Yes, you better believe it because it’s taking the United States by storm. What are we talking about? CBD-infused beer of course. I know right, could it get any better? Sure, it seems like a bit of a strange combination at first glance but what a fun way to get the best of both worlds. In fact, it’s the perfect combination because hemp and hops are very closely related a share many chemical characteristics.
The great news is that because CBD doesn’t have the psychoactive effects associated with THC, it’s legal for many breweries all over the world to include CBD in their concoctions. CBD offers a variety of health benefits and is even considered to be a ‘dietary supplement’ in most states which and brewers are certainly taking advantage of this miraculous compound. If you want to know why CBD infused beer is set to be the most exciting thing to hit the industry in recent years, read on for the ins and outs.
Which Brewers Are Getting Involved?
The Long Trail Brewery located in Vermont, are establishing themselves as one of the industry leaders when it comes to CBD infused beer. Last year they partnered with Luce farm, a diverse organic production farm focused on creating quality hemp products. It all started when they were approached by Luce farm with a jar of hemp infused honey or CBD infused honey to be more specific. The product quickly gained a lot of popularity from Long Trail pub staff, and that’s when the idea to infuse the beer with Luce Farm’s Hemp Honey emerged.
Fast forward to today, and the Long Trail is the proud manufacturer and distributor of Medicator, their first CBD-infused beer. It is a hybrid of American Pale Ale and IPA that has been brewed with citra and mosaic hops, freshly grated ginger and, of course, Luce Farm’s Hemp extract. Medicator is Vermont’s first CBD-infused beer and is the result of a long and trying process with the intention to get an end product that is as tasty and beneficial as possible.
Long Trail has said that it took as many as six batches to finally produce what is now known as Medicator. They explained that while they were getting CBD in the beer, they were also losing a significant amount. They eventually figured out that the process of perfecting CBD infused beer was focusing on how CBD should be introduced to the brewing process, and when and how to introduce the terpenes.
Medicator is currently a limited edition beer, with only 30 barrels, but if demand is high enough, Long Trail will no doubt increase production. If their initial roll out of the product is anything to go by, amazing things could be on the cards for Medicator. An early sampling that took place at the Long Trail Brewery over Labor Day weekend last year saw a sell out of the product in less than three hours to both excited and curious visitors, many of whom had traveled quite a distance just to get their first taste.
Oregon’s Coalition Brewing is another up and coming player, set to take the industry by storm. Two Flowers IPA was the first CBD-infused beer of Oregon, released in November 2016. Since then, they have released several small-batch CBD-infused beers, including Herbs of a Feather, which is a sour ale consisting of lemon and basil notes from terpenes found in both hemp and hops, and Charlie Brown, a nut Brown Ale brewed with toasted hemp seeds.
Two Flowers IPA is probably their most popular since it was the first to be released in the state and is a west coast IPA that has been described as crisp, light, bitter and refreshing. It has an alcohol content of 6%, and a 12 oz glass will typically contain 3mg of CBD. It’s a decent CBD dosage, with the benefit of providing therapeutic relief for a range of medical conditions. Interesting to note, however, is that this is significantly less CBD than the 20 mg found in Medicator.
Coalition Brewing has stated that they didn’t want to create a gimmick product by just adding a little CBD into their existing beer. They use CBD oil and hemp juice to showcase the close connection between hops and hemp. The hemp juice is used as a flavor additive and is a lot like wheat grass, which adds a bitter and grassy element that elevates and augments the natural bitterness of hops.
They have gone on to say that CBD-infused beer will be a series of products, where they still wish to pursue different styles and recipes from Saisons, Sours, and Stouts. They plan on working with people and suppliers throughout the industry to source new strains, materials, and best practices to be showcased in CBD beer. We will certainly be keeping our eye on this brewer since they seem set to change the game of CBD-infused beer.
It Isn’t All Good News Though
Although CBD is a non-intoxicating, highly beneficial compound, with no psychoactive effects, there is still a negative stigma surrounding it, due to its association with cannabis and more specifically, THC. This has caused many complications for some brewers looking to sell CBD-infused beer. Back in 2015, a Colorado-based brewery by the name of Dad & Dudes Brewery became the first firm in the country to receive approval from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) to sell CBD-infused beer. However, the DEA quickly put a spanner in their works when they declared that CBD is a schedule 1 substance. Dad & Dudes response? They joined the Hemp Industries Association in a lawsuit against the government agency.
The DEA’s decision had a serious impact on the business. Afterall, the firm had already been approved by the TTC, and much time, money and effort had already been invested in producing one of the first CBD-infused beers. However, unfazed by silly, technicalities, the brewery hired a top lawyer and is determined to expand. They have in fact unveiled a number CBD-infused beers to excellent acclaim.
The latest brewer to find themselves caught up in the controversy surrounding cannabis is a Massachusetts-based brewery that goes by the name of Down the Road Beer Co. This case is as recent as last month when the Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission rejected the firm’s application to add CBD to its brand new creation, Goopmassta Session IPA. They claimed that adding CBD to any alcoholic beverage is considered “adulteration of alcohol,” something that is illegal in the state. Oddly enough, however, they don’t seem too clued up on the whole thing, since the issue is not related to CBD itself. As long as the hemp is sourced from outside the U.S, along with a few other specified conditions, brewers in Massachusetts are allowed to add industrial hemp to alcohol.
Sadly, it has also emerged that Long Trail is now facing difficulties with the sale of Medicator. The TTB is now reviewing the product, and they will not be allowed to continue with sales until they receive a ‘certificate of label approval.’ It’s a very frustrating process that could take months to finalize and have detrimental impacts. Unfortunately, due to this stupidity, Long Trail was prevented from selling Medicator at the Vermont Brewers Festival on 24 March 2018. It’s an unfortunate result of the ignorance that still surrounds cannabis.
CBD-Infused Beer Also in the UK
A UK based brewery, The Stockton Brewery Company, are responsible for releasing the first CBD-infused beer in the UK. Going by the name of Buffalo Soldier, the first beer of this kind in the UK has been named after the iconic reggae song of the same name by Bob Marley. Described as “refreshing blonde ale,” it’s a beer that contains an alcohol content of 3.8% and trace amounts of CBD oil.
The first batch of Buffalo Soldier will go on sale in May this year, and the Stockton Brewery Company is expecting a quick sell out, based on the excitement and interest that has surrounded the product. It’s only a matter of time before other breweries catch on to this latest trend.
Final Thoughts
It’s unfortunate that breweries and firms alike still find themselves in legal battles with agencies like the DEA. It just goes to show that there is still a great deal of ignorance surrounding cannabis, and more specifically CBD. Nevertheless, we have hope that overtime research can help to educate these people and these senseless retaliations can stop once and for all. CBD-infused tastes great and can also provide a myriad of health benefits to those who drink it. We have no doubt that we will see CBD-infused beer continue to rise in popularity all around the world.
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