SUN CUP AWARDS

COURTESY WSIA

Last year’s Sun Cup Awards were presented in person at a private event in downtown Seattle on April 27, 2019. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 awards were presented via Facebook Live on June 21. Sun Cup recognizes outdoor growers

Annual cannabis awards presented online

By Kate A. Miner EVERCANNABIS CORRESPONDENT

The Washington Sungrowers Industry Association is a trade association governed by and representing cannabis farmers and processors throughout Washington. Members are dedicated to supporting sustainably-farmed outdoor cannabis, and encourage environmental and economic policy through advocacy, education and research.

For the last few years, the WSIA has also invited members to compete in the Sun Cup Invitational, which recognizes growers in 10 categories.

Judges are chosen for having a strong reputation among their peers of staying current on product knowledge and methodologies, and recognizing sungrown cannabis as a top-shelf product. Over 100 individuals applied to be judges this year, and 30 were selected. They included retail store buyers, managers, budtenders, writers, social media influencers, photographers and consumers. On average, judges had 18 years of consumption experience, with over 500 years of consumption experience combined.

The entries for flower, concentrate and cartridges were fully blinded. Other categories such as infused joints and edibles were not blinded but included branding as part of the judging. Scoring was a on a scale of 1 to 10, and included packaging, appearance, fragrance, taste, smoothness, effect and overall impression. For flower and concentrate categories, judges chose from a list of descriptors for fragrance and taste, like citrus, floral, pine and vanilla.

This year’s awards were supposed to be held in Seattle at a private venue, but like many events, the physical gathering was cancelled, and awards were presented via Facebook Live on June 21.

Proceeds from Sun Cup support WSIA’s mission and ongoing work representing cannabis farmers and processors throughout Washington.

WSIA has a seat at the table on industry advisory boards to the WSLCB, including the Quality Assurance Advisory Group, Package & Labeling Advisory Group, Traceability Advisory Group, and the Cannabis Advisory Council. The association is also active in recent legislation regarding product labeling.

WSIA encourages support through membership. To learn more, visit washingtonsungrowers.org.

Sun Cup 2020 Awards

Best Full Term THC Sungrown Flower

Winner: CannaSol Farms “Blackwater” Runners Up: CannaSol Farms “9lb Hammer Space Weed” and High Five Farms “Purple Punch”

Best Light Deprivation THC Sungrown Flower

Winner: CannaSol Farms “Lemon Meringue” Runners Up: Lazy Bee Gardens “Miracle Alien Cookies” and Lazy Bee Gardens “Powderhound”

Best CBD Flower

Winner: Buddy Boy Farm “Amazing Grace” Runners Ups: Lazy Bee Gardens “Sour Tsunami” and Puffin Farm “Dan Remy”

Best Greenhouse Grown Flower

Winner: Boggy Boon “Slurricane” Runners Up: Boggy Boon “Birthday Cake Gelato”and Buddy Boy Farm “Presidential Kush”

Best Infused Joint

Winner: Boggy Boon “Bigfoot” Runners Up: Puffin Farm “Big Bubba Dutch Trifecta” and Constellation Cannabis “Blueberry x Blueberry Solventless Hash Infused Joint”

Best Solvent Free Concentrate

Winner: Cascadia Cartel “Solventless Melonade” Runners Up: Constellation Cannabis “Gelato” and High Five Farms “Super Lemon Kush”

Best THC Cartridge

Winner: Puffin Farm “Extra Virgin Flower Oil Hindu Kush” Runners Up: Lazy Bee Gardens “Extra Virgin Flower Oil Tangie” and Lehua Brands “Haku CO2 Live Resin Berry White”

Best CBD Cartridge

Winner: Puffin Farm “Vital Roots 1:1 Hindu Kush” Runners Up: Lehua Brands “Haku Co2 Humidor 2:1 Critical Mass” and Lehua Brands “Haku Co2 Live Resin 4:1 Sour Tsunami”

Best Dab

Winner: Studhorse Mountain Xtracts “Golden Ticket #2” Runners Up: Cascadia Cartel “Live Resin Melonade” and Studhorse Mountain Xtracts “Super Silver Haze”

Best Liquid Edible

Winner: Lehua Brands “Mortimer’s Ginger Ale” Runners Up: Lehua Brands “Mortimer’s Root Beer” and Craft Elixers “Dank Chocolate Syrup”

Best Solid Edible

Winner: Green Revolution “Doozies; Mixed Flavors” Runners Up: Craft Elixirs “Lori’s Potato Chips; Roasted Garlic” and Craft Elixirs “Pioneer Squares; Watermelon Kiwi”

Outstanding Cannabis Advocate

Micah Sherman, owner of Raven Grass