5 Unique THC Drinks to Try in Minneapolis
The THC scene is blooming in Minneapolis thanks to new legislation that opened the door to low dose THC beverages. Local breweries are producing their own unique THC drinks that are perfect for a social atmosphere and for nonalcohol drinkers to enjoy. Try these flavorful and relaxing THC-dosed seltzers, cocktail-inspired beverages, juicy and fruit-forward drinks, and botanical, tea-like sips in Minneapolis.
Article by Loren Green
Each drink below is alcohol free, and most are also low calorie and gluten-free, too. Some are available for onsite consumption at the taproom and others are take-home only, which we note in our list of local highlights.
Modist has two product lines available, each with a fitting name to describe the experience. Tint is a low dose at 3mg to 5mg per 16-ounce can (depending on the flavor) with relaxed flavors with medium carbonation. All Modist THC drinks use natural fruit, which makes a clear difference in the product, giving extra depth to the flavors and a fresher aroma. Flavors include Blackberry Lime and Pineapple Raspberry and both are light and fruity on the tongue. They smell like real fruit and, while they look like a cloudy soda at first glance, it’s clear by the complexion that real fruit was used. Think easy-going fruited seltzers with zero artificial flavors.
Melt is a bigger dose: a 16-ounce can with two 5mg servings with similarly unique flavor combinations, including Ginger Lemon Lime and Blood Orange Raspberry Vanilla. The general experience is similar to Melt, but a little bigger in terms of flavor and THC. To use beer lingo, Melt is like an imperial version of Tint that will appeal to more seasoned THC consumers.
2. TWO Good and High Fever
Indeed Brewing Company
Syle: Botanical and Sparking water
Enjoy in the taproom and take to-go
Much like Modist, Indeed has two product lines with varied THC levels. TWO Good Lavender Lemon is just 2mg per serving is an herbal, sparkling beverage with pleasantly soft lavender on the nose and acidic lemon underneath. It’s not acidic lemon, but crisp and clean, with subtle flavors and a high, LaCroix-like carbonation level. This one feels gears toward people who shop in the natural foods aisle.
High Fiver is also highly carbonated with mild flavors. Citrus Grass offers light lemon-lime elements with a sweet orange finish that makes it refreshing without being sweet. Instead of adding sugars, the orange gives a natural sweet sensation and subtle herbal or earthy notes. This drink is fruity and bubbly and has 5mg THC and 5mg CBD per 12-ounce can.
Indeed also sells gummies in each flavor.
3. Citrus Honey and Mango Green Tea
Acre
Syle: Botanical
Enjoy in the 56 Brewing taproom and take to-go
A THC product line from 56 Brewing, both flavors are sparkling tea beverages with 5mg THC and 5mg CBD per skinny 12-ounce can. Citrus & Honey is made with citrus zests, citric acid, and honey, with pithy citrus peel aromas and earthy, herbal notes. It smells fresh, but mild, and the experience overall is very tea-like, with natural, floral flavors and a warm honey finish.
Mango Green Tea is similar in style, but with 42mg of caffeine as well. Mango makes the first impression, but it's blended with floral tea notes. Sweet mango hits the taste buds while the tea notes broaden its aromatic depth.
There are three “enlightening” flavors of Zenn THC tonic at this time. Available in 16-ounce cans, the brewery launched with Paloma, a full-flavored, cocktail-inspired flavor similar to their Cosmosis sour ale of the same name, with grapefruit, lime, and sea salt flavors. Pacific Punch has a blend of tropical and stone fruits, plus real fruit punch mix. This is by far the sweetest drink on the list. It’s bright red in color with big fruit punch flavors and sweet and slightly tangy with the sugary blend dominating and some natural, zesty tropical fruit undertones.
Blueberry Lemonade is sour and tart, first sold in a 750-milliliter big can with 10mg in total, it will soon be available in 16-ounce cans. Tart blueberry dominates the flavor, with a countering acidic lemon base and a bit of earthiness underneath. This drink pours pinkish violet, looking like a bright grape juice with bubbles and, summarizing the experience, it’s like a spritzy juice drink. With prominent blueberry and lemon, it’s for those who want something tart, though it has some balancing natural sweetness as well.
Zenn gummies are also sold at the brewery.
Wild Mind’s “Wild Waters” are sparkling water/fruit infusions with diverse, natural flavors and mild carbonation. They are sold in 16-ounce cans with 5mg THC per serving, including select products with full spectrum CBD too. Fruit puree gives each drink a thicker natural body that’s somewhere between juice and bubbly water.
Pineapple Orange Cherry is a delicate blend of the three fruits. Poured in a glass, it looks like a thick grapefruit juice with a big, fruity aroma. But it’s lighter in flavor than aroma. It starts with pineapple, then you get pithy sweet orange, with a little tart cherry at the finish. It’s a mild blend rather than a hard-hitting fruit cocktail. It’s mild, but still generally fruit forward. Citrus Punch offers a similar experience, but built on tangerine, orange, lime, and grapefruit. This will appeal to fans of orange juice, screwdriver cocktails, and hazy IPA drinkers. Fruit Punch is mild, compared to Venn Brewing Company’s Zenn cocktail, with those sweet juicebox flavors present, but more acidic pineapple and green apple, and a bit of tartness at the finish. Fruit Punch Infusion is a good option for fans of smoothie-style sour ales.
The brewery also has several gummy flavors available, with comparable flavors to their drink lineup.
Why are people opting for THC drinks?
The overall THC beverage scene is surprisingly strong for a new category, with broad appeal beyond the craft beer scene. Trail Magic, a line of cocktail-like THC beverages manufactured by Minneapolis Cider Company, sponsored one of the first industry showcases and notes that THC beverages appeal to people who wish for lower calorie, less intoxicating options than beer. Low dose THC beverages are changing the local scene by giving more options and new flavors, which helps to make breweries more inclusive for a wider audience. Additionally, low dose drinks serve a distinct audience, who are often new or mild THC consumers.
Additional recommendations based on your desired style of beverage:
Full flavored: Trail Magic (Minneapolis Cider Company)
Sparkling beverages: Best Buds (Arbeiter Brewing), THC Sparkling Water (Fulton Brewing), Satellite (Inbound BrewCo), Bandwagon (Utepils Brewing Co.)
Cannabis tones: DREAMN Terpene Tea (Inbound BrewCo), Chill State (Fair State Brewing Cooperative)
Shops with Unique THC Beverages
Marigold: Visit Marigold in South Minneapolis for more NA beverages and cannabis drinks. Find unique THC cocktails like palomas and flora passionfruit margaritas. Marigold also stocks locally brewed beverages, like Trail Magic, Hiii sparkling water and Fair State's Hop Water.
Zero Proof Beverage House: This non-alcoholic beverage shop in Northeast Minneapolis specializes in functional beverages (these include adaptogens and nootropics, like Lions Mane mushrooms, kava, CBD and more), cannabis drinks galore, mocktails and NA beers and wine.
About the Author
Loren Green is a Minneapolis-based freelance writer. His work has appeared in All About Beer, The New Brewer, Star Tribune, Paste, City Pages, Scene Point Blank, and more. Besides beer, he also writes about music, culture, and related topics. Follow him on Twitter at @lorenmgreen or www.lorengreenwrites.com.
