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For Sand Castle Hash, the future of cannabis extract is solvent-free.
When recreational use became legal, rechargeable pens were often complimentary when purchasing a 510 cartridge, and companies making disposable, all-in-one vapes—as well as proprietary pen-cartridge combos—were elbowing each other for shelf space. The hottest fad in cannabis, it seemed then, was extract or concentrate vaporization, and most products were made with volatile and/or toxic solvents.
Extraction technology has come a long way since then, but Sand Castle Hash used a more traditional approach when developing its newly debuted disposable and rechargeable vape pens named Shorty (after the popular Tillamook County surfing destination, Short Sand Beach). The brand eschewed solvents altogether, instead filling its vapes with live rosin—a solventless extract derived using only heat and pressure.
Over the course of a week, I tried three different varieties of Shorty: MAC, Chemdawg and Strawberry Guava, each containing a half-gram (or 150 hits) of extracted hash oil—with each hit delivering around 5 milligrams of THC. The goal of my experiment was to see whether I could swap out my daily joints with discreet puffs of hash oil from these palm-sized vape pens. Here are the results:
MAC
MAC, aka Miracle Alien Cookies, is a super-balanced cultivar that typically delivers light, syrupy physical effects and a mildly euphoric head high. After three deep draws, I caught an upbeat vibe shift that was precisely what I anticipated and needed for a Saturday afternoon spent exploring the Salem Center mall, which was surprisingly busy even though its vacancy rate seems to indicate eventual obsolescence. While the onset nearly overwhelmed, the high quickly mellowed into light, attentive bliss—the perfect mood for navigating the late-capitalist hellscape of a dying shopping center.
Bottom line: Great for urban exploration.
Chemdawg
This cultivar sits on the more relaxed end of the spectrum, so I thought it might pair well with my chiropractor appointment. I took a few sips of the Shorty approximately one hour before the session, and by the time I arrived I felt almost too chill to identify any pain points for my doctor. When we moved to the acupuncture table, rather than tightening with anxiety like I normally would, Chemdawg’s velvety body effects kept me loose. In fact, I was lulled into a half-sleep by the time the first needle pierced my skin. When the appointment concluded, there was no lingering grogginess—just cheerful relaxation. I still cringe when I think about acupuncture, but my emotional support Chemdawg Shorty can now keep me from blowing off any more appointments due to needle anxiety.
Bottom line: The ultimate relaxer for the perpetually uptight.
Strawberry Guava
The Shorty that took me on the creamiest ride was Strawberry Guava, a potent strawberry phenotype that delivered a dreamy, euphoric head high and cushy body buzz. I puffed this Shorty before brunch with a girlfriend. Strawberry Guava kept me both engaged in conversation and thoughtful, which meant I was super-intentionally connecting with my homegirl. It was like the high dissolved my pretense so I could be present with my friend. Bonus: As the high waned, I developed some next-level munchies, which really helped me clear that brunch plate.
Bottom line: An excellent brunch date pregame.