With so many THCA strains available, choosing a flower for hemp tea often comes down to the aromas and flavours you enjoy most. Some varieties lean towards sweet berries or tropical fruit, while others are more citrus-led, earthy, herbal or creamy.
Before comparing those differences, it helps to understand what THCA actually is. THCA, or tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, is a naturally occurring cannabinoid found in raw cannabis plants, including hemp. In its raw form, THCA is non-psychoactive and has a different molecular structure from delta-9 THC. Delta-9 THC is the psychoactive cannabinoid associated with producing a high, whereas raw THCA does not produce the same psychoactive effects.
This guide is for THCA hemp tea drinkers who want to explore popular strains and compare their aroma, flavour, appearance and suitability for tea.
If you’re ready to buy, browse our premium US-imported THCA flower range, or contact us if you would like help choosing a flower to match your tea preferences.
What makes THCA flower strains taste different?
Different genetics produce different combinations of terpenes, cannabinoids and other naturally occurring plant compounds. Terpenes are aromatic compounds that play an important role in the smell and flavour of hemp flower, contributing notes ranging from fruit and citrus to herbs, spice and cream.
Cultivation, harvesting and curing processes can also influence the finished flower, while proper storage helps preserve its natural aroma and freshness. This helps explain how THCA flower strains with a similar THCA percentage, or similarly high THCA content, can still look, smell, and taste noticeably different as a tea.
For more information, read Choosing the Right THCA Flower for Your Daily Tea Routine. Research into THCA’s potential therapeutic properties is ongoing, but clinical evidence in humans remains limited. THCA hemp tea should not be treated as a medical product.
Our hemp tea varieties
At Kushte, we offer a wide range of high-quality THCA flowers in both Type 1 (high THCA) and Type 2 (THCA:CBD). Here are some popular strains that highlight some of the different aroma and flavour profiles available.
Each strain delivers its own combination of natural characteristics, from sweet fruit to herbs, citrus and deeper earthy notes.
| Strain | Aroma & flavour | Appearance | Tea profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Astro Cake | Sweet berry with earthy undertones | Typically dense buds, visible trichome coverage | Richer berry-led tea |
| Strawberry Guava | Strawberry, tropical fruit and sweet citrus | Typically compact buds, visible trichomes | Bright, fruit-led tea |
| Sweet Tea | Sweet, herbal, earthy and lightly woody | Typically small-to-medium buds, green tones | Subtle, sweet tea-like profile |
| White Walker OG | Earthy citrus with sweet and spicy notes | Typically compact, visible trichome coverage | Robust earthy-citrus tea |
| Candy Runtz | Sweet candy, tropical fruit and creamy notes | Often dense buds | Sweet, dessert-like tea |
| Animal Gas | Biscuit, cookie dough and deeper diesel notes | Generally dense buds, visible trichome coverage | Deeper, less fruity tea |
| Death Berry | Deep forest pine, blueberry, conifer and spice | Generally green buds, visible trichome coverage | Fruity, pine-led tea |
| Pear Effect | Sweet ripe pear with soft floral perfume | Typically compact green buds, visible trichome coverage | Light, fruit-led tea |
Natural variation means colour, density, and visible trichome coverage can differ between batches, so consider appearance alongside aroma, freshness, and laboratory information.
Astro Cake: sweet berry with earthy depth
Astro Cake is a sophisticated hybrid strain that sits on the sweeter side, with a berry-led aroma softened by subtle earthy notes.
A cross between Girl Scout Cookies and Blueberry, it suits tea drinkers who prefer fruity profiles with earthy depth over straightforward sweetness.
Strawberry Guava: tropical fruit and sweet citrus
Strawberry Guava is a hybrid strain, a cross of Strawberry Banana and Papaya, combining ripe strawberry with tropical fruit and sweet citrus.
With limonene as a main terpene in its profile, it has a bright citrus character. For hemp tea, it suits drinkers who prefer fresh, fruit-led flavours rather than deeper earthy or herbal notes.
Sweet Tea: soft and herbal
Sweet Tea takes a more understated route, combining sweetness with herbal, earthy, and lightly woody notes for a subtle, refined flavour profile.
It suits tea drinkers who prefer a more traditional herbal character over bold fruit or candy flavours.
White Walker OG: earthy citrus with spice
White Walker OG is a Type 1 flower that combines a deep, earthy base with a bright, refreshing citrus scent. An indica-dominant hybrid, it has sweet, spicy citrus notes and an earthy finish, creating a robust flavour profile.
Candy Runtz: candy sweetness and tropical fruit
Candy Runtz is a balanced hybrid strain, created from the popular Zkittlez and Gelato genetics. Its aroma is sweet and candy-like, with tropical fruit and creamy undertones alongside citrus, berry and gentle earthy notes.
For hemp tea, it suits drinkers looking for a sweeter, confectionery-style profile.
Animal Gas: biscuit, cookie dough and deeper notes
Animal Gas shows just how varied THCA strains can be. Its aroma has biscuit and cookie dough, with vanilla and earthy undertones, plus powerful diesel, chemical fuel, and pungent gas notes.
For tea drinkers who prefer deeper flavours, Animal Gas offers a clear contrast to sweeter strains such as Candy Runtz or Strawberry Guava.
Death Berry: blueberry, pine and spice
Death Berry is an indica-dominant hybrid created from Death Bubba and Blueberry genetics. Its aroma combines deep forest pine with sweet blueberry undertones, while the flavour brings together berry, conifer, and spice.
For hemp tea, it suits drinkers who enjoy fruity flavours with a deeper, more pine-led profile.
Pear Effect: sweet pear
Pear Effect is a Type 1 hybrid with a lighter, fruit-led profile. Its aroma centres on sweet ripe pear, with soft floral perfume and a candy sweetness, giving it a fresh character.
For hemp tea, it suits drinkers who want a smooth, fruit-led flavour over deeper, earthy, diesel or spice-led profiles.
Fruity, earthy or herbal: which flavour profile might suit your tea?
If you prefer sweet and fruity profiles, Astro Cake, Strawberry Guava, and Candy Runtz are good places to start. Other strains can lean toward sweet grape, berry, or tropical-fruit notes, depending on their genetics and terpene profile.
For something more herbal and understated, Sweet Tea offers softer, earthy, woody notes. White Walker OG brings earthy citrus, while Animal Gas sits at the richer end of the range.
Whether you’re exploring hemp tea for the first time or are among more experienced users familiar with different flower profiles, no single THCA flower is best for everyone. The most suitable strain depends on the aromas and flavours you personally enjoy.
What role do terpenes play?
Terpenes are naturally occurring aromatic compounds found in many plants, including hemp plants.
They are a major reason different THCA strains can smell and taste so different. Limonene, for example, contributes citrus character and is highlighted in the profile of Strawberry Guava. Other terpene combinations can contribute berry, floral, herbal, earthy, creamy or spicy notes.
For more detail on cannabinoids and terpenes, read What Is the Entourage Effect in THCA Hemp Tea?.
What should good THCA flower look like?
Depending on genetics and cultivation, THCA hemp flower may show different shades of green, occasional purple hues, orange pistils and visible trichomes. Some strains form dense buds, while others have a softer or looser structure.
Visible trichomes can create a frosted appearance, but looks alone do not determine quality. Freshness, aroma, cultivation, cannabinoid content and laboratory testing matter too.
Like other hemp-derived products, expect natural variation between flowers and batches.
How to choose THCA flower for hemp tea
When comparing varieties, start with the flavours you already know you enjoy. Consider whether you prefer fruity, citrus, herbal, earthy or creamy notes, then compare the strain’s aroma, terpene information, freshness and overall appearance.
THCA percentage provides useful cannabinoid content information, but it doesn’t tell you what the finished tea will taste like. Clear sourcing, lab-tested cannabinoid information, and product guidance also make it easier to compare different strains.
Kushte’s flowers are intended solely for hemp tea preparation. Store flowers according to the product guidance and, where appropriate, in a cool, dry, dark place to help preserve aroma and freshness.
Key takeaways: comparing THCA flower strains
Different THCA flower strains can vary considerably in aroma, flavour, appearance and terpene profile, even where their cannabinoid percentages are similar.
Fruit-led strains such as Strawberry Guava and Candy Runtz offer a very different tea profile from the softer herbal character of Sweet Tea or the earthy citrus of White Walker OG.
Choosing between them is therefore less about finding one universal “best” strain and more about finding a flavour profile that suits the kind of hemp tea you enjoy.
Explore THCA flower strains at Kushte
Kushte offers a range of premium, US-imported THCA flowers, including Type 1 and Type 2 varieties with different aromas, flavours and terpene profiles. Our flowers are naturally cultivated, lab-tested, and are intended specifically for hemp tea.
Browse the wider range to explore more of Kushte’s top strains, or contact us if you would like help choosing a flower based on your flavour preferences.
Frequently asked questions
Much of a flower’s aroma and flavour comes from its terpene profile. Different combinations of these aromatic compounds can contribute fruity, citrus, herbal, earthy, floral, creamy or spicy characteristics.
Candy Runtz has a particularly sweet, candy-like profile with tropical and creamy notes, while Strawberry Guava leans towards strawberry, tropical fruit and citrus. Astro Cake offers another berry-led option.
Not necessarily. Natural variation between plants and batches, along with cultivation, curing processes, freshness, and storage, can influence the aroma and flavour of hemp flower.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always seek guidance from a healthcare provider before starting any new supplement.
