Why Colorado Tokers Love Early Riser

What's better than waking up to fresh powder on the ground? We're not talking about your shady friend's basement floor after a long night, you rascal, but fresh, morning snow, untouched by boots and plows and Goldendoodle piss.

There's something inspiring about seeing the pure stuff, especially if coffee and weed are involved. Denver is getting warmer by the year, though, so the joy of coffee or a light toke during morning snowfall has been extra rare this winter. Serious about my snow dance when it actually happens, I've been holding a jar of Early Riser for weeks, waiting for the right forecast.

A hybrid of Sumo Grande and Early Orange from FreeWorld Genetics, Early Riser is a daytime-leaning hybrid, if you couldn't tell from the name. (There are one or two other strains of the same name with different genetics, but this is the most prevalent in Colorado.) It was new to me as of a month ago, but more growers and a long list of extractors have embraced the strain.

Early Riser tastes like breakfast and never fails to provide temporary gusto, but the comedown was stronger than expected and proved to be a consistent feature of the high. As long as I can finish whatever I'm doing in an hour, then Early Riser will help me get it done in quick and amusing fashion. If not, there's always tomorrow, because my lights are out for the day.

Looks: Heavily caked with trichomes, Early Riser will likely have a bright look no matter what color the buds are. Despite  modern resin coverage, however, the strain has an old-school sativa look and is relatively long and loose for today's weed.

Smell: Anyone who misses classic orange strains like Agent Orange or Orange Crush will enjoy the clear citrus qualities of Early Riser, which start sweet and juicy but end with a slight bitterness, just like peeling open an orange. A rubbery, funky layer blankets the aroma, but it's not strong enough to prevent smells of oranges and orange peel from dominating.

Flavor: This is an easy win for the tastebuds. Early Riser's textbook citrus flavor and juicy mouthfeel remove any need for orange juice in the morning, but that hit of OJ comes with a funky, almost cheesy hint and subtle zest on the back end.

Effects: Early to rise and early to bed. Early Riser's initial upbeat and focused effects don't last as long as I'd like, and the comedown is usually heavier on the stretching, yawning and overall lethargy than that of others. For about an hour, though, Early Riser's high is euphoric and creative, allowing me to stay interested and concentrated.

Where to find it: We've sniffed out Early Riser at 1136 Yuma, Ace's Place, Apothecary Farms, Best Buds, Best Colorado Cannabis, Callie's Cannabis Shoppe, the Center, Golden Meds, Herban Underground, L'Eagle, Life Flower Dispensary, Lova, Nature's Herbs & Wellness, Reefer Madness, Rocky Mountain Cannabis, Rocky Road, Seed & Smith, Social Cannabis, Solace Meds and Trees Dispensary.

Apothecary Farms and Solace Meds both grow in-house cuts of Early Riser, and the Willie's Reserve label also sells Early Riser in Colorado dispensaries. Clones and seeds of the strain from Freeworld Genetics can be found at a handful of pot shops, as well. Early Riser is even more popular with extractors: Akta, Apothecary Extracts, Denver Dab Co., El Sol Labs, Hrvst, Kush Masters, Next 1 Labs, Seed & Smith and Soiku Bano have all recently made various concentrates from the strain, from wax to rosin.

The flower from Apothecary Farms has a vibrant, pulpy smell that opens my eyes every time, but bud structure was very loose and the high was much more relaxing than expected. Soiku Bano's rosin somehow has an even juicier smell and flavor with a similar high, but the aftereffects aren't quite as draining.

Is there a strain you’d like to see profiled? Email [email protected].