Heineken-owned Lagunitas Brewing Company--the 9th-largest brewery in the United States in 2016--announced this week that it was partnering with Santa Rosa, California-based CannaCraft Inc. (a cannabis-extract manufacturing facility that has made a name for itself in the newly legalized industry despite being raided by police last year) to brew and release a beer called SuperCritical Ale, which was made with terpenes, or aromatic compounds of essential oils that are extracted from some plants, including cannabis.
Yes, you read that right - Lagunitas brewed and will distribute (though available only in select California locations and only for a limited time) a beer brewed with pot. Though (unfortunately) the beer doesn't contain any THC - the compound in marijuana that causes psychoactive effects (i.e. gets you high). According to the LA Times,
As beer drinkers want to explore the newest versions of hoppy India Pale Ales, (Lagunitas brewer Jeremy) Marshall said terpenes can play a valuable role in creating unique aromas and mouthfeels to a drink.
For SuperCritical... terpenes from the Blue Dream and Girl Scout Cookie cannabis strains, ...were combined with seven different hop strains. The beer registers 6.6% alcohol by volume.
However, the most interesting part of collaboration to me was that, in return, Lagunitas assisted CannaCraft in developing new vaping products for its AbsoluteXtracts line, which do contain THC. Again, the LA Times:
CannaCraft included terpenes that were derived from hops in the new products, with Lagunitas brewers providing guidance on obtaining a beer-like aroma for the high-inducing weed.
So, what's the verdict? Are you looking forward to weed-based beer? Would you try it? Comment below.