Coffee and cannabis are no strangers to one another, and Sprudge has been covering the intersection of the two for over a decade now. Be they events like Trichome, coffee and cannabis cafes like Landrace Origins, Tokyo Smoke, or Vigilante Coffee, the effects of consuming the two together, cannabis–infused coffees, pretty much any time the words “Amsterdam” and “coffeeshop” have appeared together in print, or my personal favorite Cupsy—the to-go coffee cup that’s actually a bong—Sprudge has been there to report on it.
And in Los Angeles, the next evolution of the coffee and cannabis experience is taking place this weekend. Higher Ground: An Exploration Of Coffee And Cannabis is an expert-led journey through the sensory experience of both, seen through the lens of the cupping table.
Taking place Sunday, March 30th, Higher Ground doubles as a launch party for Cafe Woods, the coffee shop opening next door to and part of The Woods WeHo, Woody Harrelson’s West Hollywood dispensary. It will be hosted by Budist, a cannabis social review app, as a special one-off Budist Session. The event will be led by Colleen King, a cannabis curator who previously spent over a decade in specialty coffee working for some of the biggest names like Intelligentsia, Heart, Collaborative Coffee Source, and Royal Coffee, where she worked in both education and sourcing.
Operating like a blind cupping, where tasters are given no information about the coffees before drinking them, attendees will “embark on a multi-sensory journey,” first of 10 different coffees, then 10 strains of flower, followed by 10 different hashes. At each stop, cupping methodology to evaluate flavors and aromas will be utilized. After which, the Budist team will “reveal each product and lead guests through full sommelier-led tastings.”
Coffees and teas for the event will include offerings from Madlab Coffee, Be Bright Coffee, Spirit, Standstill, and Rishi Tea. Guests will also be able to sample a variety of specialty beverage that will appear on the Cafe Woods menu like the Happy Cup, an oat milk au lait with honey, cinnamon syrup, and black salt, and the Saffron Spritz, an iced mix of saffron, eucalyptus, citrus peel, pineapple gum, tonic, and basil. There will also be complimentary pastries, because you are going to need them.
It all gets started at 10:00am on Sunday, March 30th, so it’s a true wake and bake event. Tickets for Higher Ground are $35 and can be purchased here. For more information, visit the Budist Instagram and the Higher Ground: An Exploration Of Coffee And Cannabis event page.
Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.
