Canada’s Cannabis Beer Mixing Buds and Booze
Some people prefer using cannabis to relax or get in the right mood for a party, while others enjoy socializing with a pint of beer. But now, thanks to a new cannabis beer tincture about to become available, they may no longer have to choose!
Different combinations of weed and beer have been bouncing around for years. Some “hemp beer” brews use marijuana extracts or plant trimmings without THC to steep regular beer in an earthy, piney taste. While bud-flavored beer may sound strange, the hops that flavor beer and cannabis are actually close in genetics!
Currently, there are a few CBD-infused beers on the market, which are popular because of the beneficial CBD beer effects that they may provide.
Of course, plenty of people have been making their own pot-infused brews for a while. With the right cannabeer recipe, you can homebrew an IPA that is not only tasty but contains a powerful dose of THC.
Not everyone is excited about the marriage of buds and booze, though, which is why many commercial brews choose either alcohol or THC – rarely both.
So, let’s discuss the different types of cananbis beer tinctures available and why mixing alcohol and THC can be a risky move if not done right.
Canadian Company Brewing Bud an Alcohol-Free Cannabis Beer Tincture
The Province of Ontario recently provided a $300,000 CAD grant to Province Brands of Canada to develop a THC-infused beer. The project evidently holds high potential for scientific breakthroughs, especially given the involvement of Loyalist College in Belleville.
Unfortunately, the product is not going to be available until at least 2019, when edible cannabis products become legal in Canada.
Like any good beer, a single pint won’t be enough to put most people on their behind. Each beer features only 6.5 mg of THC, enough to give you an appropriate “buzz” but without risk of overdoing it. The THC-infused beer will also debut an alcohol-free version.
“Cannabis is by far a safer and healthier alternative to alcohol, and this is the first time in any of our lifetimes that we’re able to bring a product like that to market,” says company co-founder and CEO Dooma Wendschuch.
Such a product when released will certainly have an eager market waiting for it. Canadians spend $14 billion annually on beer, and they’re expected to spend $9 billion on cannabis by 2025.
U.S. Companies Brewing THC-Free Terpene Flavoured Hemp Beer and Offering Positive CBD Beer Effects
THC-containing beers are relatively rare, especially in the United States. But, marijuana and craft brewing have been far from strangers.
California-based Lagunitas, for instance, has partnered with AbsoluteXtracts in Santa Rosa, California, to create a terpene flavored hemp beer. Terpene extracts containing no cannabinoids are added to their SuperCritical beer, lending it an intriguing aroma and more full-bodied flavor.
A different company, Coalition Brewing in Oregon, developed a CBD-infused beer. While CBD is not psychoactive like THC, it does produce relaxing, anti-inflammatory effects. That is why many of the best marijuana strains for chronic pain, stress or arthritis often have a fair amount of CBD in them.
Unfortunately, U.S. law presents a sticking point for many brewers looking to add cannabis to their product. The state of Michigan, for example, has already introduced legislation to ban the combination of beer and cannabis. “Bartenders are required right now to judge how much a patron has had to drink,” explains Senator Rick Jones. “It’s hard enough to do with alcohol without adding in THC.”
In the meantime, beer makers seem keen to explore the relationship. Former head of the Blue Moon wheat beer brand Keith Villa is looking to develop an alcohol-less THC containing cannabis beer tincture like Province Brands’.
It’s no wonder, too. “Drinkables” – as opposed to cannabis edibles – are big business in the states.
“While cannabis beverages currently represent a sliver of the market share of state-legal marijuana products, sales of infused colas and waters have steadily increased,” reports The Cannabist. “During the first six months of 2017, cannabis beverage sales in Colorado, Oregon and Washington totaled $13 million, up 26 percent, according to BDS Analytics.”
Making Your Own Cannabeer Recipe at Home – And Why You Should Consume It Carefully
True cannabis-infused beer, as opposed to an alcohol-less cannabis beer tincture, seems to be tougher to come by. But you can make it at home using a cannabeer recipe like this one. The homebrew master who came up with recipe says you can brew weed into just about any style, but IPAs and Imperial IPAs tend to produce the best balance and flavour.
But if you’re going to drink real cannabis beer, do it responsibly. Unlike the CBD beer effects, they contain psychoactive THC. Mixing THC and alcohol makes both substances more potent, impairing you further. In rare cases, you can even develop a higher blood concentration of THC after drinking.
Marijuana also tends to make the side effects of alcohol more noticeable, including dizziness and nausea. That’s right, even though there are highly recommended weed strains for nausea, alcohol can cancel these benefits out.
Alcohol also tends to temper the clear-headedness some people can maintain even after getting totally stoned. While stoned drivers seem to have less risky driving behaviors after toking, drinking and smoking ruined both subjects’ reaction times and their coordination more than either separately.
So, if you’re going to brew a cannabeer recipe at home, make sure you stay home when you drink it!
