A competition known as the Academy Awards of Cannabis is about to begin accepting entries for its 18th annual event.
The Emerald Cup, a popular California cannabis competition, on Thursday announced that it would be opening the submission process from Monday, January 3, 2022, to Friday, January 28, 2022.
The 2022 competition features more than 40 judged categories that include cannabis flowers, concentrates, edibles, and topicals.
This year, the Emerald Cup adds nine new classifications including sun-grown, greenhouse, pre-roll-infused—solventless extract, pre-roll-infused—solvent extract, solventless rosin cartridge, edible gummies, edible beverage enhancer, hemp-derived ingestible, most innovative product—consumable, and most innovative product—industry asset.
Founder Tim Blake says the Emerald Cup Harvest Ball on December 11-12 was the official start of the Emerald Cup competition.
The event took place at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa, California.
“Over the next six weeks, contestants can submit their entries,” says Blake. “I feel like a kid at Christmas waiting to see all the latest flowers and products from the best of the best our community has to offer up. I’m never disappointed. Our Emerald Cup Awards ceremony will be a stellar moment for all the contestants. We’ll broadcast the ceremony across the United States and to a global audience and rock LA with the finest cannabis flowers and products in the world.”
An Emerald Cup press release describes the event as a transparent and trusted chance for California’s best cultivators, extractors, movers, shakers, and cool-product-makers to place their best head-to-head against the rest.
According to the organization, the annual event is constantly evolving and fine-tuning its approach to judging, and there are significant changes for the next edition based on testing advancements.
Last year, the Emerald Cup’s 12-year testing partner SC Labs debuted a new terpene data technology in the judging process, allowing for a better understanding and appreciation for cannabis’ diverse chemistry and chemotypes.
According to the Emerald Cup, judges use SC Labs’ sorting process to rate similar terpene profiles and choose a best-in-class winner for each.
The Emerald Cup will announce winners at an in-person formal ceremony in Los Angeles in the spring with an accompanying virtual broadcast.
Official 2022 Emerald Cup Competition & Awards Categories
FLOWER:
- Sungrown – BREEDER’S CUP
- Mixed Light – BREEDER’S CUP
- Sungrown Greenhouse – NEW FOR 2022
- Indoor – BREEDER’S CUP
- 3rd Party Certified – Sungrown
- 3rd Party Certified – Mixed Light
- Personal Use Flower
PRE ROLL:
- Pre Roll – Non Infused
- Pre Roll – Infused – Solventless Extract – NEW FOR 2022
- Pre Roll – Infused – Solvent Extract – NEW FOR 2022
SOLVENTLESS CONCENTRATE:
- Ice Water Hash
- Rosin
- Personal Use Ice Water Hash/Rosin
- SOLVENT CONCENTRATE:
- Hydrocarbon – Liquid
- Hydrocarbon – Solid
CARTRIDGE:
- Solventless Rosin
- Distillate
- Live Resin
CO2 INFUSED:
- Edible – Sweet
- Edible – Savory
- Edible – Gummies – NEW FOR 2022
- Edible – Beverage
- Edible – Beverage Enhancer – NEW FOR 2022
Tincture:
- Topical – Therapeutic
- Topical – Cosmetic
- Personal Use Topical
ALTERNATIVE CANNABINOIDS:
(Now including CBD, CBG, CBN, etc)
- Flower – BREEDER’S CUP
- Hemp CBD Flower
- Hemp Derived Ingestible – NEW FOR 2022
- Hemp Derived Topical
- Edible
- Beverage
- Tincture
- Topical
- Cartridge
PLUS:
- Most Innovative Product – Consumable
- Most Innovative Product – Industry Asset
- Eco Conscious Indoor Cultivation Award
- Eco Conscious Packaging Award
- Photo Contest – Professional
- Photo Contest – Amateur
