The Gelato Strain Family
Gelato is a family, not one plant. It started with a cross by a Bay Area breeder and became a set of numbered cuts, and then a name that growers everywhere use. This page covers who made it, what the numbers mean, and why two jars labeled Gelato can be different plants.
Where Gelato came from
The Gelato strain is a legendary cannabis lineage started by Bay Area breeder Mario Guzman, also known as Mr. Sherbinski(Beard Bros Pharms article).
He created Gelato by reversing Sunset Sherbet, so that a female plant produced pollen, and crossing the resulting plant with Thin Mint GSC, formerly Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies(Beard Bros Pharms article).
What the numbers mean
Guzman says: "At first, I only knew them by the numbers because it was so good I didn't even have time to name each one."(Beard Bros Pharms article)
Guzman only gives his seal of approval to six strains in the lineage: 25 Barry Bonds, 33 Larry Bird, 41 Bacio Gelato, 43 Gello Gelato, 47 Mochi Gelato and 49 Açaí Berry Gelato(Beard Bros Pharms article).
A number identifies one selection. A package that says Gelato without a number is naming the family, not a selection.
Not every Gelato is the same plant
There are six Gelato strains approved by Sherbinski, but that does not mean others in the world were not created after he released the cross(Beard Bros Pharms article).
The study found that marijuana strain names often do not reflect a meaningful genetic identity, per its summary(strain genetics study).
So Gelato on a menu can mean the family, a numbered selection, or a cross that borrowed the name. The Runtz strain family page covers a well-known offshoot.
How to check what you are buying
- Read the exact name on the package. Gelato, Gelato 33 and Gelato 41 are not the same label.
- Ask which grower made it, and look up the lab report for that batch.
Short answers
What is the Gelato strain a cross of?
The breeder, Mario Guzman, created Gelato by reversing Sunset Sherbet and crossing the resulting plant with Thin Mint GSC(Beard Bros Pharms article).
What is the difference between Gelato #33 and Gelato #41?
They are different numbered selections of the Gelato family. Guzman says he first knew the strains only by their numbers(Beard Bros Pharms article).
Who created Gelato?
Bay Area breeder Mario Guzman, also known as Mr. Sherbinski, started the Gelato lineage(Beard Bros Pharms article).
Keep reading
Sources
- GreenState profile of Gelato breeder Mario Guzman, as reposted by Beard Bros Pharms (May 27, 2024) (read November 5, 2026): "the Gelato strain is a legendary cannabis lineage started by Bay Area breeder Mario Guzman aka Mr. Sherbinski"
- GreenState profile of Gelato breeder Mario Guzman, as reposted by Beard Bros Pharms (May 27, 2024) (read November 5, 2026): "created Gelato by reversing Sunset Sherbet, where a female plant is given chemicals to produce pollen. Male plants only typically produce pollen. Once reversed, he crossed the now male plant with Thin Mint GSC (formerly Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies)."
- GreenState profile of Gelato breeder Mario Guzman, as reposted by Beard Bros Pharms (May 27, 2024) (read November 5, 2026): "At first, I only knew them by the numbers because it was so good I didn’t even have time to name each one"
- GreenState profile of Gelato breeder Mario Guzman, as reposted by Beard Bros Pharms (May 27, 2024) (read November 5, 2026): "Guzman only gives his seal of approval to six strains in the lineage. Sherbinski-approved Gelato strains: 25 Barry Bonds 33 Larry Bird 41 Bacio Gelato 43 Gello Gelato 47 Mochi Gelato 49 Açaí Berry Gelato"
- GreenState profile of Gelato breeder Mario Guzman, as reposted by Beard Bros Pharms (May 27, 2024) (read November 5, 2026): "There are six Sherbinski-approved Gelato strains, but that doesn’t mean others in the world weren’t created after he released the cross."
- Sawler et al., “The Genetic Structure of Marijuana and Hemp,” PLOS ONE 10(8) (2015) (read November 5, 2026): "marijuana strain names often do not reflect a meaningful genetic identity"