Blue Steel

Introduction

Blue Steel: OH BOY’s new strain coming from the Emerald Triangle, deep in the California mountains. It is an indica dominant hybrid cross between Blueberry OG (a hybrid with a relaxing high known for its anti-anxiety and anti-inflammatory effects) and The Cube (a rare indica from Exotic Genetix). If you are lucky enough to get your hands on some of this bud, you are in for a real treat. When you open the bag for the first time, get ready for the pungent and strong piney aroma with a hint of acidity and fruitiness. Take the time to admire its colorful green leaves threaded with red hairs and dusted all over with stunningly frosty trichomes all. In this review, you’ll find everything from my first impressions of these buds to an in-depth analysis of this strain’s effects and quality.

External Qualities

Initial Impressions

This bud comes packed very densely, covered in trichomes. There are three major color families in this weed: red/brown, green (of course), and white. The leaves are stringy and thin when pulled apart but thick when packed into a nug, and braided with one another as well as stuck together because of the hairs acting as Velcro. There’s an abundant amount of reddish-tan thread-like fibers weaved in and out of the constellation of green and white, and to top it all off it is dusted with a powdered-sugar white frosting as if the entire thing was dipped in kief. It smells pungent and complex, acidic with a hint of fruitiness and strong piney overtones that made me feel like I was in the forest.

All in all my initial impressions were of a top-quality strain with an incredible and unique texture, smell, and feel. I waited 30 minutes before taking my first hit (to do my visual inspection), and I could hardly wait. It’s time to smoke!

Grinding it up

This weed did not exactly want to be ground up – to begin with, it was difficult to tear apart because of its density and stickiness. It does not break cleanly or crisply, but instead seems to be sticking together due to the deeply interwoven strands of plant material and the heavy trichomes. It stays in the top compartment of the grinder for longer than any weed I have seen, an interesting and unique quality; particularly, it was interesting that even when ground, it retained its stringy thread-like quality rather than grinding into small easily identifiable leaves or mini-nugs. After it is ground up, the finished product is only about 50% green, the rest being white hairs and trichomes and of course, the light reddish tan hairs that were not only on the surface of the buds, but must have been deeply embedded within them. Another thing that I noticed was that the product from the grinder was not nearly as sticky as the original bud, which I took to be a good sign – it shows that the original buds weren’t sticky due to being wet or the product of an improper harvest, but rather just so covered in the powdery trichomes which are sticky, and not to mention, the small white Velcro-like hairs.

Photo: here is the product of one small ground up nug - notice the color and texture!

Smoking Quality

The First Hit

You light the weed and it burns evenly, slowly, and perfectly to a crisp white ash. I inhaled slowly and deeply but could not even finish the full bowl I packed for myself in a single bong hit because the smoke was so thick and went instantly to my head. It tasted strong and mildly burned as I held it in, and I exhaled a thick white cloud. I did not cough but definitely think this stuff could cause you to cough if you took enough, so be careful, it burns! The burning feeling goes away almost instantly after exhaling – you may need a minute to compose yourself, it hits fast and hard.

The High

It hits you fast and strong like a train, but its effects after it levels out are anything but chaotic. I was left with an overwhelming sense of calm, peace, and ease after my first taste test of this strain. I was incredibly relaxed, while at the same time not so lethargic to be at risk of getting couch-locked. Physically, I felt totally at ease in my body and space. I felt a sort of warmth throughout my torso for the first hour or so as well as a pulsating sensation of energy and livelihood. But its effects were not limited to the body – this strain has hugely noticeable cerebral and cognitive effects. It makes things more interesting and exciting. For example, while you may or may not get the munchies, you will indubitably get increased satisfaction and pleasure value in a well-cooked meal after smoking on this. If you have a creative project you are working on, this strain may help you to lock in and focus on it, think about it in a new way, and find a renewed sense of interest and productivity. If using for this purpose, take caution – you may become more interested in your creative project and better able to focus on it, but you also may just get relaxed, happy, and a bit tired. Either experience is good in my book!

Uses

Medicinal Value

This strain has great pain-relieving qualities if you have mild muscle or back issues due to its relaxing effects. Take a hit before bed or a bath and be prepared to bask in the warm glow after a long, stressful or painful day. If you struggle with anxiety, it may do an excellent job calming your thoughts and mind and grounding you in the present moment. It also helps with focus and motivation, provided you take action to direct its focus toward what you really want, it can intensify your engagement and attention span.

Great for Activities Like...

This is perfect for a night of hot cocoa, popcorn, and a movie at home. Smoke it before watching your favorite movie or playing your favorite video games with your buddies and prepare to have the time of your life. Perfect for right after a workout to calm your tired muscles. Due to its enhancing effect on food quality, it’s great for right before dinner – or, even better, right after dinner to renew your appetite for dessert. It’s relaxing enough to be smoked right before bed, but the relaxed effect is not lethargic, so you could feasibly smoke this in the middle of the day or morning. If you like to come home from work and hit the smoke right away, this is the perfect bud to help you sit back and unwind.

To conclude, BLUE STEEL gets an overwhelming 5/5 stars from me, without hesitation. It was ideal in its appearance, quality, and effects. If you’re searching for a true indica that will give you the relaxation and calm you’ve been looking for without locking you to the couch, search no more. OH BOY hooks it UP!!!!!!!!

BLUE STEEL ~TEAM / Staff~ Review