Instagram & Vanilla Custard Place In NBC’S Top Strain Picks For Summer

Next Big Crop put out an article titled Hot Strain Summer: 3 Must-Try Cannabis Strains For 2022, with the top 2 strains from 808 Genetics. While today’s cannabis market is much different than just a few years ago, the consumer is what ultimately helps dictate the direction the market goes. As consumers become more and more educated on cannabis and each strain’s genetic lineage, their tolerance and palates are becoming more refined. As today’s cannabis market rapidly evolves so, too, do genetic lineages. While well-known strains like Kush and OG will always be in demand, new exotic terps are also highly sought after by those who are curious to see what terps and effects the plant is capable of producing.

The world famous Haole Girl BX, the same mother as Instagram, bred and grown by 808 Genetics

With that being said, 808 Genetics’ Instagram and Vanilla Custard are capturing the attention of consumers that are wanting to try something new. NBC interviewed us to find out what makes these strains worthy of taking those top 2 spots.

Any specific inspiration, or what you were hoping to achieve when breeding them?

  1. Instagram was inspired by Berner while smoking Haole Girl with him on Kauai sometime in 2017 or so. The goal was to achieve a super photogenic yet extremely potent and tasty strain ideal for people that had chronic pain but wanted something that wouldn’t put them to sleep or make them too tired. It tastes great and gives you the desired pain relief and head relief so many are in search of.
  2. Vanilla Custard was made trying to create the heaviest yielding, creamiest gas variety ideal for heavy pain relief as well as relieving anxiety and helping with insomnia. It’s definitely more of a nighttime strain. 

The goal of ours when breeding any strain is to create cultivars that are thoughtfully made for a variety of consumers, so providing adequate medicinal relief, while selecting strong and unique terpene profiles that can be enjoyed by those searching for delicious, bold, and memorable flavors.

Favorite characteristics or traits. What do you love about them?

  1. Instagram – We love the beauty of the plant, its terpene profile, the ease of trimming, and the no burn-out effect
  2. Vanilla Custard – The yield and overall medicinal benefits it provides

Since you know better than just about anyone out there, what are your 3 favorite strains this season? (can be your strains, or strains that belong to another breeder who you respect).

Our 3 favorite strains of 2022 have all been strains we’ve created – and we grow and compare them to classic, well-loved strains from around the globe.

  1. Sugar Titz aka Runtz BX2 = Runtz x (Runtz x (Runtz x Strawberries N Cream F2))
  2. Circus Cookies = Forum Cookies x Animal Cookies BX4
  3. Crippy Kush = Crippy BX3

Any fun facts about them? 

  • Sugar Titz was a strain made in collaboration with Raw Genetics and is an improved version of Zkilttlez and Runtz, one of the most popular terpene profiles in recent history. 
  • Circus Cookies is bringing back a 2010 classic but modernizing it as far as it’s easier to grow, yields better, and the terpenes are louder. Basically, it’s a better variety of Cookies. 
  • Crippy Kush is a Crippy BX3 from our most popular mother plant and a personal favorite of ours. It’s bringing back 90s gas that’s desperately missed with the most calming effects found in our lineup. #makinggreengreatagain

Sugar Titz taken to day 69 of bloom, grown indoors under LED

Where could someone find the flower? Stores/states?

Right now, the most well known, accessible places to grab flower from strains that we bred is at Goldleaf (Washington State), Sunshine Cannabis (Florida), Breakwater (New Jersey), and homegrowers near you as those 3 strains are all over the world.

What breeding project are you most excited for next? What should we look out for in fall/winter 2022?

We drop a new menu, on average, about once a month. We have our Cherry Pie BX3 menu dropping in mid July, which is another one of our most popular strains. Our Lemon Macarons menu, which will include a Lemonade BX, and our Sugar Titz menu will drop in fall and winter of 2022. We are excited about the crosses that will come from these menus as they are terpene prominent, heavily worked genetic combinations created by our team here at 808 Genetics.

What else would you like to let others know about yourself and your company?

We are a passionate family-owned company from the beautiful island of Kauai, Hawaii. We brought real deal genetics from straight out the streets directly to the consumer. We continue to be innovative by line-breeding strains and showing that with the proper knowledge and work, strains can be improved upon and made into something even better; a notable feat.

808 Genetics continues to consistently put out stable and quality genetic combinations that satisfy even the most selective of cannabis connoisseurs. We continue to change the seed game by offering new and affordable menus with every drop and proving that quality over quantity is important in this industry. We want to help positively influence the happiness of patients and growers big and small while simultaneously creating genetic combinations that progress or preserve the plant that we all love.