SF DESSERT SPARK (2014)
Mario Guzman, better known as Sherbinski, reversed Sunset Sherbert and crossed it with Thin Mint GSC, creating a set of feminized seeds. Each pheno was carefully numbered, carrying both creamy sherb terpenes and Cookie Fam gas. This set the stage for one of the most influential hunts in modern cannabis.
COOKIE FAM TASTE TEST
Soon after, the Cookie Fam assembled—Jigga, Pie Guy, Berner, Cookie Monster, Stinje, E-bayz, Ray Bama, S-Flux, F1 Durban, and others. Dozens of phenos (numbers 33, 41, 45, 47, 49, etc.) were smoked and scored. Out of this ballot came six keepers: number 25 “Barry Bonds,” number 33 “Larry Bird,” number 41 “Bacio,” number 43 “Gello,” number 47 “Mochi,” and number 49 “Açaí.” These became the backbone of Gelato and sparked the dessert wave.
DESSERT ROYALTY
While OG Kush dominated Southern California in the 2000s and Sour Diesel defined New York, Gelato carved its own lane. Its creamy, candy, and gassy terp profile—often on purple-tinged buds—set the blueprint for the candy era of cannabis.
STRAIN OF THE YEAR
In 2018, Leafly named Gelato its first “Strain of the Year.” Its descendants carried the crown forward: Runtz in 2020, Jealousy in 2022, and Permanent Marker in 2023. Each child strain extended Gelato’s legacy into the global spotlight.
THE DESSERT TREE
Key descendants include:
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Runtz = Gelato × Zkittlez → a candy gas crossover
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Ice Cream Cake = Wedding Cake × Gelato number 33 → a bakery-style dessert smoke
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Gelonade = Lemon Tree × Gelato number 41 → a citrus candy Cup winner
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Biscotti = SF OG × Gelato number 25 → heavy gas balanced with dessert sweetness
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Jealousy = Sherbert BX1 × Gelato number 41 → dessert gas potency with hype appeal
MARKET MATH
By 2023, Lemon Cherry Gelato exploded in California, climbing from 0.05% to 0.8% of total flower sales (a sixteenfold increase). It also became the most demanded strain in the traditional market and the most rebranded name across both licensed and unlicensed markets, with entire brands built on its label.
FLAVOR SCIENCE
Lab testing identified Bacio number 41 as one of the gassiest cultivars recorded across a dataset of more than 10,000 flower samples, proving Gelato’s potency matched its hype.
CULTURE CROWN
Rap music turned Gelato into a cultural symbol. Young Dolph named a mixtape “Gelato” (2017). Migos rapped “sit back & smoke Gelato” on Calvin Harris’ “Slide,” a track with nearly a billion streams. Future, Young Thug, and Gunna flaunted it on “Unicorn Purp.” UK drillers Nafe Smallz and D-Block Europe recorded tracks dedicated to Gelato number 41.
LIFESTYLE LANE
In 2019, Mario Guzman launched Sherbinskis on Fairfax, painting the street orange. The flagship store combined fashion, cannabis, and exclusivity. Sherbinskis jars and vapes reflected upscale branding, orange packaging, and premium design. Gelato was no longer just smoked—it was worn, streamed, and collected.
GLOBAL LEGACY
Gelato is now arguably the most widely recognized strain in the modern cannabis era. From pheno hunts to rap lyrics, from retail shelves to the streets, Gelato did not just spark the dessert era—it crowned it.
YOUTUBE VIDEO
— Nugg Notes
sources:
• GreenState — “Famed Gelato strain breeder clears the air”: Sherbinski explains reversing Sunset Sherbert → hitting Thin Mint GSC; lists the six official Gelato phenos. 
• @berner415 Instagram — “Gelato! Taste test! #45 of 54!”: The taste test receipt you can screenshot (caption shows “#45 of 54” & the parent cross). 
• Leafly — Strain of the Year Winners: Confirms Gelato (2018), Runtz (2020), Jealousy (2022), Permanent Marker (2023). 
• Leafly — “The 12 best Gelato crosses of all time”: Lineage receipts for Runtz, Ice Cream Cake, Gelonade, Biscotti, Jealousy, etc. 
• BDSA (PDF) — “Strain Dynamics in the California Cannabis Flower Market”: Lemon Cherry Gelato share 0.05% → 0.8% (Q1’21→Q1’23) chart/text. 
• Abstrax — “Bacio Gelato: the gassiest ever measured”: Lab claim on Bacio #41 + context for non-terpenoid “candy/gas” aroma. 
• High Times — “Sherbinskis Opens US Flagship in LA (Fairfax)”: Lifestyle/retail moment (2019 flagship). 
• @sherbinskis415 x instagram profile
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