Getting funky with Astro Hippie and ProGro

Last week, GRiZ, a DJ, music producer, lifelong stoner and Southfield native, launched the newest line of products for his cannabis brand, Astro Hippie, in collaboration with Lansing’s PG Group. The product drop includes two strains, Frankie’s Favorite and Mint Moon Goo. 

Frankie’s Favorite (Secret Stash #2) | 27% THC | $40/3.5g

Named after GRiZ’s beloved bernedoodle puppy, Frankie’s Favorite is spicy, sweet and, honestly, one of my new favorite weed strains. In the bag, this hybrid strain smells earthy and downright funky. The buds are forest green with dark blue leaves and highlights of light orange hairs, and they  become a perfectly fluffy consistency after going through my grinder, perfect for a smooth bong rip. 

The taste of Frankie’s Favorite is complex and delicious. When inhaled, my mouth feels tingly — almost like I’ve eaten something with a decent amount of freshly cracked black pepper. However, the flavor is sweet yet flowery, reminiscent of fresh lavender. To quote a friend who smoked the strain with me, “I’ll actually remember how this tastes. It’s been a while since I’ve smoked weed with a positive, memorable taste.” 

The packaging is also memorable. The “Griz-loc” mylar bags are inspired by the good old days of acquiring cannabis, when you would receive bud in a Ziploc sandwich bag from your go-to connection. It’s nostalgic, but it also makes me think of how far Michigan’s cannabis industry has come since I first started smoking weed — and how far it has yet to go. 

Frankie’s Favorite is also available as a 1-gram live resin cartridge. I have a rule that I only use carts when I’m out and about as a way of convenience, but honestly, I’ve been puffing on this one since I took it out of the box. Each hit is tastier and smoother than the last. After a few puffs, I feel relaxed and giggly but focused at the same time. It’s a great strain to smoke as I log more hours on my Nintendo Switch playing “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.”

Mint Moon Goo live resin cartridge | 87.6% THC | $40/g

Mint Moon Goo is a minty-fresh take on Astro Hippie’s previously released Moon Goo strain. With terpene levels testing a little over 8%, this strain is a great option for folks who are hunting for flavor. The minty taste is refreshing but not overpowering. When I let my friend hit my pen, they said it tasted a bit like oranges. I think they were a little high at the time, but there are definitely fruity undertones. 

After a few puffs, my wife and I strolled down to the Allen Neighborhood Center for its weekly outdoor farmers market. I felt relaxed and at ease as we walked among the dozens of vendors. Feeling snacky, we grabbed a jar of homemade roasted strawberry and chamomile jelly from Naughty Goat Farm & Bakery and put it on every cracker we had in our pantry once we got home. 

One of the things I really like about these cartridges is that they’re made of ceramic, which is more porous than metal, meaning the live resin is better absorbed than with metal cartridges. You get a fuller flavor profile and a better overall taste. High-grade ceramic is also purer than other materials like metal, so it’s usually free of contaminants that can tint the taste of what you’re inhaling. Further, since ceramic cartridges don’t use cotton for heat, it eliminates the possibility of the nasty burnt taste that’s not uncommon with metal carts. 

Lansing-area stoners can blast over to any Pure Options location and try out these two new strains for themselves. Folks outside Lansing’s orbit can check out Weedmaps or astrohippie.com to find other retailers carrying Astro Hippie products.