueberries and strawberries mixed together. High was too buzzy for my liking, but the flavor was there."

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