Types of Weed: Determining Marijuana Quality
The world of weed is rich with different types and new strains options. To the beginner, it can be a little bit tricky to figure out what’s dank and what’s schwag. You want the best of the best, but you don’t even know how to ask for it (or you may not recognize it when you see it).
Does that sound like you? No problem. We’re here to help. Today we are going to explore all of the various types of cannabis currently available for consumption to help you understand the quality of weed that you smoke and how to select the best cannabis to smoke.
Want some high-quality weed? Read on to figure out how to get it!
Bad Reggie Weed
You’ll know that you are about to get some bad weed when you hear someone mention Reggie.
What is Reggie Weed?
Reggie is referred to as dirt weed that the discerning stoner will avoid at all costs. It is the sort of cannabis your dumb older brother’s friend would try and grow in their parent’s backyard, and then subsequently attempt to sell to you. Some also call it brick weed, because it usually shipped across the U.S.-Mexican border in hard bricks. (You wonder why it’s so dry and crumbly.)
You might smoke it as a last resort, but only as a last resort. Reggie is generally going to be very dry, and full of seeds and stems.
You will also notice when you smoke it that it is even harsher on your lungs than any other type of weed you may have smoked before.
Mid-grade Bud
There is definitely nothing wrong with some good mid-grade weed. Mid-grade weed is sure to cure whatever ails you. While it won’t have the same knockout effect of really primo kush, it will certainly help make sure you have a very nice day.
Top Shelf Dank Weed
When we talk about weed quality, there is no topping a nice, dank, beaster. Dank weed is really an advent of the medical and now recreational era. This stuff has been engineered through science to be as dope as possible.
The danker the weed, the better.
Bad Quality Weed aka Reggie Weed
In the introduction, we briefly talked about the first type of weed, bad weed), but now let’s really dive into it, shall we? Leafly has a great complimentary piece on how to identify low-quality weed and stick to the top shelf.
So as we discussed earlier, Reggie is going to be very dry, and very seedy. It looks a lot like grass clippings actually, and it’s about as desirable to smoke.
You’ll also notice that it lacks the fine, beautiful little hairs that characterize the appearance of top-shelf kush.
You’ll hear people call it dirt or brown weed because often enough it looks like someone just pulled it out of their backyard.
Does that mean that you should not smoke it? You’ll have to make that decision for yourself. Personally, we don’t like seeds in weed.
Other low-quality weed names include: Reggie, schwag, ditch weed, dirt, brick bud, shake, wack, bunk
Characteristics of Bad Low-Quality Weed
Feel
Feel is, of course, going to be relative to the individual but for what it is worth, Reggie weed definitely does not have a reputation for delivering a killer buzz.
This is definitely one of the more mild weeds on the market but even that said the worst pot is still pot, right?
If you are a seasoned stoner a little bit of Reggie might not even really hit your system but if you are just starting out you should still notice a nice relaxing feeling setting in shortly after your smoke.
Smell
Reggie has the typical skunky smell that is commonly associated with cannabis, though many also detect a faint sweet component to the odor as well.
Mostly you will probably just notice that the smell is extremely strong. If you want to keep your business on the down-low smoking Reggie might not be the best route for you to take.
Taste
Taste is another area that Reggie typically falls short. A taste will ultimately be dictated at least in part by the circumstances under which the bud was grown, but in general, Reggie tends to be very harsh, very skunky, with earthy notes that you may or may not care for.
It’s not necessarily the worst taste in the world but it does lack the nuanced flavor that some of the top shelf strains are able to boast.
Effects
This is the stereotypical stoner bud. The effects are quick but relatively mild and it’s more known for promoting the munchies than it is for treating any serious ailments. It’s most closely related to the type of bud that was smoked in the 60s and 70s before real growers got into the game.
If you are looking for a nice way to relax at the end of a tough day as you curl up with some Scooby Doo and Cheetos, Reggie might be able to help facilitate that.
If you are looking for a serious medicinal strain, keep on looking.
THC
The THC content in most Reggie ranges from around 12-15%. Better strains of weed generally boast a THC level of about 20%, with variations going as high as 35%.
That might not mean very much to you, but to put it in context, it’s a little bit like the difference between a light beer and top-shelf tequila.
Of course, not everyone wants a super high THC count. It really comes down to a matter of preference, and what you are trying to accomplish at a given moment or if you pockets a little light and you’re just trying to get high off of cheap bud.
If all you want is to get mildly centered as you go about your day, a little bit of Reggie should still do the job nicely.
Mid-grade Weed
Unlike Reggie, there really isn’t any negative connotations associated with mid-grade weed.
While this might not be the stuff the Snoop Dogg smokes, it’s definitely still enough to keep us marijuana mortals more than satisfied.
Let’s take a look at some specs so you know what good weed looks like when you see it.
Other mid-grade weed names include: Regs, Mids, K-town, Mid-shelf
Characteristics of Mid-grade Quality Weed
Appearance
A good mid-grade weed is going to be nice and leafy with bright green parches and some darker green notes are thrown into the mix as well.
You can also expect to see some hair on your mids. These luscious fibers are probably going to mostly be orange and red but of course, there are plenty of variations as well. You’ll notice a much richer more vibrant quality to this bud that simply is not present with Reggie.
Depending on the growing and curing process, the marijuana could be a mix from dry to mildly wet, but there is a vibrancy to this stuff that you will notice when it doesn’t crumble up in your fingers the way that crummy dirt weed does.
In short, this leafy weed will have an impalpably vibrant quality to it that the cheap stuff doesn’t have. If you’re wondering “what does good weed look like?” the above components are pretty good indicators.
Feel
The buzz of a good mid is a little bit more mellow and nuanced than that of Reggie.
Whereas Reggie is a cheap head rush, a good mid will leave you gradually more relaxed and maybe just a little bit hungry. Depending on the strain a good mid can also be used to help you catch some zzzzs.
Aroma
Like Reggie, a good mid strain is going to half equal parts skunky and perfumey notes. However, there is also going to be a nice rich dank quality to it that will set it apart from the cheap stuff. There will definitely be a terpene profile that builds the aroma and overall taste.
Again, feel is going to depend on a fairly wide range of factors including the strain, your tolerance level, and what you decide to smoke it out of.
That said it’s probably going to be pretty mellow. A mid-strain should not be extremely intoxicating though it will be a lot better for medicinal purposes than reggie.
Taste
Taste is going to depend mostly on what type of strain you are dealing with. Depending on the bud you might encounter fruity notes, or even nice earthy tones. And of course, the better the bud the danker the taste!
THC Levels
The THC levels on a mid-strain are probably going to float somewhere around 17%-24%. While this is still substantially more than an average reggie it’s still not nearly as potent as weed can get.
Then again a lot of average stoners are not extremely interested in always getting as blasted as they possibly can. You’ve got at least be productive enough be able to afford more bud right? Assuming you have a relatively healthy tolerance, a mid strain should be enough to get you feeling nice without completely dismantling your day. You may find mid-grade can still give a few laugh attacks and put you in couch lock mode.
Top-Shelf: Dank Weed
Last but certainly not least we head on over to the top shelf marijuana.
This is the sort of bud you’ve got to pay a little bit more money to enjoy but as far as we are concerned its more than worth the cost.
Let’s take a look.
Other top-shelf weed names include: Dank, Kine bud or Kind Bud, Loud, Top-shelf, Primo, Kill, Fire, Flame, Top Colas
Characteristics of Top-Shelf Dank High-Quality Weed
Appearance
Top-shelf weed is a true sight to behold. If you get a bag of dense sticky weed you can be pretty comfortable and confident in the fact that you’re getting the good stuff. With dank weed, you should expect to see thousands of trichomes sparkle in the light and many strains appear to be covered in a blanket of white dust.
It’s also going to be noticeably hairy and it will generally feature darker green, orange, red or purple tones though this is largely subject to the nature of the strain.
Feel
Top-shelf, dank weed is going to be pretty potent. Unless you have a pretty developed tolerance a big bag of sticky hairy dense weed is probably going to leave you subdued for a while. It’s for that exact reason that this bud is excellent for pain relief and appetite restoration. Do be surprised if you hands are sticking together after you break it down and roll it up.
Aroma: Loud Weed
This is what you call loud weed. When you get top-shelf you better expect a smell that is going fill the room. It will always depend on the strain but you’re probably going to encounter a very skunky very dense smell with this caliber of kush, with fruity, sweet, or vanilla notes introduced to the mix depending in the strain.
Taste
Strains are always going to taste different depending on the strain. You might get spicy components, a lemony zest, fruit loops or just a purely earthy flavor. If you really want to taste the bud we recommend good glassware or roll a joint using unbleached hemp papers.
Effects
This dank weed is going to kick in hard and quick and it will probably leave you feeling nice and goofy for a few hours. The potency of this type of bud is the exact reason a lot of people use it medicinally. If you need to treat pain or mitigate the effects of anxiety or depression don’t settle for less than the best.
THC Levels
THC levels can vary anywhere from 25-35%. Personally, the highest cured bud I’ve ever smoked is Alien OG which was tested at 33.7% in a medical dispensary in Southern California. With THC levels this high, this is for the highest medical purposes and also takes us, recreational participants to another planet. Up up and away!
