Hola, comrade! Today, we’ll dive together into the fascinating history of a strain that became a true symbol of strength and resin in the world of knockout weed. I’m talking about Gorilla Glue, also known as GG4. This strain won the hearts of millions of users thanks to its indescribable potency, aroma, and flavor.
Think of it as a fascinating journey to learn how this famous strain became what it is today. I’ll tell you about its origins, characteristics, and impact on the world. Ready to learn more? Let’s get started!
The forum brotherhood
Gorilla Glue is an American brand of polyurethane adhesives based in Sharonville, Ohio. The company is known for its original Gorilla Glue adhesive, first sold in 1994… Wait! What? We’re talking about cannabis.
Our story began in 2009, when Don Peabody, who went by Josey Wales, registered on the ICMag (International Cannagraphic Magazine) online forum as Grizz and began making new friends. Good genetics were hard to get at the time because most breeders didn’t share them. But he managed to befriend two growers on the forum, Greyskull and Zoolander. They offered Josey several clones, and he started growing.
As you understand, they all used aliases because cannabis was still illegal in the US at the federal level and in some states. You could get into serious trouble.
One day, the guys met in a parking lot in Bristow, California, to exchange plants. They had clones of Sour Dubb, a Sour Diesel x Sour Bubble cross, and what they thought was a Chem Diesel clone. But the plant was actually mislabeled and turned out to be Chem’s Sister. Around the same time, Josey got Chocolate Diesel. Those three plants became the foundation of all their work. Imagine: this guy took a twenty-year break, then somehow joined the cannabis community and got his hands on the top genetics of the time.
So he was growing those 3 strains, and it was wonderful. He experimented, propagating Sour Dubb, Chem Sis, a.k.a. Chem’s Sister, and Choco Diesel. Around then, he also gained a partner: Lone Watty, whose real name was Ross Johnson. He joined the hybrid work and worked his magic on a Chem Sis x Sour Dubb cross.
Ah, Josey and Lone. They had some security problems, and at one point there was a risk the cops might show up. So they moved those eighty plants to a friend’s place. And, you know, moving plants around like that stresses them out. Then, a day later, once the danger had passed, they moved the plants back to their original room. Of course, the stress of two moves caused problems in the form of hermaphrodites.
Since herms look like females apart from a few anthers, they went unnoticed and pollinated the entire room. That’s far from the best outcome when you’re planning to make money from your project. The guys were shocked. In the end, they gave away most of the cannabis because it was full of seeds. People who grow understand that the more you move your plants, the more stress you cause them. Few people haul eighty plants to a friend’s place when growing for income. So it was a difficult situation. But you know what? At least they made the best decision and gave away the seeds so people could grow their own stash.
So yes, it was a small tragedy. But some triumph came out of it. And fortunately, Josey’s good friend Marlon, a.k.a. Mardogg, saved some of those seeds. A year and a half later, the guys started a new cycle with them. It’s amazing. They forgot about the seeds for a year and a half, then went: “Why not do it? You know, it’s been so long, why not?”
The Gorilla’s journey
That’s how they started working with the seeds from Chocolate Diesel. From 5 or 6 seeds, they ended up with 4 females, one of which was a short plant almost identical to Sour Dubb and was later rejected. The three remaining plants were Gorilla Glue 1, a.k.a. Sister Glue, Gorilla Glue 2, and Gorilla Glue 4, a.k.a. Original Glue.
According to legend, the name Gorilla Glue came from a funny incident when resin from the first batch of Gorilla Glue 4 accidentally stuck a telephone handset to Josey’s hand.
Probably one thing everyone would like to do is come up with a name for their own strain. It’s simple, but it’s an honor to name something you’ve grown or created. It’s also interesting that the name GG4 tells us there was a first one besides the fourth, which they threw away. In other words, there were several options, and this particular one was the winner.
For example, the sisters of the famous Bruce Banner #3 were surely big too. You try different The observable traits of a plant, such as its height, leaf shape or colour. phenotypes ↗, and it’s not that some were bad, no. This one is simply the clear winner. And the story about the stuck telephone brings us back to how great it is to name your own strain.
When the guys realized they had something special in GG4, they decided to generously share clones with their grower friends. But they had one condition: the strain would always be passed on for free. It’s a kind of ode to the ICMag school. Josey wanted to show the same generous spirit Greyskull and Zoolander had shown him.
These highly respected gifts were used in numerous breeding successes. Just look at the first crosses, Strawberry Glue, Glue Orangutan, Early Glue, and all kinds of other versions. All thanks to Josey finding those forums with guys who bred. He came back and offered a new development: “Hey, if you want it, let me know. I’ll give it to you for free.” It was a success.
It’s like a way of life based on “pay it forward.” Josey managed to find something excellent because someone helped him. Now he decided to see where it would go next, what it would become, and how it would develop.
In the following years, the clone gained a stellar reputation among both the growers lucky enough to get it and bud connoisseurs, as well as hash producers. That reputation was strengthened in 2014 when GG4 took first place at the High Times Cup in Michigan and Los Angeles, much to Josey and Lone Watty’s surprise. They didn’t know it then, but this would be only the first of many trophies to follow in the coming years.
Originally, when the guys created the strain, they called it Gorilla Glue 4. In 2017, a trademark dispute forced a name change, and the strain is now listed as GG4 or Original Glue.
Recent events
As the legal medical and recreational cannabis sector developed, Josey and Watty brought in a skilled specialist, Catherine Franklin, to help with operations, marketing, and protecting the interests of GG Strains LLC’s cultivators. In 2015, the guys established GG Strains in Sin City, Las Vegas, Nevada, to operate officially.
The guys also created several amazing genetic clones exclusively for certified partners, such as New Glue (GG5), Sister Glue (GG1), Purple Glue, GlueChee, I Do “Glue,” and many more!
In 2014, GG4 was entered in the High Times Medical Cannabis Cup in San Bernardino, Los Angeles, with the goal of placing in the top three. But once again, things turned out differently: Original Glue (GG4) took first place!
Later that same year, Original Glue (GG4) entered the High Times Cup Michigan, taking first place for the second time. Notably, the buds also took first, third, and fourth places in different categories at the High Times Jamaica World Cup, and first place among sativa strains at the High Times Cup Oklahoma in October 2019.
Original Glue’s legacy lived on, leaving an indelible mark on the cannabis industry despite the spread of counterfeit Glue strains, which prompted Josey to formally establish GG Strains and protect its intellectual property.
Together with Catherine Franklin, Josey developed a five-year plan to create new GG hybrids, and in 2019 he passed the torch to a young producer.
GG1 is still guarded very carefully by the GG Strains team and remains entrusted to few people. However, GG1 was crossed with GG4 to produce GG5, also known as “New Glue.” GG2 was entrusted to a Michigan producer but, unfortunately, was lost at some point. That’s why very little is known about it now.
Josey Wales died on May 6, 2022, in Las Vegas at the age of 69. Sadly, the cannabis community also lost Watty less than a year before Josey’s death, at the age of 61. These losses marked the end of another remarkable chapter of cannabis breeding and innovation.
Despite all the adversity, the legacy of their joint work continues to flourish through the strains they created and GG Strains’ ongoing efforts to preserve its founders’ legacy by creating strains and collaborating with other breeders.
Characteristics of the original Gorilla Glue #4
Let’s get acquainted with the original Gorilla Glue 4 phenotype’s expression. It’s a sativa-dominant hybrid that has won many awards and is known for its high THC content.
Appearance: Gorilla boasts rich, captivating coloration. Each individual flower proudly displays its unique natural shape, covered in abundant trichomes that seem to dance and shine when the light hits them. They are decorated with rich golden pistils.
Flavor and aroma: The aroma is very strong, mainly diesel, with chocolate and coffee notes. Sometimes you can even notice slightly sweet and earthy hints.
Distinguishing features: It can glue your hands together.
Welcome to the jungle!
Well, today we learned the fascinating story of GG4’s creation. The path of the guys at GG Strains and their friends led through many trials and difficulties. Once again, this highlights the importance of a tolerant community and an unrelenting drive for discovery in cannabis culture. I hope this material helps growers in their efforts to spread knowledge about this incredible plant and gives breeders a push to create amazing new strains.
Good luck to you!
Sources: publicly available publications about the company and the strain.
