Over on Reddit you don't see many kind words about Glass Pharms flower. But from what I understand of the operation of that grower, it sounds promising: stable supply of non-irradiated buds produced in UK for a reasonable price. So what do people think please?
Click on each profile that posts on the reddit sub and you'll see the vast majority have no previous history and are using the default naming system. That sub is infested with bots and shills more than it is real genuine posters. Those that are genuine posters seem to live in an echo chamber between the sub and discord where they just repeat the same nonsense.
I honestly would not trust a single recommendation that came from there.
Over on Reddit you don't see many kind words about Glass Pharms flower. But from what I understand of the operation of that grower, it sounds promising: stable supply of non-irradiated buds produced in UK for a reasonable price. So what do people think please?
On to Glass Pharms, from a medical perspective they do things a little differently is my understanding. Instead of growing from seed, they tissue clone their flowers which is supposed to help with consistent flower growth but I think its more to do with faster grows = more money. I'm fairly sure this is where the common complaints over their flower feeling "Medical" and rather dulled in aroma/flavour.
They use AI temp controls which are often considered bad practice from a general gardening perspective because each flower develops differently and needs a human touch.
My personal take is by using AI temperature and Tissue cloning you end up with some pretty mediocre results, but when you combine that with the sterilisation requirements you're going to end up with very weak flower.
I'm not a fan of seedless factory farming and I think perpetual harvesting is just a bad idea. That said, they are one of if not the only carbon neutral site in the country so if that sort of thing matters to you then its also worth knowing. To be completely fair to them, they do not grow recreational flower so smell/taste is irrelevant to them.
From a purely medical perspective, they appear to be very cutting edge with their methods and everything is geared towards consistent, predictable batches that reduce labour and man hours. So I can't fault them there really.
The fact it's non-irradiated doesn't really mean much unless they're disclosing their remediation, It's known that they use Cryo-Curing (flash freezing) and they almost certainly use Cold Plasma as cryo-curing is doesn't kill microbes and can encourage mould growth despite it trying to stop it. At a minimum it is being remediated to death.
From my perspective I would rather not have spongey, frozen weed as has already been mentioned. I don't think Irradiation is as much of a problem as people try to believe that it is. I'm not saying it's a good thing but if your flower tastes like nothing its probably because of the plastic tub its been in for 6 months.
If you're cool with how its grown, are in it for effects > experience then Glass Pharms are a viable option, they just dont offer a great full package, especially if you're a former BM user.
I've tried two strains from them so far and I've been happy with both. Last month I tried their Wedding Cake - it was the only strain from last month's script I wanted to repeat this month but it wasn't available, so I tried their Lemon Diesel instead.
The buds are larger/lighter/less dense than other brands, which might be what Lank72 is getting at with the polystyrene peanut buds, but I'm not finding that this translates into a bad experience. Very flavoursome terpene profiles in both cases, packaging is good, effects are good, flavour is good, vapour quality is good, and it's still 10 g in the pot.
Haven't found much to fault so far.
I believe the Releaf clinic uses their products almost exclusively, so they must think there's enough coverage across the medical need within their offerings.
Click on each profile that posts on the reddit sub and you'll see the vast majority have no previous history and are using the default naming system. That sub is infested with bots and shills more than it is real genuine posters. Those that are genuine posters seem to live in an echo chamber between the sub and discord where they just repeat the same nonsense.
I honestly would not trust a single recommendation that came from there.
On to Glass Pharms, from a medical perspective they do things a little differently is my understanding. Instead of growing from seed, they tissue clone their flowers which is supposed to help with consistent flower growth but I think its more to do with faster grows = more money. I'm fairly sure this is where the common complaints over their flower feeling "Medical" and rather dulled in aroma/flavour.
They use AI temp controls which are often considered bad practice from a general gardening perspective because each flower develops differently and needs a human touch.
My personal take is by using AI temperature and Tissue cloning you end up with some pretty mediocre results, but when you combine that with the sterilisation requirements you're going to end up with very weak flower.
I'm not a fan of seedless factory farming and I think perpetual harvesting is just a bad idea. That said, they are one of if not the only carbon neutral site in the country so if that sort of thing matters to you then its also worth knowing. To be completely fair to them, they do not grow recreational flower so smell/taste is irrelevant to them.
From a purely medical perspective, they appear to be very cutting edge with their methods and everything is geared towards consistent, predictable batches that reduce labour and man hours. So I can't fault them there really.
The fact it's non-irradiated doesn't really mean much unless they're disclosing their remediation, It's known that they use Cryo-Curing (flash freezing) and they almost certainly use Cold Plasma as cryo-curing is doesn't kill microbes and can encourage mould growth despite it trying to stop it. At a minimum it is being remediated to death.
From my perspective I would rather not have spongey, frozen weed as has already been mentioned. I don't think Irradiation is as much of a problem as people try to believe that it is. I'm not saying it's a good thing but if your flower tastes like nothing its probably because of the plastic tub its been in for 6 months.
If you're cool with how its grown, are in it for effects > experience then Glass Pharms are a viable option, they just dont offer a great full package, especially if you're a former BM user.
Thanks for the considered reply.
Point taken about Reddit, although I don't know where else to go for (written) reviews. Hopefully right here very soon!
I think you've comprehensively described the possible negatives in the way that Glass are approaching their grow, but some of the innovations seem positive to me. Growing from clones is surely the only way to ensure consistency of phenotype (and has no likely effect upon quality); and a sterile grow room the only way to prevent bugs and fungi (much as I appreciate organic methods). On the other hand, the fast drying would seem likely to be a detriment to flavour, but if they can show that terpenes are not damaged then medical users shouldn't complain, I suppose—at least comparing this with irradiated buds, which have basically been burnt in that process. Remediated to death (great phrase!) also, no?
The taste of the bud is all part of the medical benefit for me, btw.
I heard the CEO on this podcast and, old cynic though I am, I didn't get the impression that they are just in it for the quick buck; they've got a decade of funding to get established. (And wouldn't their product be more widely available if it was just about the moolah?)
Have you not been tempted to try some?
I've tried two strains from them so far and I've been happy with both. Last month I tried their Wedding Cake - it was the only strain from last month's script I wanted to repeat this month but it wasn't available, so I tried their Lemon Diesel instead.
The buds are larger/lighter/less dense than other brands, which might be what Lank72 is getting at with the polystyrene peanut buds, but I'm not finding that this translates into a bad experience. Very flavoursome terpene profiles in both cases, packaging is good, effects are good, flavour is good, vapour quality is good, and it's still 10 g in the pot.
Haven't found much to fault so far.
I believe the Releaf clinic uses their products almost exclusively, so they must think there's enough coverage across the medical need within their offerings.
