Good Chemistry is a dual 21+ medical/recreational shop nestled on Colfax near the state Capitol. (The Cannabist)

Good Chemistry (recreational review by The Ombudsman)

(Review continued)

It had a wonderful texture, with just the right amount of give and moisture to make a perfect joint. Aesthetically, the bud was appealing, though the trim job was a little shaggy for my taste. The trichomes were tall and apparent, seemingly well-preserved despite being crammed into the smallish black mylar bag that contained it. The whole gram was made up of a single nug, so I opted to just roll it up into a slim cone using some RAW organic papers.

The smell that came out of the grinder as I pulverized the bud was intoxicating. I love a good Jack Herer, which is an increasingly rare strain to see in the modern world of cannabis, and this particular phenotype leans toward the sweet Haze-Skunk side of the spectrum with its lightly citrusy, sweet, creamy scent.

As I rolled the joint, I noticed the presence of several tiny pinhead-sized immature seeds, which turned out to be spread throughout the broken-up bud. This is a common problem in large grow rooms, as even a single male or intersex plant can pollinate an entire warehouse if left unchecked. These seeds were very small and in my experience don’t severely affect the smokeability of the sample, but obviously it’s a fairly major flaw in an otherwise well-grown product.


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I took a “dry hit” on the joint and got the exact same delicious sativa qualities from the smell, but when I lit it up, the flavor really only lasted for four or five hits before it became muddy and slightly bitter. My throat wasn’t bothered by the smoke at all and it was otherwise pleasurable, but I was underwhelmed with the way it tasted compared with how good it smelled and looked. Those tiny seeds might have proven to be its downfall, as I think they were primarily responsible for the degradation in flavor. The joint burned away to a medium light gray ash, showing that prior to harvest it had received a good flush, which helps to remove residual nutrients.

The XJ-13’s effects were smooth and uplifting, filling my body with a light bussing energy and my mind with near-racing thoughts. This strain would be a good choice when productivity is desired, though at high dosages, I could see it getting a little scatterbrained or frantic.

It didn’t seem to do a whole lot for my usual back tension, but it also didn’t aggravate it as some uppy sativa varieties can do. I’d rank it as a 6/10 on the potency scale overall, as it just didn’t change my headspace much at all and faded out of my consciousness after about 45 minutes.


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Sometimes the saying “you get what you pay for” holds true, but I don’t think that’s the case for much of the super-inflated Colorado recreational cannabis market. With shops selling their standard product at over $60 per eighth all over town, I haven’t seen more than a handful of them that actually have a truly high-grade product to justify those exorbitant fees.

Compare those shops to Good Chemistry, which prices the entire store far below the market average, yet offers an above-average product. For former red card holders bristling at the prices of recreational weed and those who are simply on a tight budget, Good Chemistry is a great option.

Though GC didn’t have 50 strains like some shops (like a good basketball coach, the menu runs a tight rotation of approximately 12 strains), they had a wide enough range of options to make me feel like I had a real choice, and all of them were solid. The lack of concentrates is troubling, but I’m hopeful it’s a temporary condition as the concentrate companies around the state continue to acquire their recreational licenses.

The lowdown

Good Chemistry isn’t a budget store, even though your wallet will feel like it is. They offer a well-grown product that ranks above the 50th percentile of dispensary weed, but are doing it at a much more reasonable rate than anyone else in town right now (as far as I’m aware).

It pleased me to see a shop consciously leading the charge on lowering prices even though they could easily continue getting more money for their products. It speaks to a basic fairness and ethic that they have always seemed to espouse (GC was the first medical dispensary to cap all eighths at $25 as well).

For customers who appreciate a fair deal, there isn’t a better place in town to spend your $30; for customers looking for the absolute best of the best, you might be best served shelling out $70 at another shop.

The must-try: I really enjoyed my XJ-13, but the shop has also drawn praise for the Sour Diesel and Blue Dream, all priced fairly at $15 per gram, $30 per eighth, and $240 per ounce (all plus tax) for recreational customers.

The lasting impression: I was glad to see a rec shop lowering prices, and even more glad that their weed wasn’t terrible. It was a quick, easy and satisfying shopping experience.