“After the steeping process, THC is added to the liquid base, and the beverage is carbonated like a traditional beer.”

We’re excited about almost all creative collaborations. But this one is especially big news … 

Harpoon Brewery, a staple in Mass and one of our premier exports beyond Bay State borders with a Vermont outpost, “is dipping their toes into new territory with the launch of their first THC-based beverage: Rec. Weed.”

According to the company, the product will be “made in partnership with Massachusetts’ Novel Beverage Company,” and will be a “hop-forward yet approachable beverage made with 5 milligrams of THC, real passionfruit puree, green tea, and hops at only 25 calories and 3 grams of sugar per can.” Furthermore, they’re talking “tropical juiciness and citrusy hop notes” and “a clean, crisp finish that encourages consumers to kick back at the end of a long day and unwind with a new kind of drink in their hand.”

Sounds on brand. We’re having memories of guzzling Camp Wannamango while smoking joints behind the porta-potty at HarpoonFest.

“The adult beverage space is constantly evolving. With THC now legalized in states across much of the country – especially here in the Northeast – we saw not only high demand for a THC-based beverage, but an opportunity to experiment in a way that would uniquely leverage our strengths in the beer world,” Harpoon CEO and Co-founder Dan Kenary said. “We knew we had to find the right partner to help craft Rec. Weed, and Novel Beverage Co.’s vast knowledge of the industry and strong New England roots made them the ideal team to work with on this release.”

Novel is locally owned and operated, with production and packaging facilities in Scarborough, Maine and Salisbury, Massachusetts. Harpoon Brewery is known for a lot of things, including brewing the first IPA in New England back in the day and becoming an employee-owned company in 2014. As for their collaborative process, here’s their joint description:

Rec. Weed is brewed similarly to a session ale but without fermentation, meaning it has no alcohol content. The process starts with a base of green tea and a bit of added sugar, followed by the cold steeping of Citra and other West Coast hop oils and passionfruit puree. After the steeping process, THC is added to the liquid base, and the beverage is carbonated like a traditional beer. This process imparts minimal THC flavor or aroma. And because the THC is absorbed into the liquid, people feel its effects quicker than with more common edibles.

Rec. Weed is the second foray into the cannabis market for Harpoon’s Mass. Bay Brewing parent company, but it is their first THC product. Their Long Trail CBD Seltzer, a non-alcoholic, hemp-infused carbonated beverage, dropped in 2019.

We’ll update you on Rec. Weed as soon as we get our hands on some.

This article was published with permission from Talking Joints Memo. Read more of their cannabis coverage at talkingjointsmemo.com

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