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Cannabis Infused Beers - the next beach buddy you would want to chill with

Let's talk about cannabis-infused beers and why they are trending

04/11/2019

Now, you and your pals can roll up to a bar and order a round of beers, only to experience hazy cannabis high instead of an energizing buzz.

For those craving healthier alcohol, some breweries are already infusing their drinks with cannabidiol or CBD, the other natural compound found in cannabis and hemp plants but which has no psychoactive effect. Oregon-based Coalition Brewing makes a 5-milligram CBD-infused ‘Two Flowers IPA’ pint with 6 percent alcohol content. These won’t help you avoid calories, but initial research suggests CBD helps control epilepsy, depression, PTSD and other ailments.

Meanwhile, research published in July in the journal JAMA Pediatrics also suggested that weed smokers are ready to move to other forms of cannabis consumption where it’s legalized — adding yet another potential market for these companies.

“For us, the most socially acceptable and responsible form of cannabis consumption is through drinkables,” says Keith Villa, the founder of CERIA Brewing. “Beer is really the beverage of the everyday person.”

The global cannabis drinks market is forecast to top $5 billion by 2026. According to food and beverages consultancy Zenith Global, the cannabis drinks market in America is set to grow in value from $89 million last year to $1.4 billion over the next five years

It’s not just craft breweries looking to get into weed. In 2017, Dutch beer giant Heineken bought full ownership of California-based Lagunitas Brewing Company, which produces the Hi-Fi Hops range of THC-infused, hop-flavored beverages. Constellation Brands, the makers of Corona beer and other drinks, invested $4 billion for a 38 percent stake in the Canadian marijuana company Canopy Growth. And the Coca-Cola Co. said that while it had no interest in cannabis, it is “closely watching the growth of nonpsychoactive CBD as an ingredient in functional wellness beverages.”

In addition to CBD-infused alcoholic brews and THC-laced nonalcoholic beverages, there are also drinks that contain CBD but no alcohol. These cannabis mocktails, lemonade shots, coffees, and carbonated drinks are already on the market in states where recreational cannabis is legal. They won’t get you high but promise the health benefits of CBD.

Why Does Weed Beer Exist?

Adults in states with level cannabis binge drink on average 13 percent fewer times a month, so alcohol sales go down in states, and in the case of Canada, entire countries, with legal recreational marijuana available as an alternative. For economic purposes, beer companies need to find an appealing crossover brand to maintain their profit margin.

Consulting firms expect Canadian cannabis sales to exceed $4.34 billion in sales by then.

On top of the financial gain, a potential benefit of THC-infused beer is that it could help scores of twenty-somethings avoid getting the liver disease from binge drinking.

We are now seeing a wealth of cannabis products on the scene. One of the most popular is THC-infused beverages. These products are being marketed to drinkers and health-conscious people who do not wish to smoke to get high.

In fact, an Ontario-based company called Province Brands just created the first-ever nonalcoholic beer made entirely from the cannabis plant. Rather than being brewed with barley and then infused with THC, this beer is “brewed from the stalks, stem, and roots of the cannabis plant,” according to The Guardian. Province Labs hopes drinkers will lean on their products as a healthier substitute for booze.

“If I could create an alternative to alcohol, that’s something that would change the world,” said Dooma Wendschuh of Province Brands. “That’s something I’m very passionate about.”

Heineken-owed Lagunitas recently put a similar beverage on the market in California.

Information Source:

Forbes

OZY

Inverse

Disclaimer - The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.