Alyssa Yeoman is a stand-up comedian, writer, actor, and producer in Seattle, Washington. Alyssa is a co-host of the popular Leafly podcast, The Roll-Up, and works locally as a producer for Seattle's Naked Brunch, QTPOC Is Not A Rapper, and Unladylike at Comedy Underground, as well as the regional director for Don't Tell Comedy Seattle and host of Seattle's Moth StorySLAM. Because of Alyssa's reputation as a highlarious cannaseur, we decided to send them The Brockton to try out. This was what Alyssa had to say.
Photo by Quinn Russell Brown
When The Brockton by Parkdale Brass arrived at my door, I asked myself “Should I be wearing silk right now?” The pipe makes an immediate impression coming in a wooden box ordained with finely tied string of hemp and a wax seal with a giant gold “PB”. When you open the box there are simple 3-step instructions that show you how to simply load the bowl, close the top lid and light it from the bottom. Simple enough! — Not quite, but I will get to that soon.
Upon pulling the brass pipe from the box, I realized that it had about the weight of a medium-sized bong. The weight, as intimidating as it is, doesn’t take away from the beauty of the pipe itself. The elegant brass combined with the hard lines of where the 3 pieces of this pipe meet make you feel like you’ve received something that’s not only special, but will also last you for years to come. The durability of the pipe is obvious through the attention paid to the materials and construction of the piece. The weight and feel give you the reassurance that the pipe could be dropped and wouldn’t shatter into pieces as you may be used to with glass.
When I went to load the bowl, things got a bit more complicated. The catch in the bottom feels loose which made me pause to wonder when I would lose this. This, however, becomes less of an issue the more you smoke out of the pipe as the weed debris create the seal needed to stay in place. During the first session of smoking out of this pipe, you can taste the brass which can be off-putting but the taste fades fairly quickly with regular use. Loading the bowl can be a bit confusing as it looks to be divided into two sections and it takes a moment to figure out the level of weed necessary for the best smoking experience. Now, on my third week with this pipe, I find that overfilling can be an issue and it’s best to not go over half-way when loading flower in.
Then comes the lighting mechanism, this I found to be a pain at first. When I went to light my first bowl in this pipe, I found that getting the correct pull from the bottom took a lot of work. This could be due to the muscle memory of lighting from the top — which I found out later was a possibility via the description of the pipe on the Parkdale website. The hits I initially pulled felt like a vape which made me unsure if I was smoking it correctly since I’m used to a pipe hitting with more Mmph! Once I started lighting from the top, I found the smoking experience more pleasurable. A benefit of lighting this pipe, from top or bottom, is that it seems to preserve flower much longer than your standard pipe. Just like a vape, the Brockton crisps the flower slowly. The Brockton’s stand out feature is the ability to close the lid and save your bowl for later. It’s great for those nights you’re hoping to extend your smoking session. It truly allows you to smoke at your leisure. A friend of mine affectionately referred to it as a “steampunk vape” and I couldn’t think of a better description.
My overall thoughts on this pipe are complicated because as a collector I can see the allure of owning this pipe. It’s beautiful and it makes a statement. Parkdale Brass has marketed it as a pipe that allows you to take a break from the fast-paced world. It’s a piece that you would want to sit and smoke with intentionality with friends over an evening conversation. However, as a multiple times a day, every day smoker it is missing for me some of the utilitarian benefits of other types of pipes that allow me to partake at a whim. The style and design don’t feel intuitive or, at least, what would be the most intuitive way isn’t suggested in the only instructions provided on the box. Between having to show people how to use the pipe and its weight, it’s something I may not pull out to use in a pinch with a group of friends. Also, at $120.00 you may be getting into cannabis sommelier territory. I love having The Brockton as a part of my collection, but with usability being a top priority for me, it would not be an accessory purchase. The Brockton being brass plus its ability to disassemble into 3-parts still requires the same cleaning procedure of your standard pipe, which I assumed would be less arduous with a pipe of this caliber.
However, if you’re someone who saves cannabis to unwind at the end of the day and are looking for a smoother hit wrapped in pure elegance, The Brockton is for you.
Pros:
- Aesthetic + Durability
- Hits like your favorite vape
- You can save your weed for later
Cons
- Price is a little steep, if you’re on a budget
- Finding the sweet spot to not overpack your flower
- Learning a new lighting mechanism