Hey It's Cory! If you haven't met me in store, be sure to check out my last blog post on some of my favourite Sativa Strains. Lately I have noticed that there has been a lot of curiosity surrounding cannabis beverages. As a result, I have decided to write a short article describing a few of the drinks to help people have a better understanding. I would also like to mention that I have personally tried each drink I will be discussing. Keep in mind this is not a ranking list, it is just a short summary of a few main points such as flavour, strength, and affect. With any luck this will help everyone have a better understanding of the cannabis / THC drinks available in Ontario recreational cannabis market.
Before we jump into the beverages, I would like to take a moment to explain how they work. If you have ever tried and enjoyed cannabis edibles, then you will most likely enjoy cannabis beverages as well. Edibles have an on-set of roughly one to two hours. They can last up to eight hours depending on your body chemistry, tolerance, and how much you consume. Cannabis beverages work just a little bit different. They have an on-set of five to fifteen minutes and can last for about one to two hours. One or two will have some light affects. Four or five will have a much more noticeable affect, depending on dose and individual tolerance.
I should also mention that your smoking/vaping tolerance is different from your edible/beverage tolerance. If your thinking of trying beverages for the first time I would highly recommend starting with a lower dose beverage. Start low and go slow! Luckily with beverages you do not have to wait as long to feel anything. This makes it much easier to figure out what a good, safe, and enjoyable dose is.
Houseplant – I would like to start with the Houseplant beverages. They come in a 355ml can and contain 2.5mg of THC. They are also sugar free! One of the main reasons I enjoy these drinks so much is because of the flavour. There are two choices so far. Lemon Sparkling Water and Grapefruit Sparkling Water. They are both sativa dominant which gives the affect more of a happy, uplifting buzz.
Tweed – There are three different drinks I have tried from Tweed. First is the sativa dominant, Houndstooth & Soda. It comes in a tall-boy style 355ml can and contains 2mg of THC. This is a flavourless, carbonated water. I personally enjoy adding a couple shots of MIO or liquid flavour shots to this one to give it any flavour I choose. The second drink is an indica dominant Bakerstreet & Ginger. Also available in a tall-boy style 355ml can and contains 2mg of THC. In my opinion this drink tastes like a cross between ginger ale and ginger beer. It is one of my favourite drinks based on flavour. Very tasty and refreshing, best served chilled! Lastly, one of the strongest and most interesting drinks is Deep Space. It comes in a small 222ml can and contains 10mg of THC. Again, depending on your tolerance, you only need maybe one or two of these to feel the affects. The flavour is somewhat difficult to describe mainly because I have heard many different explanations. I personally taste either Coca-Cola or Pepsi with a little bit of a cannabis aftertaste. However, I have heard people say they taste bubble-gum, cough syrup, liquorice, even Dr. Pepper. I recently discovered that if mixed with root beer, it tastes amazing! This drink is much better when served on ice or chilled. If you ever get a chance to try a Deep Space, I would love to know what you think!
Mollo 5.0 – One of the more recent drinks I have tried. It comes in a 355ml, brown glass bottle and contains 5mg of THC and 5mg of CBD. The flavour reminds me of a light beer with a crisp and refreshing taste. I found I enjoyed this one best when I poured it into my chilled beer glass with a lime. It contains carbonated water, malted barley, and hops. We are truly living in the future, a drink that taste like beer, but with the affects of cannabis! Oh, and I should also mention that this beverage is alcohol free. If you enjoy having a beer while watching the game or hanging out with friends, then you most definitely need to try a Mollo 5.0.
House of Terpenes – Designed to celebrate the flavours of cannabis! I personally have tried two drinks from this lineup. Number one is the Limonene & Sparkling Tonic. It comes in a 355ml clear glass bottle and contains 5mg of THC and 5mg of CBD. I really enjoyed the flavour of this drink. I noticed a hint of lemon/lime flavours that were complimented by a crisp, refreshing tonic taste. I would highly recommend serving over ice or chilled. You can also throw in a slice of lemon or some mint leaves if you want to fancy it up! This drink contains west coast hops that really assist in bringing out the citrus aroma and unique after taste! It is also low in sugar! Lastly, Myrcene & Sparkling Tonic. Also comes in a 355ml clear glass bottle, containing 5mg of THC and CBD. This is another drink that I would love to hear what you think about in terms of taste! When I first tried this drink, I really had a hard time identifying the flavour. I personally noticed a very earthy, cinnamon/clove taste with just a hint of citrus. I kept finding myself taking bigger sips as I enjoyed this drink so much! In terms of affect, I was a little shocked because I did not believe 5mg would do very much. After just one beverage, I immediately felt relaxed and had a light buzz.
Little Victory – Last but not least, there are two drinks from Little Victory that I have enjoyed. Keep in mind they do have other flavours, but I have not gotten a chance to try them yet. Sparkling Blood Orange, containing 2.5mg of THC and CBD. It comes in a 355ml clear glass bottle. When I was younger my parents used to buy a sparkling blood orange soda for all my cousins and siblings to enjoy during holiday meals. I used to ask my mom to buy an extra bottle for my brother and I because I knew we could not have just one glass. This beverage taste just like that soda, but not as sweet. Which I honestly prefer that way. The affect was a light balanced buzz. The other flavour is Sparkling Dark Cherry. It contains the same 2.5mg of THC and CBD and comes in a clear glass bottle. The flavour was incredible! I really enjoyed this drink because it reminded me of sour cherry blasters, just not as sweet of course. Also served best chilled or on ice!
Hopefully by reading this, I may have helped settle some curiosity. Being in the industry I have seen the cannabis beverages really take off over the past few months! They were extremely popular during the summer and continue to impress consumers to this day! If you have not tried any of the drinks, I most definitely recommend you do! One last thing I should mention. Each beverage has one child safety measure. Bottles are not twist open; they require a bottle opener. The cans have a small plastic seal on top that must be removed before you can open them. Other than that, enjoy responsibly and mix it up! Be creative and have fun with them! I know I really enjoyed finding ways to fancy up the beverages or add a twist. Mix the cannabis drinks with other beverages or flavours. Garnish with a lemon or lime. However, in my honest opinion each drink was much better served chilled or on ice.
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