Photo: Jimi Devine

Emerald Cup Picks California’s Finest Cannabis for 2023

May 18, 2023

The Emerald Cup was back for 2023 last weekend and repeat champions weren’t in short supply.

This year would see the Emerald Cup’s award show move to the Bay Area for the first time after a long stint in wine country before the pandemic and last year’s show at The Montalbán in Hollywood. While nowhere in the state worth having the cup could be considered neutral territory given how many competitors dot the state from north to south, the Bay is one of the better spots to have it because it’s essentially halfway between L.A. and Arcata — most of the state’s cannabis enthusiasts and businesses lie between that two points, too. The venue at Richmond’s Craneway Pavilion was undoubtedly the most gorgeous the cup has seen since it left the redwoods in the early 2010s for bigger venues closer to population centers.

But the most beautiful sights to behold on the water’s edge were the glass cases filled with this year’s entries. As the judges, contestants and special guests entered the venue, they were greeted by the cases. The flower entries were the most packed, as people wedged in tight to get pics of all the pretty buds for the social media adventures.

As the award show kicked off, it was like the final countdown to the big categories at the end began. After making its way through some of the more niche photography and product categories, it was on to the social justice awards. In one of the coolest moments of the night, Luke Scarmazzo came on stage to accept The Social Justice Award on behalf of his good friend Weldon Angelos.

Angelos was released in 2016. He was originally sentenced to serve 55 years over a cannabis conviction with a mandatory minimum sentence but only served 13 years. After his release, Angelos began advocating for others who remained in the circumstances he was able to escape, eventually founding The Weldon Project. One of the people Weldon has helped get out of prison was his close friend Scarmazzo.

As he took the stage, Scarmazzo noted he was celebrating 100 days since being released from prison after serving 15 years over medical cannabis. The news received one of the loudest ovations of the night.

Other awards would include The Pioneer Award going to Amber Senter for her work on Social Equity and The Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award going to Mila Jansen for her contribution to the world of hashish over the last 50 years as an entrepreneur, smuggler, and inventor.

From there we started into the big dog categories of flower and hash. This year’s theme was champions still crushing it. The rest of the evening would feature a carousel of repeat winners or those returning to the podium after a year or two off.

One of the biggest returns was Ridgeline Farms. After being the only mixed-light cultivator to qualify for the Zalympix finals, the LANTZ hype rolled on this weekend with Ridgeline taking top honors.

Founder Jason Gellman shared the experience with L.A. Weekly.

“With all the competition going on these days, The Emerald Cup to me is still the most prestigious and authentic. The judging is taken seriously by a talented group hand-picked for their dedication to the plant,” Gellman said. “As our small cannabis communities have taken a giant hit from the challenges of the industry, it's as important as ever to stay relevant. I take lots of pride in growing the best herb possible, so when I submit my entries I always feel they have a chance to win.”

After the near-perfect farming conditions up north for most of the last year before monsoon season hit, it was expected Southern Humboldt would be very competitive. Most of the years that a NorCal farmer didn’t win the cup it had something to do with mother nature. Gellman was proud to see what the county did this year.

“This year, Humboldt County showed up big. Winning is huge, but it's more about us representing our community as a whole than just one of us,” Gellman said. “Ridgeline took home multiple awards including first in mixed light with my new strain LANTZ, but what we were the most proud of is winning the Breeders cup.”

Gellman had been working on creating this strain for over four years.

“Lots of time, energy, money, fails and finally one giant win,” Gellman said. “I knew LANTZ was the one, but this just solidifies it. The cup was a giant success this year and was great to see so many real heads in the game. Overall, it was a great day in the bay”

Rebel Grown took home top honors in the Full Sun. After regularly gracing the top 10 and top 20 over the years, this time they were able to take first place with their Double OG Chem.

In indoor, Fig Farms would became the only indoor farm to ever win The Emerald Cup twice after now winning both the past two renditions of the contest. The Blue Face that won the indoor category was also the first-ever indoor flower to win The Emerald Cup’s prestigious best-in-show award.

"The love we received at the Emerald Cup has elevated to a new level," Keith Healy of Fig Farms told L.A. Weekly, "Two years at the top spot for indoor flower, and this year going a step further by receiving Best in Show. Fig Farms’s Blue Face is the first indoor flower to receive the Best in Show award, which has been given exclusively to Sungrown flower until now. I am so proud of our team, and truly honored in a way that cannot be put into words."

Here are the 2023 Winners:

Sungrown Flower

1st	Sungrown Flower	Rebel Grown – Double OG Chem #15
2nd	Sungrown Flower	Naughty Squirrel – Venom OG
3rd	Sungrown Flower	Greenshock Farms – Peppermint Sleigh Ride
4th	Sungrown Flower	Heartrock Mountain Farm – Lemon Head
5th	Sungrown Flower	Sanctuary Farms – Blunicorn
6th	Sungrown Flower	Esensia – Orange Creamsicle
7th	Sungrown Flower	Rebel Grown – Double OG Chem #5
8th	Sungrown Flower	Farmer and the Felon x Rebel Grown – Natty Bumppo #4
9th	Sungrown Flower	Esensia – Lime Juice
10th	Sungrown Flower	Greenshock Farms – Tropical Sleigh Ride
11th	Sungrown Flower	Esensia – Pixie Dust
12th	Sungrown Flower	Farmer and the Felon – Menage 21
13th	Sungrown Flower	Ridgeline Farms – LANTZ
14th	Sungrown Flower	Farmer and the Felon x Rebel Grown – Rebel Cookies & Lemon Lary OG
15th	Sungrown Flower	Esensia – Honey Dew
16th	Sungrown Flower	Lempire Farmaseed x Dougie Fresh – Wicked Sour
17th	Sungrown Flower	Ridgeline Farms – Ridgeline Runtz
18th	Sungrown Flower	Farmer and the Felon – Lemon Sponge Cake
19th	Sungrown Flower	Esensia – Maracuya
20th	Sungrown Flower	SoHum Royal x Southern Humboldt Royal Cannabis Company x Global Genetics – Blue Nerds

Mixed Light Flower

1st	Mixed Light Flower	Ridgeline Farms – LANTZ
2nd	Mixed Light Flower	Preferred Gardens x Doja Pak – 11:11
3rd	Mixed Light Flower	Local Cannabis Co – Florida Kush
4th	Mixed Light Flower	Local Cannabis Co – Orange 43
5th	Mixed Light Flower	Local Cannabis Co – Ice Cream Cake
6th	Mixed Light Flower	Healing Herb Farms – Crush Mintz
7th	Mixed Light Flower	Preferred Gardens x Duke of Doja / Doja Pak – P41
8th	Mixed Light Flower	Local Cannabis Co – Sherbhead
9th	Mixed Light Flower	Dos Rios Farms – Lemon Creme

Indoor Flower

1st	Indoor Flower	Fig Farms – Blue Face
2nd	Indoor Flower	Sense – Gas Face
3rd	Indoor Flower	Cannabiotix – French Alps
4th	Indoor Flower	Maven Genetics – French Laundry
5th	Indoor Flower	Fig Farms – Animal Face
6th	Indoor Flower	Decibel Gardens – Watermelon Punch
7th	Indoor Flower	Cannabiotix – Blue Flame OG
8th	Indoor Flower	Fig Farms – Dark Karma
9th	Indoor Flower	Team Elite Genetics – Pearadise
10th	Indoor Flower	CannaCruz – Biscotti Bx1
11th	Indoor Flower	Cannabiotix – The Silk
12th	Indoor Flower	Decibel Gardens – Roswell 47
13th	Indoor Flower	Fig Farms – Gelato 41
14th	Indoor Flower	Fig Farms – Moonana Wreck
15th	Indoor Flower	Fig Farms – Zeclair
16th	Indoor Flower	Sattva Cannabis – Purple Push Pop x Cap Junkie
17th	Indoor Flower	Pure Beauty – Spritzer
18th	Indoor Flower	Fig Farms – Lemon Cherry Gelato
19th	Indoor Flower	Cannabiotix – Mountain Sage
20th	Indoor Flower	Sattva Cannabis – Biscotti x Bx1

Sungrown Greenhouse Flower

1st	Sungrown Greenhouse Flower	Chameleon Craft – Bubble Bath
2nd	Sungrown Greenhouse Flower	Cre8 Cannabis – Cre8’s Gelonade
3rd	Sungrown Greenhouse Flower	Chameleon Craft – Mule Fuel
4th	Sungrown Greenhouse Flower	Xotic Flavors – Gushers
5th	Sungrown Greenhouse Flower	Cre8 Cannabis – Cre8’s Jokerz #31

Personal Use Flower

1st	Personal Use Flower	Brandy Schneider – Mountain Cultured Terp Blendz 241
2nd	Personal Use Flower	Derek Roseboom – In The Pines
3rd	Personal Use Flower	Colin Teurfs – Double OG Chem (sungrown)
4th	Personal Use Flower	Parker Moselle & Jackson Moran – Orangutan Titties #3
5th	Personal Use Flower	Matt Jones – Hippie Crippler

Pre-Roll

1st	Pre-Roll – Infused Solventless Extract	Heritage Hash Co. x Huckleberry Hill Farms – Whitethorn Rose Flower x Whitethorn Rose Live Bubble Hash
2nd	Pre-Roll – Infused Solventless Extract	Holy Smoke by Holy Water – Holy Smokes Papaya
3rd	Pre Roll – Infused Solventless Extract	Arcata Fire x Humboldt 36 Farms – Grape Runtz Arcata Fire Hash Hose: Ice Water Hash Infused Preroll (1g)
1st	Pre-Roll – Infused Solvent Extract	West Coast Genetics X Holy Water – Paleta Z x Oz Kush Rosin x Kiwi Resin
2nd	Pre-Roll – Infused Solvent Extract	Cream of the Crop – COTC Diamond Barrel Monkfruit x High C
3rd	Pre-Roll – Infused Solvent Extract	Khalifa Kush – Khalifa Kush Infused Pre-Roll
1st	Pre-Roll – Non Infused	Royal Key x Suprize Suprize – ROLLS Ghost Candy Walls
2nd	Pre-Roll – Non Infused	Huckleberry Hill Farms x CannaCountry Farms – Whitethorn Rose CannaCountry #26 Blend
3rd	Pre-Roll – Non Infused	WeedLove – WeedLove John Lemmon 1g Preroll
1st	Pre Roll – Deluxe	Rosin Tech Labs x Decibel Gardens x LUMA Farms – Roswell 47/Cali-O (Flower) – Papaya (Rosin) – Hash Hole
1st	Pre Roll – Hemp Wrap	Paletas – Paletas Infused Blunt 2.1g – Jealousy Cap Junky (Hybrid)

Solventless Concentrates

1st	Ice Water Hash	Heritage Hash Co x Huckleberry Hill Farms – Whitethorn Rose Live Bubble Hash
2nd	Ice Water Hash	Heritage Hash Co x Mattole Valley Sun Grown – Purple Papaya Live Bubble Hash
3rd	Ice Water Hash	Moon Valley Hash Co – Super Boof 119u-104u
4th	Ice Water Hash	Papa’s Select x Archive Seeds x Emerald Queens Farms – Rainbow Belts 90u Water Hash
5th	Ice Water Hash	Heritage Hash Co x Bon Vivant – Hova Live Bubble Hash
1st	Rosin	FullyMelted x Alien Labs – Zkittlez
2nd	Rosin	El Krem x Purple City Genetics x Ahti Hash x Sunrise Gardens – El Krem Moroccan Peaches Live Rosin
3rd	Rosin	Papa’s Select x Booney Acres – Strawberry Rainbows Premium Live Rosin
4th	Rosin	Punch Edibles & Extracts x Redwood Valley Farms – Rambutan Badder Rosin – Redwood Valley Farms/ Bloomseedco
5th	Rosin	El Krem x Purple City Genetics x Ahti Hash x Sunrise Gardens – El Krem Peach Panther Live Rosin
6th	Rosin	Punch Edibles & Extracts x Luma Farms – Poochies Papaya by Luma Farms Rosin
7th	Rosin	Heritage Hash Co x Bon Vivant – Hova Live Rosin
8th	Rosin	Heritage Hash Co x Emerald Queen Farms – Queens Chem Live Rosin
9th	Rosin	Real Deal Resin x LUMA California – Lemon Limes
10th	Rosin	GOATX RAMBUTAN – GOATX RAMBUTAN
1st	Personal Use Solventless	Brett Byrd – Purple Magic
2nd	Personal Use Solventless	Matt Schackow – Papaya Live Rosin Badder
3rd	Personal Use Solventless	Christian Luevano – Papaya Piss
4th	Personal Use Solventless	Brett Byrd – GAKnana
5th	Personal Use Solventless	Matt Schackow – Lemon Sour

Cartridges

1st	C02 Cartridge	Huckleberry Hill Farms x Vesuvio Garden- Whitethorn Rose
1st	Distillate Cartridge	MVN Productions – XXX OG
2nd	Distillate Cartridge	Helmand Valley Growers Company (HVGC) – Afghanimal
3rd	Distillate Cartridge	Jetty Extracts – Jetty Vanilla Blossom Cartridge
1st	Live Resin Cartridge	Arcata Fire x Humboldt Trees – Strawberry Zkittlez- Arcata Fire 100% Live Resin Sauce Vape: Original Blend
2nd	Live Resin Cartridge	Absolute Xtracts – ABX Farmer’s Reserve 1g Vape – Honey Banana
3rd	Live Resin Cartridge	PaperPlanes Extracts – Zawtz x Zruntz Live Resin Vape
4th	Live Resin Cartridge	Gold Drop x Lemon Tree – Kiwi Tree Liquid Diamonds
5th	Live Resin Cartridge	Halara x Sweetleaf Collective – Halara Live Diamond Sauce – Forbidden Roses
1st	Solventless Cartridge	Arcata Fire x Humboldt 36 Farms – Arcata Fire All in One 100% live Rosin Vape: Banana Punch
2nd	Solventless Cartridge	Arcata Fire x Royalbudline – Zkittlez Vape – Rosin Syrup All In One (.5g) Vape
3rd	Solventless Cartridge	Arcata Fire x Humboldt 36 Farms – Arcata Fire 100% live rosin syrup All in One Vape: Orange Tree
4th	Solventless Cartridge	Jetty Extracts – Jetty Gas Man Solventless Rosin Cartridge
5th	Solventless Cartridge	Real Deal Resin x Booney Acres – Strawberry Meltshake

Solvent Concentrates

1st	Hydro-Carbon Solid	Jetty Extracts – Jetty Super Lemon Haze Live Badder
2nd	Hydro-Carbon Solid	Beezle Brands x Ember Valley- Orange Peel Live Resin Budder
3rd	Hydro-Carbon Solid	Beezle Brands x Luma Farms – Papaya Live Resin Budder
4th	Hydro-Carbon Solid	Beezle Brands x Ember Valley – Red Runtz Live Resin Budder
5th	Hydro-Carbon Solid	Beezle Brands x Ember Valley – Verzace Live Resin Budder
1st	Hydro-Carbon Liquid	Holy Water x Lemon Tree – Melon Tree/Gas Tree Split Jar
2nd	Hydro-Carbon Liquid	Cannabiotix – Mountain Sage Terp Sugar
3rd	Hydro-Carbon Liquid	Cannabiotix – Blue Flame Terp Sugar

Topical

1st	Therapeutic Topical	Val’s Original x West Valley Patient Center – Val’s Hawaiian Cream (Pono)
2nd	Therapeutic Topical	Hello Again – Hello Again Period
3rd	Therapeutic Topical	Liquid Flower – Deep Relief

Tincture

1st	Tincture	Proof – Bazillion Drops
2nd	Tincture	Queen Mary – Boost
1st	Tincture – Wellness Product	Proof – CBG Elixer Drops

Edibles

1st	Edibles – Beverage	Herba Mate – Herba Mate Lemon Mint
2nd	Edibles – Beverage	Mari y Juana Beverages Co. – ¡Guava! 50mg THC Soft Drink
3rd	Edibles – Beverage	Lagunitas HiFi Sessions – Lagunitas x Absolute Xtracts – Hi-Fi Cloudberry Four Pack
4th	Edibles – Beverage	Mari y Juana Beverages Co. – iPiña! 10mg THC Soft Drink
5th	Edibles – Beverage	Bodega – Bodega Pear Cooler
1st	Edibles – Beverage Enhancer	Atlas Edibles – Alta Infused Peach Iced Tea Drink Mix
1st	Edibles – Gummies	Space Gem – Sour Spacedrops
2nd	Edibles – Gummies	P&B Kitchen – Watermelon Chili Gummies
3rd	Edibles – Gummies	Lost Farm – Yuzu Fizz Sour Dream Live Rosin Gummies
4th	Edibles – Gummies	Lost Farm – Raspberry Wedding Cake Live Resin Gummies
5th	Edibles – Gummies	West Coast Cure – Pink Lemonade Strain-Specific, Vegan, Solventless Ice Water Hash Gummy
6th	Edibles – Gummies	West Coast Cure – Blackcurrant Ashram Kush Strain-Specific, Vegan, Solventless Ice Water Hash Gummy
7th	Edibles – Gummies	Papa’s Select – Rainbow Rubble, Hint of Lychee Gummies
8th	Edibles – Gummies	Papa’s Select x Tar Hill Cannabis – Pink Lemonade Gummies
9th	Edibles – Gummies	Papa’s Select x Sunrise Mountain Farms – Grape Pie + Animal Cookies Gummies
10th	Edibles – Gummies	Bigfoot Cannabis Company – Live Resin Raspberry Lemonade Gummies
1st	Edibles – Sweet	Oui’d Confections – Bonbon Hazelnut Praliné
2nd	Edibles – Sweet	P&B Kitchen – Caramel Filled Dark Chocolates
3rd	Edibles – Sweet	Cosmic Edibles x Hash & Flowers – Plant Based Solventless Peanut Butter Breath Rosin S’Mores Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Dough
1st	Edibles – Savory	TSUMo Snacks – Chili Limon Cannabis Infused Corn Chips
1st	Edibles – Health Conscious	Queen Mary – Enchanted
2nd	Edibles – Health Conscious	FRUIT SLABS – Tropical Haze FRUIT SLABS
3rd	Edibles – Health Conscious	NUG – Sugar Free Dark Chocolate

Alternative Cannabinoids

1st	Alternative Cannabinoid Flower	Pure Beauty – Terry T x Gelato 33 (2:1 CBD)
2nd	Alternative Cannabinoid Flower	Moon Made Farms – Sungrown Mixed Ratio Flower Sapphire Tsu
3rd	Alternative Cannabinoid Flower	Heartrock Mountain Farm – Love Laughter Flower
1st	Alternative Cannabinoid – BREEDER’S CUP	Pure Beauty – Terry T x Gelato 33 (2:1 CBD)
1st	Hemp Flower	Stoney Branch Farms – Godfather OG
2nd	Hemp Flower	Flowgardens – Blue Meringue
3rd	Hemp Flower	Hemp Hop – Abacus Diesel CBD Hemp Flower
1st	Alternative Cannabinoid Edible	Space Gem – Mind Expanding Belt – Sleepy Fig
1st	Alternative Cannabinoid Beverage	Keef – Life H2O Blueberry Lemon +CBN
1st	Alternative Cannabinoid Tincture	Proof – CBG Elixer Drops
1st	Alternative Cannabinoid Cartridge	Chemistry x Emerald Spirit Botanicals – Harmony Rose Full-Spectrum 1:1 CBD Vape
1st	Hemp Derived Ingestible	Green Truth – Weedman’s Sampler Hemp Chocolates
1st	Hemp Derived Topical	Green Revolution – Solace CBD Topical
2nd	Hemp Derived Topical	Metta Hemp – CBD Full-Spectrum Topical Cream

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