BY WILLIAM DEAN
Two of Oregon’s biggest craft breweries have jumped into the cannabis beverage market, making fruit-flavored seltzers infused with THC.
McMenamins and Rogue Ales & Spirits launched their non-alcoholic drinks earlier this year, a couple of months apart.
Portland-based McMenamins launched its THC seltzers during the brewery’s annual summer tribute to the late Jerry Garcia of The Grateful Dead.
The new drinks are Jam Session, with 2 milligrams of THC and 10 mg of CBD (more on that later); and Trippy Tiger, with 5 mg THC and 10 mg CBD.
The seltzers are available in 12-ounce cans at McMenamins locations, including the Sand Trap Pub in Gearhart.
Jam Session is bubbly with muted citrus notes and a cloudy white color. Trippy Tiger, made with passionfruit, prickly pear and pineapple purees, is pink in appearance, with a tropical taste and aroma.
The first batches sold out quickly, prompting the brewery to scramble.
“We ran out really fast,” said Will Gaither, brewery manager at McMenamins Edgefield in Troutdale. “This was new territory for us, so we didn’t know going in how much we needed to make.”
Rogue, based in Newport, introduced its first two THC Recreational Seltzers in June, touting “a new kind of buzz.”
The brewery essentially added 10 mg of THC to its existing blackberry-cucumber and pineapple-guava CBD seltzers.
“We’ve never been shy about pushing boundaries – and this launch proves it,” Caitlin Hopkins, Rogue’s VP of marketing, said in a statement.
On the North Coast, breweries have expanded into flavored hard seltzers, soda and hop water, but none to date have entered the recreational cannabis market.
Fort George Brewery, though, is intrigued. The Astoria brewery is currently exploring a possible expansion into THC seltzers, according to marketing director Brian Bovenizer.
THC (Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) is a psychoactive compound found in marijuana. Pot with less than 0.3 percent THC is classified as industrial hemp, which became legal federally in 2018.
Because the THC is derived from hemp, the new drinks are legal even under prevailing public consumption bans. Still, it’s a bit strange to be partaking on a barstool.
“Feels kind of wrong, doesn’t it?” Gaither mused. “But it still feels good.”
CBD, an oil also derived from hemp, has no psychoactive effects but has gained popularity in recent years for potential wellness benefits, such as stress reduction and pain relief. (Rogue and Bend-based Boneyard Beer are among Oregon breweries making CBD seltzers).
As adults increasingly look for alternatives to alcohol, seltzers of all kinds have soared in popularity in recent years, and the THC-infused variety is the latest sensation. THC beverages are expected to be a $4 billion a year industry by 2028, according to Euromonitor International, a London-based market research company.
In one sign of rising popularity, the Portland Pickles baseball team began selling Seattle-made THC seltzers at their games last year. They made history as the first sports team in the country to do so.
The seltzers are made by infusing THC into carbonated water in such a way that any funky pot aftertaste is removed. A process called nano-emulsification breaks down the compound, allowing it to be easily absorbed in the body. Effects kick in as soon as 10 minutes after drinking – faster than most edibles.
Health experts advise that if you’re trying a THC seltzer for the first time, check the label. Start with a low dose like 5 mg and take it slow.
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WILLIAM DEAN is an author who also writes about craft beer and the people who make it. His blog is Astoria Beer Zone. “The Have-Nots,” his latest novel, is available now.
