Sherbinski strains are taking the cannabis market by storm. Here’s what to look for.
When your cannabis strains have remained popular for decades, are named in hundreds of hip hop songs, and inspire countless imitations, we think the title “legend” is a good fit. Mr. Sherbinski, the Cannabis grower responsible for the beloved Gelato (one of the most highly-sought after strains in the world), is one such legend. Keep reading to learn where the Sherbinskis brand came from and how it’s strains have become cannabis cannon.
Sometimes the Best Weed is Born in a Garage
Before he took on the alias Mr. Sherbinski, the cultivating hegemon was Mario Guzman, son of Mexican immigrants and successful real estate broker in San Francisco. When the dot-com bubble burst the U.S. economy, Guzman made an interesting pivot. At the suggestion of a friend, Guzman decided to turn to another entrepreneurial endeavor: cannabis cultivation out of his garage. “People hate on garage growing,” Guzman said to Cannabis Now. “But you look at that picture, the one that shows all the garages where Apple and Microsoft started, it’s true in cannabis too. A lot of the products that changed the culture of cannabis and strains came from garages.” When Guzman crossed paths with Jigga (the creator of Thin Mint Cookies) he became a co-creator of one of the strains to change the game. His collaborations with Jigga brought Sunset Sherbert and Gelato to life. Then Guzman modified the strains to fruity perfection. Mr. Sherbinksi reached cannabis stardom once the hip-hop community got their hands on his weed. Rappers like Young Dolph, Future, Berner, and Lil Yachty have shouted out Gelato (often, more than once), helping to make this West Coast strain a global phenomenon.
The Sherbinskis Glow Up
Thanks to Gelato’s explosive popularity, Mr. Sherbinski has come a long way from his garage and basement days. You can still find his strains in rap songs, but you can also purchase his brand of bud from licensed dispensaries across North America. He’s in the dispensary business himself as the owner of an elite cannabis shop (we’re talking rooftop garden, modern design, and premium products) in Los Angeles. On top of his posh retail shop, Guzman owns growing facilities across California, including a one million square foot greenhouse in Santa Barbara and a 22 thousand indoor grow space in Sacramento. However, Guzman has created a lifestyle brand that offers much more than top-shelf cannabis.
Browse through the Sherbinskis online shop, and you’ll find all kinds of merchandise. Everything from Sherbinskis-branded batteries to cannabis leaf-covered accent chairs are available for nationwide delivery. This brand evolution is strategic — national cannabis legalization is on the horizon and cannabis culture is shape-shifting once again. The Sherbinskis origin story is quite different from the beginnings of cannabis corporations like Curaleaf and Green Thumb Industries, but Guzman is confident that there’s room for legacy cannabis entrepreneurs like him. “The people that are running these $500 million hedge funds, they have smart people and big checkbooks, but I still feel like there’s a shortage of people who are passionate and have been doing this a long time,” Guzman said to the New York Times.
6 of Our Favorite Strains from the Gelato Line
A balanced hybrid cross between Sunset Sherbert and Thin Mint, Gelato (AKA Gelato #42 and Larry Bird) is one the most popular weed strains in the world. Gelato’s most abundant terpene is caryophyllene and tests show it holds an average of 17% THC. Fans of Gelato love the strain’s gentle body high and fruity aroma, but we recommend that consumers new to cannabis or with a THC sensitivity take it easy — Gelato’s effects can come on quickly and powerfully. Gelato was only the beginning for the Sherbinskis brand. The following strains are some of our favorite Gelato creations:
1. Sunset Sherbert
We can’t include a list of Gelato genetics without starting with Sunset Sherbert. An indica-dominant hybrid cross between Girl Scout Cookies and Pink Panties, this strain was created by accident. Sherbinski left a male Pink Panties in a basement with a female Thin Mint Cookies. We don’t know if love or marriage came first, but the two produced Sunset Sherbert, the strain that really got Sherbinksi started.
2. Bacio
The offspring of Sunset Sherbert and Thin Mint Cookies, Bacio is an indica-dominant hybrid with more THC than its siblings. An average of 24% THC makes the Bacio the high-tolerance consumer’s best friend. Enjoy the Bacio at night to wind down with a relaxing body high and gentle euphoria.
3. Mochi
Expect a fruity, creamy bouquet when you inhale Mochi, the indica-dominant hybrid member of the GSC family. Mochi consumers return to this strain again and again because of its energizing and creativity-promoting effects. Containing an average of 10% THC, creatives can relax without feeling sluggish, produce art that makes sense, and combine their fun with their therapy in one tasty toke.
4. Pink Panties
Pink Panties was born in Mr. Sherbinski’s garage by crossing a Burmese Kush and Florida Kush. Pink Panties is also the unplanned parent of Sunset Sherbert, Sherbinskis flagship strain. Containing an average of 16% THC and an abundance of myrcene, consumers of this strain report a relaxing high and relief from anxiety, depression, and PTSD.
5. Acai Berry
A rare sativa-dominant hybrid, Acai Berry is a cross between Pink Panties and Sunset Sherbert. Fruity and energizing, Acai Berry makes a delicious daytime treat. Reviewers find that the high is relaxing but mild enough for daytime consumption.