Barney’s Original Grinspoon (Pearl Pheno)

[Abdthi1966]

I would welcome anyone who has grown original stock, or bred with it to chime in. This thread is dedicated to fleshing out the true history behind the strain, as well as how may still have it. And no, Barney’s dosent have it anymore and replaced their stock with something decidedly different.

The official line goes;
“A strain named in honour of an amazing Cannabis advocate, researcher and author, Dr Lester Grinspoon. This is a pure heirloom Sativa which grows tall and thin,”.

“This plant requires a longer flowering time, but when mature the colas resemble compact green and reddish brown beads. These loosely hang on thin stems and are dusted with THC crystals. The buds give a lemon and sumac scent, produce a light smoke with tangy tropical fruit aromas,”.

I have read some wonderful smoke reports from the mid 2,000s before the recipe was changed and have been curious about it ever since. I’ll try to add more info in this thread as time goes on but I haven’t been down this rabbit hole in a bit until recently when I began thinking about her again. Maybe I’m high, but there’s just something about her that’s so alluring. Anyways lads, the games afoot.

I honestly don’t expect this to go anywhere which is why I didn’t put it as a ISO in the trade section. As ultimately I’ve been asking around for years to no avail but I figured maybe someone’s heard of companies doing crosses or something or if someone had done any isolation work in breeding towards the pearl pheno. I’m not sure if the original stock was ever available as regular seed or not. Either way it’s a fun topic.

 

[Veritas629]

I recently looked up this strain. I had no luck of course. My interest was peaked after listening to an episode of the Great Moments in Weed History podcast. The most recent episode is about Carl Sagan and his good mate Lester Grinspoon. Apparently, Carl got Lester into cannabis. A fun listen for anyone interested in Grinspoon!

 

[Max Headroom]

i remember smoking this in amsterdam 10+ years ago. it was € 18,- a gram. i enjoyed it.

 

[CannaT]

Its O haze pheno in haze hybrid seeds.
I saw it often before in many Haze hybrid x haze hybrid crosses...for example like Moonshine Haze.

 

[flower~power]

I would welcome anyone who has grown original stock, or bred with it to chime in. This thread is dedicated to fleshing out the true history behind the strain, as well as how may still have it. And no, Barney’s dosent have it anymore and replaced their stock with something decidedly different.

The official line goes;
“A strain named in honour of an amazing Cannabis advocate, researcher and author, Dr Lester Grinspoon. This is a pure heirloom Sativa which grows tall and thin,”.

“This plant requires a longer flowering time, but when mature the colas resemble compact green and reddish brown beads. These loosely hang on thin stems and are dusted with THC crystals. The buds give a lemon and sumac scent, produce a light smoke with tangy tropical fruit aromas,”.

I have read some wonderful smoke reports from the mid 2,000s before the recipe was changed and have been curious about it ever since. I’ll try to add more info in this thread as time goes on but I haven’t been down this rabbit hole in a bit until recently when I began thinking about her again. Maybe I’m high, but there’s just something about her that’s so alluring. Anyways lads, the games afoot.

I honestly don’t expect this to go anywhere which is why I didn’t put it as a ISO in the trade section. As ultimately I’ve been asking around for years to no avail but I figured maybe someone’s heard of companies doing crosses or something or if someone had done any isolation work in breeding towards the pearl pheno. I’m not sure if the original stock was ever available as regular seed or not. Either way it’s a fun topic.

View attachment 18985613
View attachment 18985614

@RandyCalifornia … he’s a master of pearl pheno’s maybe he Will chine in?

 

[chilliwilli]

I did a grow with them 2014 and got 2 pearl phenos. Was dev not one of my best grows, burned them with too much n early and in the end they ate them self.
I did let the pearl pheno go for too long so taste was burned rubber. I did blast most of the pearl pheno together with another strain and got some nice energetic bho out of it.

I had an ace panama male flowering at that time and got some pearl x panama beans from that grow that were never tested. Grinspoon should be reefermans senor garcia so a backcross with panama could be nice. Maybe i try them with my next grow.

https://www.icmag.com/threads/dr-grinspoon-grow.291751/

 

[Abdthi1966]

I did a grow with them 2014 and got 2 pearl phenos. Was dev not one of my best grows, burned them with too much n early and in the end they ate them self.
I did let the pearl pheno go for too long so taste was burned rubber. I did blast most of the pearl pheno together with another strain and got some nice energetic bho out of it.

I had an ace panama male flowering at that time and got some pearl x panama beans from that grow that were never tested. Grinspoon should be reefermans senor garcia so a backcross with panama could be nice. Maybe i try them with my next grow.

https://www.icmag.com/threads/dr-grinspoon-grow.291751/

Sounds interesting for sure, it’s too bad no one kept the pearl in pure form. But either way sounds like a wild cross. If I was you I would pop them all and find the closest pearls to mother.

So your comment on Charles is one of the exact reasons why I made this thread. I’ve heard so many different stories from Grinspoon being completely Charlie’s creation, to others saying Charles is an utter liar and thief. After watching Charles last seed sale and the shitshow that it turned into, it makes me wonder if he actually had anything to do with it. Either way, I’ve heard a lot of conflicting origin stories.

 

[PandoraSeedBank]

A great variety, it's a shame that they no longer sell it and that they have only sold it in feminized format.
I hate feminized ones for that reason.

According to Phylos Galaxy it seems to have Thai-Laos origin.

Phylos Tested Genotype

Purple Caper Seeds: Dr. Grinspoon

phylos.bio

If I couldn't find it, what I would do would be to search for Destroyer Cannabiogen and try to search for the pearl genotype or else do a search among Thai-Laos varieties.

The real seeds company has a great collection.

It won't be the same as dr grispoon but I'm sure they would find something special.

One of my favorite varieties is from Laos. You can look at my Aphrodite!

 

[Abdthi1966]

A great variety, it's a shame that they no longer sell it and that they have only sold it in feminized format.
I hate feminized ones for that reason.

According to Phylos Galaxy it seems to have Thai-Laos origin.

Phylos Tested Genotype

Purple Caper Seeds: Dr. Grinspoon

phylos.bio

If I couldn't find it, what I would do would be to search for Destroyer Cannabiogen and try to search for the pearl genotype or else do a search among Thai-Laos varieties.

The real seeds company has a great collection.

It won't be the same as dr grispoon but I'm sure they would find something special.

One of my favorite varieties is from Laos. You can look at my Aphrodite!

I’ve seen some of your lovely crosses mate and might explore some in the future(love your OTH crosses) but this is more of a personal mission. I would like to bring Grinspoon back to the public in a regular format for people to explore.

I’m currently attempting the same thing with a Romulan project with a Romulan BX1 and Federation stock.

I feel like Phylos is only so useful for searching for an elusive gem like this but that is an interesting note. I just know someone is sitting on an original pack from before they changed the recipe and they will likely never do anything with it as most seed mongers never get around to popping them all haha. It just kills me on the inside alittle to see such cool varieties get lost to time.

If I ever found a nice pearl mother, I would cross to the vibe collective JBL and then stabilize for something truly wild. But hey I’m a dreamer

 

[flower~power]

A Pearl pheno grown by Randy California …

 

[RandyCalifornia]

The pearls I love most were originally from CBG Destroyer. I have found pearl phenos on OHaze and HolyHanh too, but they were not as good as from the Destroyer. I have been able to reproduce her and have 6 different pearl moms now. Some are really good(grail level) some are just good.
The high takes me back to the best Thai I have smoked in the early 70's in looks and feeling. It is, after 56 years of growing and learning, what I have been searching for since the feeling I got from the best Thai Sticks back in the 70's. I am at the end of my physical ability to grow and mostly just smoke now but my kids are going to continue to carry the fire into their space in time and continue to develop them.

I have grown Grinspoon crosses but never got a pearl pheno. I remember back in the early days online at Overgrow seeing pics of a variety called Quaze that was then used to sell Dr. Grinspoon from Barney's. I have not seen anybody get a pearl pheno from Grinspoon. Never grew any reeferman seeds.

I learned a couple of lessons from the best Thai Sticks I ever smoked and the best Colombian I ever smoked back in the early 70's.
The Thai thought me to not be afraid of a late, long flowering, occasional herm seed. The best sticks I smoked had an occasional mature and immature seed and looked like larf. It was also a very moving experience that seduced me into always wanting to find a way to recreate that feeling as often as possible for as long as I lived.
The Colombian, and for that matter Jamaican/Mexican, taught me fully seeded bud can blow you away and give you a ride you would never forget. Do not underestimate the power of seeded buds.
Sometimes it's good to go against the grain.

 

[Abdthi1966]

The pearls I love most were originally from CBG Destroyer. I have found pearl phenos on OHaze and HolyHanh too, but they were not as good as from the Destroyer. I have been able to reproduce her and have 6 different pearl moms now. Some are really good(grail level) some are just good.
The high takes me back to the best Thai I have smoked in the early 70's in looks and feeling. It is, after 56 years of growing and learning, what I have been searching for since the feeling I got from the best Thai Sticks back in the 70's. I am at the end of my physical ability to grow and mostly just smoke now but my kids are going to continue to carry the fire into their space in time and continue to develop them.

I have grown Grinspoon crosses but never got a pearl pheno. I remember back in the early days online at Overgrow seeing pics of a variety called Quaze that was then used to sell Dr. Grinspoon from Barney's. I have not seen anybody get a pearl pheno from Grinspoon. Never grew any reeferman seeds.
View attachment 18986249 View attachment 18986319 View attachment 18986320
I learned a couple of lessons from the best Thai Sticks I ever smoked and the best Colombian I ever smoked back in the early 70's.
The Thai thought me to not be afraid of a late, long flowering, occasional herm seed. The best sticks I smoked had an occasional mature and immature seed and looked like larf. It was also a very moving experience that seduced me into always wanting to find a way to recreate that feeling as often as possible for as long as I lived.
The Colombian, and for that matter Jamaican/Mexican, taught me fully seeded bud can blow you away and give you a ride you would never forget. Do not underestimate the power of seeded buds.
Sometimes it's good to go against the grain.

You story is quite refreshing and gives me hope that someday I can experience a bush like those pics you have. Just absolutely stunning. It’s a bummer but I missed out on buying stock when Charlie was still around.

Oh and seeds never bothered me any , never could understand why it bothered everyone so much. But in fairness it has been awhile since I’ve smoked seeded bud

 

[soopy]

The pearls I love most were originally from CBG Destroyer. I have found pearl phenos on OHaze and HolyHanh too, but they were not as good as from the Destroyer. I have been able to reproduce her and have 6 different pearl moms now. Some are really good(grail level) some are just good.
The high takes me back to the best Thai I have smoked in the early 70's in looks and feeling. It is, after 56 years of growing and learning, what I have been searching for since the feeling I got from the best Thai Sticks back in the 70's. I am at the end of my physical ability to grow and mostly just smoke now but my kids are going to continue to carry the fire into their space in time and continue to develop them.

I have grown Grinspoon crosses but never got a pearl pheno. I remember back in the early days online at Overgrow seeing pics of a variety called Quaze that was then used to sell Dr. Grinspoon from Barney's. I have not seen anybody get a pearl pheno from Grinspoon. Never grew any reeferman seeds.
View attachment 18986249 View attachment 18986319 View attachment 18986320
I learned a couple of lessons from the best Thai Sticks I ever smoked and the best Colombian I ever smoked back in the early 70's.
The Thai thought me to not be afraid of a late, long flowering, occasional herm seed. The best sticks I smoked had an occasional mature and immature seed and looked like larf. It was also a very moving experience that seduced me into always wanting to find a way to recreate that feeling as often as possible for as long as I lived.
The Colombian, and for that matter Jamaican/Mexican, taught me fully seeded bud can blow you away and give you a ride you would never forget. Do not underestimate the power of seeded buds.
Sometimes it's good to go against the grain.

What a great post…..thank you man, for not only doing what you do…but for how you do it….its so beautiful to hear that your passion has been taken on by your kids…thank you for sharing you’re hard-earned experience, truer words have never been spoken.

Best vibes and wishes to you and yours my good man….

 

[iStruggle]

I got interested in it a couple years ago and gave up looking

 

[ojd]

First time it ever turned up in Amsterdam early 2005-10 it was said to be a Nevil Haze pheno , this was before Reeferman even turned up in Amsterdam so I'm very sceptical it was his creation.
I think Reeferman did use the pheno/clone to make seeds ? After he arrived in Holland though.

Same with other strains that Reeferman worked with in Amsterdam, there were other Haze's that either got renamed to Reeferman/barney's that Reeferman either used the Haze clone to make hybrids and selected a very similar clone or it was the Dutch clone itself just with the Reeferman/barney's farm strain name attached after.

Reeferman first worked with derry/barneys coffeshop then made the barney's farm first seeds/strains, then they fell out and barneys just kept same names of strains but most were very different although he did have a few clones left.

I've never seen an Original Haze pheno even close to the gringspoon and there was never a mention of it being an Original Haze pheno when first arrived in Amsterdam.

Either way the Original Gringspoon was very special, potent like Nevil's Haze the Original Nevil Haze cut which is not what you see in Amsterdam anymore unless it's chopped 3-4weeks early as doesn't have that exceptionally potent High. Anyone down south of Holland Coffeshops 69 or 169 still hold the Original Nevil's Haze cut as they entered it in Highlife cup 3-4 years ago and was like time travelling back to the Haze glory days , I contacted them and they wouldn't let it go for less than €10,000 a cut ( thays what they paid for it)so the dream of smoking the vintage Nevil Haze again died there for me

#edit

Sorry yes the Dutch cut was first called quaze , then the name turned to Gringspoon later

 

[mr.brunch]

 

[Mimpi Manis]

O

The pearls I love most were originally from CBG Destroyer. I have found pearl phenos on OHaze and HolyHanh too, but they were not as good as from the Destroyer. I have been able to reproduce her and have 6 different pearl moms now. Some are really good(grail level) some are just good.
The high takes me back to the best Thai I have smoked in the early 70's in looks and feeling. It is, after 56 years of growing and learning, what I have been searching for since the feeling I got from the best Thai Sticks back in the 70's. I am at the end of my physical ability to grow and mostly just smoke now but my kids are going to continue to carry the fire into their space in time and continue to develop them.

I have grown Grinspoon crosses but never got a pearl pheno. I remember back in the early days online at Overgrow seeing pics of a variety called Quaze that was then used to sell Dr. Grinspoon from Barney's. I have not seen anybody get a pearl pheno from Grinspoon. Never grew any reeferman seeds.
View attachment 18986249 View attachment 18986319 View attachment 18986320
I learned a couple of lessons from the best Thai Sticks I ever smoked and the best Colombian I ever smoked back in the early 70's.
The Thai thought me to not be afraid of a late, long flowering, occasional herm seed. The best sticks I smoked had an occasional mature and immature seed and looked like larf. It was also a very moving experience that seduced me into always wanting to find a way to recreate that feeling as often as possible for as long as I lived.
The Colombian, and for that matter Jamaican/Mexican, taught me fully seeded bud can blow you away and give you a ride you would never forget. Do not underestimate the power of seeded buds.
Sometimes it's good to go against the grain.

I can trace my roots back 50 plus years. But I still (sort of) respect my Elders. I remember being taken under the wing of this tall skinny Rhodesian (Zimbabwe) guy in London 1972. All cape and knee length boots. Next stop Piccadilly to see if we could score. Politely informed on the Northern Line Station 'btw... its called dope now'. Never to young to learn huh?

I put three and half compressed bullets down the toilet in Singapore before we caught the plane to London. Jesus Christ that was outstanding pot. (Christ sorry...dope!). In London it was all huge tobacco joints with a sniff of hash. Utterly flucking horrible. There wasn't a time I didn't wish I had that stuff in London. But there you go.

First Thai (Buddha Stick) 1975. Ah Thai... the Thai. Always nice to bump into someone who knows. Really knows.