Conquering Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam

Article by: Mary Jane Gibson|@maryjanegibson

Fri November 21, 2014 | 00:00 AM


Each November, thousands of budding horticulturalists (get it?) descend upon the city of Amsterdam to attend what is widely renowned as the world's preeminent weed fest, the High Times Cannabis Cup. Here, Mary Jane Gibson from High Times gives you insider tips for getting the most out of your stoney stay in Amsterdam...and where to seek out similar events in the States.

Marijuana Manners

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Photo courtesy of thcfinder.com

Smoking marijuana in Amsterdam is tolerated (though not truly legal), and weed and hashish are available to buy over the counter from the city’s many coffeeshops. You can smoke it there at your leisure. Anywhere else, please, always ask permission before lighting up. Sadly, due to strict new laws, coffeeshops have been forced to choose between serving alcohol or cannabis products, so buying a bud and a beer in the same place is a thing of the past. And nowadays tobacco smoking is banned in all public places, including coffeeshops where marijuana is sold and smoked. Still, decriminalized public pot-smoking is a privilege to be enjoyed in Amsterdam. Your stay will be most rewarding if you treat it as such.

Mota Munchies

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Photo courtesy of amsterdam-2-go.com

Amsterdam is full of fantastic food. Countless restaurants offer Indian, Afghan, Indonesian, Chinese, Thai, Argentine, Mexican, Turkish, Middle Eastern, Japanese and, of course, traditional Dutch food. Steak lovers, check out Café De Klos on Kerkstraat near the Leidsestraat (just a few steps from the Dolphins coffeeshop). Vegetarians, try  Golden Temple (Uitrechtsestraat 126), and De Waaghals (Frans Halsstraat 29). There are also tons of fast-food joints, pizzerias and snack bars, from automat-style packaged sandwiches at FEBO to myriad falafel and shawarma stands. If you’d rather eat in your hotel room and save money, take a trip to the closest Albert Heijn supermarket. Grocery stores tend to close by 8pm. After 8, you can find avondwinkels (night shops) that are open till around 1am. And be careful: If you munch on the cannabis concoctions known as space cakes, it can take up to two hours to feel the effects. Start with a small portion, and you won’t end up in a canal.

Pot Parties

Melkweg

Photo courtesy of Marie via Flickr Creative Commons

The city of Amsterdam is one big party during the Cannabis Cup. If the time comes when you just can't possibly smoke one more joint (come on, it's happened to everybody), look around—you're in AMSTERDAM! Go see the sights—they’re gorgeous. It’s a city of 33+ museums, there’s beautiful architecture, plus there’s the legendary Red Light District, which gives the concept of window-shopping a whole new dimension. At night, make your way to the Melkweg (Lijnbaansgracht 234a, 1017 PH), which is Cup party central; this year, musical acts include Rebelution, the Dirty Heads, and the Lox. It’s gonna be amazing.

Cannabis Coffeeshops

Mellow Yellow

Photo courtesy of Yohan Travellin via Flickr Creative Commons

The High Times Cannabis Cup is designed to introduce you to over two dozen of the city’s finest cannabis emporia, most of them within walking distance of Centraal Station. Each coffeeshop offers its own unique vibe; take the time to stop and enjoy them while you’re on the coffeeshop crawl. Sit down and meet some strangers, make some friends and have a drink. It’s considered good manners to always buy something, even if it’s just a coffee or soda, when entering a shop to have a smoke. To try Cannabis Cup-winning strains as well as new entries vying for number one, hit up shops such as Mellow Yellow, the Bushdocter, the Green Place, Rusland, Bluebird, the Greenhouse and the Noon.

Top Strains

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Photo courtesy of High Times

The world’s best growers bring their top product to compete in the world’s ultimate marijuana competition. Look out for old-school Dutch genetics like Northern Lights #5 and the Hazes: Nevil’s Haze, Super Lemon Haze and Silver Haze. California growers will definitely bring some of their Girl Scout Cookies, Kushes and Diesels to try their hand at winning the top pot prize. Coffeeshops are sure to have some delicious Tangie and Blueberry crosses to tantalize your tastebuds with fruity goodness. Keep a scorecard and take notes so you remember what’s what. Not surprisingly, it can get confusing after your umpteenth spliff.

The More You Know

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Photo courtesy of International Business Times

When sampling a strain for the first time, take a page out of the Cannabis Cup judges’ book and follow these steps to truly appreciate good weed. First, look at the bud: Does it have “bag appeal”? Is it well manicured? Frosty and sticky? Next, give it a sniff. What’s the bouquet like? Are there notes of lemon, pine, blueberry, cat piss, diesel, cheese? Roll it up and give it a “dry toke” to taste the flavor of the weed before sparking it up. And as you burn one down, look at the ash. Is it white, meaning it’s properly-flushed herb, or is it black with impurities? Now you feel like a real marijuana expert. Enjoy.

US Cannabis Cups

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Photo courtesy of High Times

Once you’ve soaked in the goodness that is the High Times Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam (or if you can't make it to the Netherlands), consider coming to a US Cannabis Cup! Now in 6 cities in the US, there are Medical Cannabis Cups in SoCal, Michigan and NorCal, and Washington, Colorado and Oregon host fully-legal recreational High Times Cannabis Cups. Go to cannabiscup.com for more information.