Confused by Dutch terms on coffeeshop menu boards? Learn what wiet, hasj, gruis, buitenwiet, voorgedraaid, isolator, and spacecake mean, plus how counter pricing works.
Decoding the Dutch Coffeeshop Menu
Walking into an Amsterdam coffeeshop for the first time can be confusing. While most budtenders speak fluent English, menu boards and price cards often feature traditional Dutch terms, shorthand abbreviations, and metric pricing formats.
Understanding these terms helps you find the best value, avoid overpaying for hype, and order with confidence. Here is the complete glossary to reading any Amsterdam coffeeshop menu in 2026.
Dutch Cannabis Vocabulary Glossary
Dutch Term
English Translation
What It Means & What to Expect
Wiet / Nederwiet
Weed / Dutch Flower
Standard cultivated cannabis flower grown indoors in the Netherlands (e.g. Amnesia, White Widow).
Hasj / Hasjiesj
Hashish
Compressed cannabis resin blocks, traditionally imported from Morocco (Ketama/Rif) or made locally.
Gruis
Shake / Bottom Bag
Loose bits of flower and small trimmings from the bottom of curing jars. Sold at big discounts (€6–€8/g).
Buitenwiet
Outdoor-Grown Weed
Cannabis grown under natural Dutch sunlight. Lower THC (8–14%), earthier taste, and very affordable.
Voorgedraaid
Pre-Rolled Joint
A ready-to-smoke joint sold in a plastic cone tube. Available as 'Pure' (weed only) or 'Mix' (with tobacco substitute).
Puur / Pure
100% Cannabis (No Mix)
Pre-rolled joint without any tobacco or herbal blend.
Joint met tabak / Mix
Mixed Joint
Pre-roll blended with herbal mix or tobacco substitute.
Isolator / Ice-O-Lator
Ice Water Hash
Solventless extract made using ice water and filter bags. Extremely high potency (45–70% THC).
Blok / Polm
Block / Blonde Pollen
Traditional soft blonde Moroccan pressed resin. Mellow, functional, spicy terpene profile.
Spacecake / Edible
THC-Infused Pastry
Cannabis-infused brownie, muffin, or cookie. Usually contains 25mg–100mg THC. Takes 45–90 mins to kick in.
Cali / Import
California Genetics
Exotic cultivars imported from or bred from US genetics (Zkittlez, Gelato, Runtz). Top shelf prices (€20–€35/g).
Understanding Menu Pricing Formats
Dutch menus typically display prices in two distinct formats:
1. Fixed Weight Pricing (€ / Gram)
Example:
Amnesia Haze — 1g: €13.00 | 5g: €55.00
How it works:
You specify the weight in grams (e.g. "Can I please get 2 grams of Amnesia?"). Buying 5 grams often includes a 10–15% bulk discount.
2. Fixed Amount Pricing (Baggy Deals)
Example:
White Widow — €10 / €20 / €50 bag
How it works:
You ask for a monetary amount (e.g. "A €20 bag of White Widow"). The budtender weighs out the exact corresponding gram weight (e.g. 1.85g for €20).
5 Pro Tips for Ordering Like a Local
Ask to Inspect the Jars:
Don't buy blindly from the board. Budtenders are happy to let you see and smell the cannabis from the glass display jars.
Look for 'Gruis' for Budget Rolling:
If you are rolling multiple joints for a park day, ask for
gruis
(shake). It smokes great and costs half the price of pristine whole nugs.
Respect the 5-Gram Legal Limit:
By Dutch law, coffeeshops cannot sell more than
5 grams total per person per day
. Do not ask for larger quantities.
Check the Pre-Roll Label:
If you don't smoke tobacco, always verify you are ordering a
Puur (Pure)
pre-roll.
Compare Live Prices First:
Use our
Dam Guide Price Explorer
and
Live Strains Tracker
to check today's counter prices across 140+ shops before you walk in.
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