THC Seltzer Brands You're About To See Everywhere
Cannabis is entering a golden age. The federal government is in the process of taking marijuana from a Schedule I drug down to a Schedule III, almost half of the states have legalized pot recreationally, and consumers are about to experience the benefits of a decriminalized, regulated weed economy.
One major development of all this government activity is the availability of professionally produced cannabis-infused foods like gummy bears, cooking oils, and chocolates. Drinks with THC are a new addition and nothing says "let's party" like a crisp seltzer. THC seltzers take inspiration from hard seltzers like White Claw, only they aren't alcoholic. Instead, they include a specified amount of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the psychoactive chemical found in cannabis, which is not to be confused with CBD, which is not psychoactive (in other words, it doesn't get you high). The laws around THC are pretty complex and vary from state to state. We won't be digging into the regulatory nuances here, so if any of these sound interesting you'll need to see if they're available where you live. It's safe to say that states that allow recreational cannabis will be the first to enjoy these drinks.
THC seltzers present the first viable intoxicating alternative to drinking culture that we've seen in decades. Alcohol is practically fused with our society but not everyone likes the hangovers, health risks, and hazy memories. These THC seltzers could be the alternative we've been looking for.
Read more: 15 Popular Hard Seltzer Brands, Ranked Worst To Best
WYNK THC Seltzer Is Great For Microdosing
WYNK is all-in on their THC seltzer brand and their passion for the product shines through. They've got a variety of flavors including juicy mango, black cherry fizz, and tangerine, which means there's something for everyone. Apart from the cheeky winky face on their cans, the brand is called WYNK because it's just a wink of THC.
Sitting at a mild dose of 2.5 milligrams of THC, this isn't the can you'll reach for if you're trying to touch clouds. It's more suitable for a weekday pick-me-up after work or when you want a little buzz going while you're out with your friends. Their seltzers are sugar-free, zero calories, and have an expected onset time of 10 to 15 minutes. Getting a consistent high from THC drinks has been a major obstacle and WYNK's mastery sets it above the competition. The drink also contains 2.5 milligrams of CBD, so you get chillout vibes alongside the intoxicating effects of THC. Bartenders have been infusing CBD into their cocktails for similar reasons, though it seems less likely that we'll start to see THC-infused cocktails any time soon.
Legally available in 37 states, WYNK products are available in retail stores in only 13. The rest of us will need to order them to be shipped directly from WYNK's website. It's well worth the trouble — their Juicy Mango seltzer was a winner of the High Times Cannabis Cup People's Choice Awards in 2022.
Cheech And Chong's High And Dry THC Seltzer
Nothing makes more sense than the two most famous stoner comedians owning their own cannabis company and boy have they been busy cooking up the herb. Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong have a few brands, but under their cannabis company they've been making headway with disposable marijuana vapes and CBD-infused hemp cigarettes alongside staples like gummies and pre-rolls.
Their entry into the THC drinks market started with their High and Dry line which includes flavors like Citrus Sunrise, Magic Mule, Raspberry Highball, and Grapefruit Twist. Sporting a respectable five milligrams of hemp-derived Delta-9 THC, one can should be enough to get you feeling some kind of way. The onset can take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes which is largely dependent on how fast your body processes food and your tolerance.
Even though the two have made a career of being hilariously irresponsible, they take their cannabis seriously. The premium local hemp they extract the THC from is lab tested by a third party for quality control and they've put in the work to ensure it's properly infused into the drink — one of the biggest hurdles cannabis companies had to overcome when they first entered the seltzer business. These seltzers are legal on a federal level which means you can have them shipped everywhere but Idaho. It wasn't that long ago that Chong was in prison for selling bongs, so you can be sure they've triple-checked with their lawyers on this one.
Cantrip THC Seltzer Has Options
The playfully branded Cantrip seltzers are noteworthy for their emphasis on variety, particularly when it comes to dosage. Their lightest drinks contain a mix of three milligrams of THC and two milligrams of CBD. That's great for when you still have things on your to-do list. For the carefree weekend where nothing needs done, they offer drinks packing a whopping 50 milligrams of THC. The 50 milligram drinks are sodas, not seltzers, but their seltzers also come in a five milligram option and a 10 milligram option.
Apart from understanding the market's desire for dosage options, Cantrip has also done a good job of choosing flavors with broad appeal like Ginger Peach, Lemon Basil, Blackberry Lavender, and Grapefruit Hibiscus. As we briefly alluded to, Cantrip offers more than just seltzers. They also have an energy drink and THC sodas like root beer, orange soda, and cola which use real sugar to sweeten the deal. Unlike most other seltzer brands, Cantrip seltzers aren't boasting a zero calorie, zero sugar policy, but the use of real sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup is a definite win in our books.
Cantrip uses hemp-derived Delta-9 THC in their products (a common practice since hemp isn't as restricted as cannabis). From what we can tell from online chatter, Cantrip is a good option for people who don't want a strong weed taste.
Brēz Mixes Cannabis With Lion's Mane Mushroom Extract
In case you haven't noticed, modern consumers value products that are functional. We want our sunscreen to double as a moisturizer, our bowl of cereal to moonlight as a vitamin supplement, and our coffee to also function as a mood stabilizer. Brēz understands that aspect of the zeitgeist, which is why they've released a seltzer that pairs two-and-a-half milligrams of hemp-derived THC with five milligrams of CBD and 25 milligrams of Lion's Mane mushroom extract (among several other active ingredients like CBT and CBC).
Lion's Mane is a superstar in the world of nootropics alongside other mushrooms like Reishi and Cordyceps. Research suggests that Lion's Mane could be used as a natural antidepressant and helps fight dementia along with other potential physical and mental benefits.
By combining THC, CBD, and Lion's Mane together, Brēz aims to capitalize on the segment of the market that wants their indulgences to err on the not-so-guilty side of pleasure. The can boasts a very mild THC content so this is a good option for people with a busy schedule. The company calls it microdosed cannabis which seems accurate. There is only one flavor so far, so hopefully you like the taste of Lemon Elderflower. But the can comes in two sizes (the taller of which will have a higher THC content than we listed above) and a separate can which contains Lion's Mane only.
Crescent Canna Brings The Heat
Crescent Canna is another cannabis company already making headway in other areas of the market and they've jumped on the THC seltzer bandwagon. Their seltzer line is called Crescent 9 and the company has done a good job of offering different THC concentrations and flavors. The only drawback is that the flavors are specifically tied to the dosages so you can't mix and match how you like. Not a big deal since they all look delicious.
Their most mellow options are the Ginger Lemonade and Tropical which contain five milligrams of THC and four milligrams of CBD, respectively. The Sour Watermelon flavor has 10 milligrams of THC (with no CBD), while Strawberry Lemonade flavor boasts the highest dosage with 50 milligrams of THC (with no CBD). You can expect an onset in 15 to 30 minutes for each of these drinks which seems to be fairly typical across the market.
It's worth noting that Crescent 9 is not a zero-calorie seltzer. The caloric content ranges between 40 to 100 calories depending on flavor, which didn't strike us as being unreasonable. That said, the sugar content can get as high as 24 grams which seems a little high. THC seltzers are shockingly expensive at this stage of development and Crescent Canna does stand out for their affordability. A 12-pack is only $55 dollars and trust us, that's on the cheap side.
Incognito THC Seltzers Are Low-Key Delicious
Incognito is a newer addition to the playing field but one which is garnering a lot of attention thanks to their primo marketing and quality. The company only has two flavors available currently — Cucumber Mint Lemonade and Grapefruit Rose Lychee, both of which sound dangerously sippable on a hot summer's day. Both flavors pack a respectable five milligrams of THC alongside another five milligrams of CBD, so you can expect a mellow ride.
The company has already announced a new lineup of THC drinks that they're labeling as their cocktail lineup, though it's not clear if that's just a marketing slogan or if that means there will be alcohol included. If the rest of the market is any indicator, they'll be non-alcoholic. That lineup will come out this spring with drinks like a THC G&T and a THC Yuzu Mule. We're excited to see where that idea goes, but we're happy with the seltzers for now.
The seltzers are low-sugar and low-calorie and don't include high fructose corn syrup (another win for those who prefer natural ingredients). The seltzers are great on their own but they can also double as a THC spritz which can be served over ice like an Aperol spritz if you don't want to sip straight from the can. That's a nice option for when you want to hide your preference for the herb in a sea of boozehounds.
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