The Plug (formerly Utopia)

[Uncle Ron]

@ Rvansteel - Much depends on (1)where your greenhouse is and (2)who is in charge of it.
In this case, the answers to those two questions are
1- northern California
and
2- some of the best growers I know.
Come and give it a try, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Hi Nel,
Sorry, no offense intended, but if I may be so bold - the price for this gear...
16 Euros for a gram of Indica, and the reason given is because it came from Cali and by know growers? Huh? Tell Cali to keep their over-priced weed...
Not very good selling points - "a slipper slope" fallacy comes to mind, please read on...
... 21.25 Euro for Alaskan Mantanuska Thunderfuck because it was grown by the Yetti in the Denali National Park...
... 22.50 for Mako Green Thai because it was flowered for 20 weeks in the dense jungles of Thailand by villiage elders, all over 80yrs old...
... 19.75 for Cali Orange Bud because it's from Cali and grown by dudes...
I'm only a customer with an opinion...
Maybe this will stimulate some reasonable conversations.... wait for it.

Thanks Nel, you are one of the best...
...
Edit - do people remember when some shops began displaying THC%? What happened later on?

[Sailor59]

I'd look at it the same way I do a bottle of Scotch. My regular blend is about £14 a bottle but if I want a premium 15 yr old malt then I have to pay a shit load more. If it is cack then I don't buy again. However if it is worth almost a 100% premium then I will buy again.

The market will decide.

[Uncle Ron]

I'd look at it the same way I do a bottle of Scotch. My regular blend is about £14 a bottle but if I want a premium 15 yr old malt then I have to pay a shit load more. If it is cack then I don't buy again. However if it is worth almost a 100% premium then I will buy again.

The market will decide.

+1
No truer words spoken, along with...
... to each their own
Edit - The market in this case is broken because stoners will pay no matter the price.
Want proof? Have a look around right now...
...

[the.jetsharks]

Personally i would never begrudge paying that for a gram if it really was a top-class quality product - some of the best of the best - an if it was id be for sure snatching up 5 g's haha

I know plenty people round my way who are paying up to £15 for a gram that alot of us would think was barely average at the best of times

I see the point that your making though Ron - i think your not wrong that if it were to become a popular trend then you would start seeing the more dishonest shops using it as a marketing ploy to upsell their own products - shiiiiit maybe im just being cynical though who knows.

I wish i was able to pick up a bit of that og before it goes though, wont be over till new year an you know it'll be long gone by then but no doubt whatevers around then im sure it'll be keepin us more than happy - until next time, take care guys

[nel z bub]

@ Uncle Ron - no offense taken.

I think you'll agree that price has always been an indicator of quality on our menu and I believe this one is deserving of its premium pricing.

A truly tasty, fully organic and powerful smoke, properly trimmed and cured- and with the added factor of someone having gone to some considerable risk to get it to us- I really don't think we're taking the piss with the price.

Of course the proof will be in the smoking, so I look forward to hearing what people think when they have had a try.

Cheers

[Mack 10]

Thw wifi is some dankness. Hope i catch some of them fat nuggs.
mack.

[Wellgo]

HI nel i will be there sat. i will pop in and have a try and some others

[Uncle Ron]

@ Uncle Ron - no offense taken.
I think you'll agree that price has always been an indicator of quality on our menu and I believe this one is deserving of its premium pricing.
A truly tasty, fully organic and powerful smoke, properly trimmed and cured- and with the added factor of someone having gone to some considerable risk to get it to us- I really don't think we're taking the piss with the price.
Of course the proof will be in the smoking, so I look forward to hearing what people think when they have had a try.

Cheers

Yes, I will agree that in the case of Utopia, the price is indicative of quality. Still though...
Even the lowest priced gear is delicious in my humble and honest opinion.

I will continue to call on Utopia for chill moments and decent gear.
Happy trails...

[Dimon]

o Crap ! i want to go back to Utopia . i miss all that stuff ,it looks good and it was not there when i was there ((

[Stanky Danky]

Tell Cali to keep their over-priced weed...

Actually Cali has seen a significant drop in it's prices over the past few years, while Amsterdam's prices have seen an increase. A $55 cap on eighths is considered high in Cali dispensaries these days, and you can get eighths of bottom shelf that's better than most weed in the dam for as little as $30. If you do the math Amsterdam prices are higher than Cali. You're going to be paying $15-$18 a gram for Cali level top shelf bud in an Amsterdam coffeeshop, 18 x 3.5 = $63.

[PecosTheCat]

Looks lovely to me. I have no problem paying that kind of price for top shelf weed. The price does not seem overly high considering it is an import from the USA. Getting that stash from California to Amsterdam is quite the logistic challenge, I should think. Not to mention costly.

Last month was my first visit to Utopia, and my only regret was that I didn't spend more time there. I absolutely loved the Grapefruit Krush, which was very reasonably priced and the gram of it I bought looked suspiciously way overweight. The budtender was very nice (Nel?) and even complimented me on my camera. (I was wandering around town that afternoon, totally jetlegged and high as fuck, taking photos).

Here's a photo of the grapefruit krush. I wish I had a few ounces of that stashed away here. Really lovely taste.

[Uncle Ron]

Tell Cali to keep their over-priced weed...

Actually Cali has seen a significant drop in it's prices over the past few years, while Amsterdam's prices have seen an increase. A $55 cap on eighths is considered high in Cali dispensaries these days, and you can get eighths of bottom shelf that's better than most weed in the dam for as little as $30. If you do the math Amsterdam prices are higher than Cali. You're going to be paying $15-$18 a gram for Cali level top shelf bud in an Amsterdam coffeeshop, 18 x 3.5 = $63.

Disclaimer: My opinions are not directed at Utopia, the staff, or owners. I like the first two, don't know the owners.

I can't speak to Cali's price drop, but I can speak to exchange rates. This has a significant impact when dealing with imported goods priced in different currencies.
Ex. Today's exchange rate is 1 EUR = 1.27445 USD)
The price per gram of the White Fire OG today in dollars is $20.3192
Wait a week or two, the price will be the same in Euros but will have changed in dollars.
Two years ago, this same gear at 16E per gram would have been over $24, all due to the exchange rate, nothing else.
If the rate were 1-1, the price would still be 16E, but in dollars it would be $16.
If the rate were 1 Eur = 0.7500 USD, the price would still be 16E, but in dollars it would be $12.
I could go on, but I think my point has been somewhat made, at least I hope.

Practically anyone is capable of growing top shelf (connoisseur level) gear for less than $0.40 per gram, so over-priced may be an understatement and probably not the right adjective - fleecing may be more appropriate.
(Some) growers and (some) distributors think their time and effort is worth more than a 250% markup of their actual worth.
The math is quite simple... from <$0.40 per gram to north of $10... ridiculous. Yeah, fleecing is definitely appropriate...

So then, when will I be fleeced again? In about a month or so...
I don't like the prices, so I voice my opinion. Nothing more, nothing less...
Have a nice day everybody...
...

[spidergawd]

ron, I've just been reading and reflecting on this article, NSFF's latest posting. There must be significant cost involved in a proper modern and high tech set up that will be sensibly sized and operated and therefore acceptable to the mainstream. That is where Colorado and Washington have gone, will go it seems to me.

https://www.coffeeshopdirect.com/forum/viewt ... 17&t=22270

I shall stick with the dirt farmin meself

[Uncle Ron]

ron, I've just been reading and reflecting on this article, NSFF's latest posting. There must be significant cost involved in a proper modern and high tech set up that will be sensibly sized and operated and therefore acceptable to the mainstream. That is where Colorado and Washington have gone, will go it seems to me.

https://www.coffeeshopdirect.com/forum/viewt ... 17&t=22270

I shall stick with the dirt farmin meself

thanks...
...and as always to NSFE.

As I read the article, this popped out at me, which I like very much...
"And then they had this additional rule, which is pretty revolutionary — it's called a 70-30 rule, where 70 percent of all the marijuana that each store sells, they have to grow themselves. ... That goes a long way to eliminating the introduction of black market weed. ... Stores aren't just buying all their weed from Mexican cartels and marking it up."

...

[Addlestoner]

This was probally my favourite shop for a wake and bake, opens nice and early, has a roor beaker bottom and hot chocolate with cream oh yeah and amazing weed reasonably priced.

And my input on the white fire og is that the price it is is probally reasonable for the risk of importing it, although i agree the price is extortionate in regards to the effort of producing it, its the air miles that rack up the cost.