Why Colorado Tokers Love Red Bullz
Original article link: www.westword.com/marijuana/red-bullz-strain-review-18260169
So much for expectations.
November 22, 2023
Red Bullz wasn't as uplifting as anticipated, but it showcased an intriguing side to grape flavor. Herbert Fuego
Red Bull has a seemingly endless budget for fun. It dominates Formula 1, sponsors athletes in everything from aerobatic flying to wind surfing, and has one of the craziest Instagram pages known to humankind โ which is exactly why I'll never drink it. How cheap can an energy drink be for one company to afford all of that extracurricular activity?
Conspiracy theories aside, I was more than happy to try a cannabis variety named after Red Bull. Finding decent new daytime strains is getting harder by the day in this commercial climate, especially as customers flock toward more relaxing highs in the winter. I always want something in my stash that gets me lifted and motivated in the afternoon, though, and Red Bullz, a hybrid of Grape Gas and White Runtz, sounds like a strain laced with sugar and taurine.
So much for expectations.
Although Red Bullz will more than satisfy dispensary shoppers in search of colorful bag appeal, the rush was mediocre at best, and my focus was weaker than I'd anticipated. While that doesn't mean the strain is without merit or can't help you float through the day, I want to be flying on all cylinders after smoking something named Red Bullz. A short-lived sugar rush isn't good enough.
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If Red Bullz were named something like "Grape Taffy," then I'd probably be more impressed by the strain, because this flavorful mix of grapes, citric acid and gas is one of my favorite candy-forward smokes so far. The high is jovial enough and even capable of bouts of creativity โ but chances are good you'll forget that incredible thought before acting on it, and even if you don't, Red Bullz' wings evaporate just as fast as they appear. Keep real caffeine ready after smoking it, or you'll be headed for the couch soon enough.
Looks: Red Bullz is often more violet than green, with thin, wispy trichomes and orange-brown pistils playing a beautiful contrast against the deeply purple calyxes. The buds have a candy appeal the moment you lay eyes on them, and the aroma backs it up.
Smell: Sweet notes of artificial grape candy or soda play well with a chemical-heavy diesel scent at the beginning. The back end is a little spicier, with hints of tropical fruit, too, giving Red Bullz somewhat of a punch-y, sangria quality.
Flavor: Fruit and candy characteristics are easy to find in Red Bullz. Hints of apples, grapes and a mango-papaya aftertaste are all common and often amped up thanks to a sweet acidity that attacks the sides of the tongue. Gassy, spicy flavors jump in toward the end.
Effects: Red Bullz brings a 50/50 high instead of an energetic buzz. It won't bring you down unless you're already tired to begin with, though, and the physical effects make me feel more warm and loose than sleepy. Focusing on simple tasks is easy, and sparks of creativity can fly, as well. Still, the inability to multi-task or sustain energy longer than ninety minutes makes it difficult to rely on Red Bullz before 5 p.m.
Where to find it: We've spotted Red Bullz at Berkeley Dispensary, Cherry Peak, Colorado Harvest Company, Green Tree Medicinals, the Herbal Center, Kind Meds, Lowell Gardens, Magnolia Road Cannabis Co., Nature's Medicine, RiNo Supply Co., Rocky Mountain Cannabis, Strawberry Fields, Twin Peaks Dispensary and Verts Neighborhood Dispensary so far, but more stores probably carry it.
The Frost Collective, Higher Function and Veritas Fine Cannabis, which also grows for the Compound Genetics label, all have different versions of Red Bullz flower in dispensaries right now, while Fuego sells pre-rolls of the strain, too. The Veritas and Compound cuts are essentially the same and provide a solid toke and photo-worthy nugs at $30 an eighth or less. However, Higher Function's has a slightly better cure.
Is there a strain youโd like to see profiled? Email marijuana@westword.com.
