Sherbanger

At the 2023 Zalympix Northeast, a competition in the northeastern United States, Sherbanger won the award for best looking flower and took 2nd place in the taste category. In January 2024, the Farmers Cup in San Diego awarded best aroma among home-grown specialty prerolls to an entry called Sherbanger 22. The strain crosses Sunset Sherbet with Headbanger and comes from Boston Roots Seed Co.

Genetics and Origin:

It was bred in Massachusetts. In 2019 the seeds went to Northern California, where NorCal's Garden raised the line and selected plant number 22. This cutting circulates as Sherbanger #22, Sherbanger 22 or Sherbanger No. 22. Headbanger comes from Karma Genetics and traces back to Sour Diesel and Biker Kush. Some strain descriptions also list Karma Genetics as the breeder of Sherbanger, while one cutting vendor names NorCal's Garden. Two descriptions classify the strain as a balanced hybrid with 50% indica and 50% sativa each, one review considers it indica-dominant.

Bloom Seed Co used pollen from a Sherbanger male from Boston Roots for, among others, Candy Fumez and Black Maple. Further descendants include Bangerang by Alchemy Genetics and Gangbanger by Swordzman. Together the two breeders released an F2, for which cutting #22 was pollinated with a male from the original seed stock. A grow operation selected phenotype #160 from this cross, which according to its description leans more toward Headbanger and smells cheesy and chemical.

Aroma and Flavor:

Blueberry and fuel dominate the smell. The breeder compares it to blueberry muffins and sharp gasoline, other descriptions add sour diesel, creamy sweetness and citrus. One review finds earthy Kush funk and woody gas notes beneath the fruit, along with a hint of menthol and a slightly meaty note. In flavor, blueberry, diesel and sourness stand out. Individual reports mention grapefruit, orange peel, spicy tea notes or wood, while one strain description notes apricot and floral notes.

THC Content:

Strain descriptions list 20 to 22% THC. Grow operations report higher values for their harvests, one 24 to 27%, another 29 to 32%.

Lab Results:

A single measurement from SC Labs, 2024 on a flower sample of Sherbanger 22 is publicly available. It found 31.7% THCA and 1.8% Δ9-THC, plus 0.2% CBG. Cannabinoids totaled 35.07%, terpenes 2.85%; the report does not list shares of individual terpenes. In profile data from grow operations, β-caryophyllene ranks first, followed depending on the operation by limonene, myrcene, humulene or linalool. One strain description orders differently and lists limonene ahead of pinene and caryophyllene. One producer states the total terpene content of its harvests at 2.9 to 3.0%.

Effects:

According to experience reports, the effect sets in quickly and starts in the head. Reports describe euphoria and good mood, talkativeness and giddiness, along with clear-headed thinking and creative drive. Physically, reports describe relaxation and tingling.

Accounts diverge on the further course. Some reports call Sherbanger balanced and non-sedating, others describe two phases in which the alert onset is followed by heavy physical relaxation leading to drowsiness. Accompanying effects mentioned include dry and red eyes, a pressure sensation behind the eyes, slight dizziness and headache. One report describes nervousness and an unpleasant taste and attributes both to the batch from a particular producer.

Cultivation:

For cutting #22, one vendor states a flowering time of 67 to 70 days, another estimates 8 to 9 weeks. According to the first, the plant continues to grow vigorously up to flowering week 4 without stretching excessively, forming internodes at medium spacing that let in air and light. The same vendor describes it as resistant to pests and mold. Both vendors rate the yield as medium.

From flowering week 6 to 7 onward, the buds can turn purple, according to the vendor favored by night temperatures of no more than 64°F (nearly 18°C) in late flowering. The buds grow dense and carry abundant resin, whose suitability for hash and rosin several descriptions highlight.

Versions from Different Breeders:

Boston Roots Seed Co released Sherbanger as regular seed, and together with Bloom Seed Co followed with the likewise regular F2. Feminized versions from other seed companies carry the same name, and their figures sometimes differ significantly:

• Sacred Terps (Sherbanger #22): 65 to 70 days flowering.
• Seedsman: 9 to 11 weeks flowering, indoor 450 to 600 g/m², outdoor 450 to 750 g per plant, at least 25% THC; vigorous growth with noticeable stretch, good response to topping and SCROG.
• Captain Seeds: 8 to 9 weeks, 450 to 550 g/m², indoor 90 to 160 cm tall, 20 to 24% THC and 0.1 to 0.5% CBD; medium stretch.
• Crop King Seeds: 8 to 9 weeks, 20 to 22% THC, outdoor harvest in mid-October.