Two releases crossed my desk this week, one on each side of Cannabaceae. Both hit hard. Both want the same thing from your palate.
On Call West Coast IPA
El Segundo Brewing — new Here & Now fresh taproom release.
6.2% ABV. Hops: Simcoe, El Dorado, Riwaka.
- Simcoe — classic West Coast backbone. Pine, passionfruit, grapefruit.
- El Dorado — tropical and stone fruit. Pear, watermelon, candied citrus.
- Riwaka — rare New Zealand hop, hard to source. Intensely aromatic, lime zest and fresh grapefruit. When a brewery puts Riwaka on a can, they mean it.
710 Labs Cold Creek Kush
MK Ultra × Chem 91. Indica-dominant hybrid.
~24% THC, 2.8% terpenes.
- Nose: funky Kush, diesel, gas, subtle citrus underneath.
- Effect: fast onset, euphoric head, relaxing body. Not a couch-lock. Some sativa sparkle through the indica frame.
- 710 Labs grows in-house, organic, hand-trimmed, top colas only.
Why they pair
Cannabis and hops are in the same plant family — Cannabaceae. They share aromatic terpenes: myrcene, humulene, caryophyllene. Humulene is literally named after hops. A myrcene-forward Kush next to a hop-forward IPA means the noses line up. Nothing fights.
The Riwaka does the reaching across the table. The Kush meets it halfway. El Segundo for both.