GasHouse isn’t just about preserving terpenes. As we found out, they are a brand that is relevant to the present time and simultaneously are a pacesetter for the legal cannabis industry.
There is a lot that goes into crafting the perfect full-flavored cannabis plant. GasHouse has taken the time to study the herb as well as the market and have found the sweet spot where potency and flavor collide.
In April 2021, Terpenes & Testing Magazine chatted with Felix Murry, chief executive officer of GasHouse Cannabis, about crucial things affecting the cannabis industry.
Felix Murry is an entrepreneur, entertainer, and cannabis brand architect. He is also a shrewd marketer, and this is evident in the businesses that he commits to. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
Felix runs GasHouse together with his business partner Kingston who is an acclaimed master grower with decades of experience. Together, Felix and Kingston have managed to build a coveted cannabis brand. Getting to where they are has taken sheer grit coupled with passion and commitment.
Entering the cannabis industry as entrepreneurs
For Felix, who’s a medicinal cannabis patient himself, cannabis is all about helping sick people who need the plant as medicine. That’s what motivated him to produce medical grade cannabis.
GasHouse was started in 2015 and within six short years, they have managed to bag six cannabis awards. However, things have not always been bright and shiny. If anything, the challenges have been significant.
Moving from suburban Atlanta to the heart of California meant many things for the duo. As much as cannabis was now legal in Cali, getting real estate and setting up the right infrastructure was a nightmare. In Cali, the learning curve is stiff, and the duo had to put a lot of effort into learning the laws, metrics, tax structures, and regulations. Felix admits that things are a bit easier now as processes are streamlined, however, there’s still a long way to go.
Creating the perfect cannabis plant
Felix remarks that they do not put anything into the market unless it’s of the best quality. This means that a lot of passion and effort goes into creating ideal cultivars that customers appreciate.
Of paramount significance, Kingston has been in the business of creating cannabis varieties for the last twenty years. He is passionate about creating experimental new varieties that have sometimes sold out in minutes. Kingston brings the expertise that’s required to create cultivars that stand out, such as the legendary Pluto plant that was grabbed up the moment it was released!
Ensuring purity and potency
“For purity, it comes down to the medium you grow in and the regimen you feed the plant. Organic materials are best in our opinion because it’s natural from the earth. We don’t use man-made pesticides or chemicals.
High potency is how we select which plants we breed and cultivate. I test the current cultivars I’m breeding to choose parents that have high potency to give a better chance of the offspring testing high.”
Pluto
“What makes Pluto unique is the terpene profile. Pluto is in a class of its own with the highest terpene profile we’ve had at the GasHouse.”
In a recent test (full results attached), limonene tested at 1.8%. Limonene is known to boost mood, relieve stress, and aid with anxiety and depression. It also has potential to treat cancer. [1]
Pluto is also very high in beta-caryophyllene testing at a 1.3%. Beta-caryophyllene is known for its pain-relieving effect and inflammation reduction. It has a scent profile of freshly cracked pepper and clove known to create a musky and spicy aroma.
Linalool is the third highest terpene in Pluto. It has a powerful effect on serotonin receptors [2], and helps treat anxiety, depression, and combats insomnia. [1] It also has potential to treat several types of cancer. It offers a floral aroma of lavender with a trace of spiciness.
Breeding experimental varieties
Kingston mainly focuses on yield, cycle time (the time it takes the plant from beginning to harvest), and potency. He adds that mostly, they “pheno-hunt.” This helps them decide which cultivar to sell and which not to. The plant must “prove itself.”
“It’s all experimental until we have the results we want.”
Preserving terpenes
GasHouse excels in the arena of terpenes, so we were very keen to hear the secret. Apparently, it is not as complicated as we expected it to be.
“Proper storage is essential to prolonged terpene preservation. Oxygen can degrade the terpene so store it in an airtight container – never store in plastic, glass is optimal. Also keep them out of the light and away from heat.”
Being minorities (BIPOC) in the cannabis industry
GasHouse is the first black-owned legal cannabis business in California, and this makes the duo noteworthy leaders and mentors to the BIPOC community.
Felix admits that, at first, it felt odd to be present at industry events and find that he and Kingston were the only black people. Generally, there has been a slow entry of the black population into the legal industry, especially in managerial positions.
Being legacy leaders gives these entrepreneurs the opportunity to mentor others wanting to get into the legal industry.
Mentoring and creating industry opportunities for people of color
People of color faced the full wrath of the “failed war on drugs.” Despite similar use rates, people of color were four times more likely to be arrested for using cannabis. Not only were they arrested, but they were also incarcerated and denied scholarships and employment opportunities for cannabis-related crimes. To make matters worse, it may be harder for people of color to access the legal cannabis market due to inherent systemic biases.
Those in the legal industry have a role to play in mentoring and creating opportunities for people of color to join the industry.
“We provide a space for Social Equity Program individuals to perform and flourish. We’re also very verbal about the shortcomings of the current Social Equity Programs, specifically the lack of funding, training, and equal access to tools these individuals can use to better themselves. It’s not enough to give them license funding with no quality training, throwing them into the fire without necessary resources to help them succeed.
We’re helping Social Equity participants by providing resources, a supportive community, and business education to help them thrive in the cannabis industry. As an example, our typical fee to consult on another cannabis brand is around $10,000 for an hour or two, but we regularly provide mentorship and consulting for free to Social Equity individuals who need it.”
Extraction at GasHouse
GasHouse places a special emphasis on the extraction process which starts with growing the herb in family-owned farms to ensure quality, purity, and high cannabinoid potency. Carbon dioxide extraction is the preferred extraction method to remove worries of residual solvents that might contaminate extracts such as butane hash oil.
Price v. Quality
When asked if GasHouse competes on pricing, Felix replied, “Not at all, we compete on quality.” This answer did not come as a surprise, given that GasHouse is a signature brand.
GasHouse is a reputable brand in the cannabis space that is known for producing top-of-the-line cannabis plants. They value terpene preservation and producing potent and flavorful varieties. However, they go beyond the physical product to make sure that their impact is felt in all facets of the industry.
References
[1] Lupoi J. The Cannabis Terpene Experience. Mace Media Group: Pismo Beach. 2020.[2] Lee BK, Jung AN, Jung YS. Linalool ameliorates memory loss and behavioral impairment induced by REM-sleep deprivation through the serotonergic pathway. Biomol Ther (Seoul). 2018;26(4):368-373. [journal impact factor = 3.433; times cited = 3]
