Is Hemp and Beer a good combination?

The craft beer industry is no stranger to innovation, constantly exploring new flavors, ingredients, and brewing techniques. Among the latest trends to capture the imagination of brewers and consumers alike is the infusion of hemp into beer.

This trend marries the ancient, versatile plant of hemp with the age-old craft of brewing, but it raises questions about legality, flavor, and health impacts.

Hemp, a variety of the Cannabis sativa plant species, is grown specifically for industrial uses of its derived products. Unlike its cousin marijuana, hemp contains lower levels of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the compound responsible for the psychoactive effects of cannabis.

The legal landscape for hemp and its derivatives has evolved significantly, making hemp-infused beers more accessible and popular.

There are multiple CBD products that are popular nowadays like CBD Vape Juice at CBD.co. With its popularity, people remain curious to learn more about hemp day by day. And hence, today we will be discussing all the hemp and beer combinations.

(See our article: Hemp and Beer: Happy 4:20 Day)

Historical Context

Historically, hemp was a common crop that found its way into various products, including beverages. Its prohibition, alongside cannabis, had a stifling effect on its use in industries, including brewing.

However, recent legislative changes, notably the 2018 Farm Bill in the United States, have distinguished hemp from marijuana by its THC content and legalized its cultivation. This has paved the way for a resurgence of hemp-infused beers, allowing brewers to revisit and innovate upon historical brewing practices.

The Brewing Process with Hemp

Brewing beer is an art and science that involves malting, mashing, boiling, fermenting, conditioning, and packaging. Hemp can be incorporated into this process in various forms, such as hemp seeds, oils, or CBD (cannabidiol) infusions. Hemp seeds can add a nutty flavor and are often used in the mashing process.

Hemp oils or CBD extracts are typically added later, either during boiling or fermenting, to infuse the beer with hemp’s aromatic and potential health properties. However, brewing with hemp presents challenges, including balancing flavors and navigating the legalities of CBD content.

Flavor and Aroma Contributions

Hemp contributes unique flavor and aroma profiles to beer, primarily through its terpenes, the aromatic compounds also found in hops. The flavors can range from earthy and herbal to nutty, depending on the part of the hemp plant used and the strain of hemp.

This versatility allows for a wide range of beer styles, from IPAs to stouts, to be infused with hemp. A comparative analysis with traditional beer flavors reveals that hemp can complement the bitterness of hops, add complexity, and introduce new flavor notes that are not achievable with hops alone.

Health and Wellness Perspective

The health and wellness trend has significantly influenced consumer preferences, with many seeking products that offer benefits beyond basic nutrition. Hemp-infused beer is perceived to offer such benefits, including stress relief and anti-inflammatory properties, without the psychoactive effects associated with THC.

This has made hemp beers particularly appealing to health-conscious consumers. However, it’s important to note that the health impacts of hemp-infused beers are still under research, and their benefits can vary.

Legal and Regulatory Considerations

The legal status of hemp-infused beers varies by jurisdiction, largely depending on the local laws surrounding hemp and CBD. In regions where hemp cultivation and CBD are legal, brewers still face regulatory challenges, particularly regarding the marketing and distribution of hemp-infused beers.

The FDA and other regulatory bodies have yet to fully clarify the regulations surrounding CBD-infused beverages, leading to a landscape of uncertainty. Brewers must navigate these legal complexities while ensuring their products meet all applicable standards and regulations.

Market Trends and Consumer Reception

The craft beer industry is witnessing a significant shift with the introduction of hemp-infused beers, aligning with consumers’ growing interest in cannabis-related products and natural ingredients.

The market for hemp beer is expanding, driven by a curiosity for its unique flavor profiles and perceived health benefits. Consumer reception has been largely positive, with many enthusiasts eager to explore these new offerings. This enthusiasm is reflected in the increasing number of breweries experimenting with hemp, indicating a robust demand for hemp-infused beer products.

Successful hemp beer brands have leveraged this trend by adopting innovative marketing strategies that highlight the unique aspects of their products, such as sustainability, wellness benefits, and the distinct flavors imparted by hemp. These brands often share their journey of hemp beer creation, emphasizing the quality of ingredients and the brewing process, which resonates well with consumers seeking authentic and transparent products.

Environmental Impact

Hemp cultivation presents a lower environmental footprint compared to traditional beer ingredients like barley and hops, primarily due to hemp’s minimal requirements for water, pesticides, and herbicides.

Hemp’s rapid growth rate and ability to thrive in diverse climates make it a sustainable choice for brewing, contributing to the reduction of the brewing industry’s overall environmental impact.

The sustainability benefits of using hemp extend beyond cultivation. Hemp’s versatility allows for its by-products to be used in creating eco-friendly packaging materials, further aligning hemp-infused beers with eco-conscious consumer trends.

This synergy between hemp-infused beer products and environmental sustainability is attracting consumers who prioritize eco-friendly practices, making hemp beers not just a choice of flavor but also of principle.

Future Outlook

The future of hemp in the brewing industry looks promising, with potential growth and innovation on the horizon. As legal barriers continue to diminish, and consumer interest grows, the market for hemp-infused beers is expected to expand, paving the way for new varieties and brewing techniques. Innovations may include the development of new hemp strains specifically bred for brewing, offering a broader range of flavors and aromas.

Additionally, advancements in extraction and infusion methods could enhance the efficiency and consistency of hemp flavors in beer, further elevating the consumer experience.

Legal changes, particularly those clarifying the regulations around CBD and hemp use in consumables, will significantly impact the production and consumption of hemp beer.

A clearer legal framework could encourage more breweries to explore hemp infusions, leading to greater diversity in the market. Moreover, as research into hemp’s health benefits continues to evolve, we may see hemp-infused beers being marketed more explicitly for their wellness properties, aligning with the broader trend of health-focused beverages.

Conclusion

In conclusion, hemp-infused beers are carving out a niche within the craft beer industry, buoyed by positive consumer reception, environmental benefits, and the potential for future innovation. As the legal landscape becomes more favorable, and consumer preferences continue to evolve, hemp beer is poised to become a staple for those seeking a unique, sustainable, and potentially health-conscious option in their beer selection.

(Note: This article was submitted to us by Crystal Wilson of CBD Global Net. All content written and imaged is by her and CBD Global Net. You may contact her at crystal.wilson@thecbdglobal.net)

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

Thanks again for reading everyone. Take some time to check out the site, we greatly appreciate it. We have affiliates and sponsors with Pretzels.com and Beer Drop.com, which can save you money on their products if you are interested. Check out our articles on them. Make sure to check out our beer reviews, brewery reviews, Amy’s weekly column, book reviews, hike reviews, and so much more.

As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

We are working on a massive project here at The Beer Thrillers. We are creating a map of all of the breweries across the United States. State by state we are adding maps of all of the different states with every brewery in each state. (We will eventually get to the US Territories, as well as the Canadian Provinces, and possibly more countries; as well as doing some fun maps like a map of all the breweries we’ve been to, and other fun maps.) You can find the brewery maps here:

• MAPS OF BREWERIES

We are also working on a project of creating printable and downloadable PDFs and resources to be able to check and keep track of all of the breweries you’ve been to. So stay tuned for that project once we are finished with the Brewery Maps of the US States.

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

You can now find us on our Discord Server here: The Beer Thrillers (Discord Server). We’ve also joined LinkTree to keep track of all of our social media pages, as well as hot new articles we’ve written.

The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

We have partnered with an affiliateship with Beer Drop.com. You can check out that partnership and receive great discounts, coupons, and more here: Beer Drop. Going here and logging in and ordering will help you receive your discounts and coupons as well as help support our page. Thank you for helping to support The Beer Thrillers and to help us maintain the site and blog and to keep it running.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #7 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #8 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of January 2023.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

You can also check out our partnership and affiliation with Pretzels.com, where ordering pretzels and using our affiliate code – AFFILIATE CODE IS THEBEERTHRILLERS20 – will help you get wonderful pretzels and help us maintain and keep this blog running. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

(Thank you for reading. The opinions, thoughts, and expressions of each article posted on The Beer Thrillers represents the author of the content and only themselves. It does not express the opinions, beliefs, or ideas held by The Beer Thrillers or any company in which the author themselves work for. Each piece of written content is written by the creator(s) listed in the authorial section on each article unless otherwise noted. Their opinions, comments, and words on screen do not represent any company in which they work for and / or are affiliated with or any non – profits that they contribute to. Thank you.)

SweetWater Brewing Company – the largest craft brewery in the South East (of America); and a subsidiary of Tilray Brands Inc. has announced that they will be releasing ‘Half – A – Gummie IPA’.

SweetWater Brewing Company announced today the latest innovation in its acclaimed IPA series – ‘Half -A – Gummie’ IPA. This new line of India Pale Ales, bursting with fruit-forward flavors, is a twist on the wildly successful SweetWater Gummies Double IPA – which launched earlier this year, now reimagined with a more session-friendly alcohol content. The original Gummies IIPA is available in cans nationwide while the innovative Half-A-Gummie IPA is going to be ready on draft.

SweetWater Brewing is known for their hemp inspired beers, such as Hemperor and many others.

The press release can be found here: SweetWater Brewing Announces Gummies Beer.
(Note, I prefer to write my own articles rather than just copy and paste press releases like some craft beer blogs do.)

SweetWater Brewing Gummies

In the mindset of edibles (gummies) SweetWater Brewing has created a line of Gummies IPAs. Building on their reputation of pot and marijuana and weed themed beers, SweetWater has an ‘edibles’ series called Gummies.

Building on the trailblazing success of the Gummies line, ‘Half-A-Gummie’ IPA emerges as a natural evolution in SweetWater’s pursuit of innovation and excellence in craft brewing. The SweetWater Gummies series launched as a testament to the brewery’s commitment to flavor-forward and high-ABV ales, setting a new benchmark in the Double IPA category. These ales, notably the Tropical IIPA and Fruit Punch IIPA with a potent 9.5% ABV, captured the essence of summer with their haze, juiciness, and bold, fruity flavors.

SweetWater Brewing Company

Half – a – Gummie retains the essence of the full Gummies series, but comes in at lower ABVs. They are keeping that great flavor, the tropical notes, the captivating fruit flavors, the aromatic appeal; just lowering the alcohol. Which is a trend in the craft beer industry. Lower ABVs, lower alcohol, more easy drinking beers. The launch series of Half a Gummie includes the same two great varieties from the original series: Tropical IPA and Fruit Punch IPA. Each are clocking in at 5.5% ABV. These new brews are a masterful blend of fruit explosions, featuring the luscious flavors of strawberry, pineapple, orange, and cherry, culminating in a uniquely smooth, incredibly flavorful, and drinkable IPA experience.

Our Gummies Double IPA has been a huge hit with consumers who crave fruit-forward, high-ABV beers. We’ve also discovered a strong demand, especially with our on-premise partners, for beers with a similar flavor profile and less alcohol. We’re excited to offer drinkers the choice to enjoy an easy-drinking IPA with low bitterness and delicious fruit flavors while tapping into a lower ABV option.

Ty Gilmore, President of U.S. Beers for Tilray Beer

This new line is a testament to SweetWater Brewing Company’s agility in adapting to consumer preferences, offering a lower – ABV IPA that still embodies the brewery’s signature blend of bold flavors and easy drinkability. This strategic move aligns with a market report predicting a 6 percent CAGR growth in the fruit beer market over the next decade, driven by a growing preference for beers that offer both refreshing taste and a gentler alcohol presence, much like ‘Half – A – Gummie’.

Find A SweetWater

SweetWater Brewing Company has their own “Find a Beer” (similar to several breweries we cover, like Troegs Independent Brewing’s Find a Troegs), called “Find a SweetWater”. You can use their website here: “Find a SweetWater” to locate the new Half – A – Gummie IPA series.

About SweetWater Brewing

The following comes from the SweetWater Brewing Company’s press release.

SweetWater Brewing Company, the largest craft brewer in the southeast, is an award-winning brewery known for its stash of heady brews including the original 420 Extra Pale Ale and loads of IPAs. Sweetwater’s craft beers and ready-to-drink cocktails are available coast to coast and in more states than ever before. Inspired by the outdoors, SweetWater is a passionate advocate for healthy waterways and conservation initiatives. Through its annual Save Our Water campaign, SweetWater continues to raise funds to support nonprofit organizations fighting for clean water and habitat conservation, including the Waterkeeper Alliance, Bonefish & Tarpon Trust, and Trout Unlimited.

SweetWater Brewery is a subsidiary of Tilray Brands, Inc. (Nasdaq: TLRY; TSX: TLRY), a leading global cannabis-lifestyle and consumer packaged goods company inspiring and empowering the worldwide community to live their very best life.

For further information about SweetWater Brewing Company, please visit www.sweetwaterbrew.com and follow @SweetWaterBrew.

About Tilray Brands

The following comes from the SweetWater Brewing Company’s press release.

Tilray Brands, Inc. (Nasdaq: TLRY; TSX: TLRY), is a leading global cannabis lifestyle and consumer packaged goods company with operations in Canada, the United States, Europe, Australia, and Latin America that is changing people’s lives for the better – one person at a time – by inspiring and empowering a worldwide community to live their very best life, enhanced by moments of connection and wellbeing. Tilray’s mission is to be the most responsible, trusted, and market-leading cannabis and consumer products company in the world with a portfolio of innovative, high-quality, and beloved brands that address the needs of the consumers, customers, and patients we serve. A pioneer in cannabis research, cultivation, and distribution, Tilray’s unprecedented production platform supports over 20 brands in over 20 countries, including comprehensive cannabis offerings, hemp-based foods, and craft beverages.

For more information on how we open a world of well-being, visit www.Tilray.com and follow @tilray on all social platforms.

For More Information on SweetWater Brewing Company

The following comes from Untappd. SweetWater Brewing Company is from Atlanta, Georgia and is considered a Regional Brewery. They are a Subsidiary of Tilray Brands. They have 883 unique beers and over 1.7 Million ratings with a global average rating of 3.63 (as of 11.17.23). Their Untappd description reads: The headiest brews this side of the Rockies. Slingin’ our West Coast style ales outta Atlanta since ’97. Hit us up w/ your pics, questions or complaints at @sweetwaterbrew on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.

You can follow them on these social media pages:

• SweetWater Brewing Company – Official Website
• SweetWater Brewing Company – Facebook
• SweetWater Brewing Company – Instagram
• SweetWater Brewing Company – Twitter
• SweetWater Brewing Company – Untappd

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

Thanks again for reading everyone. Take some time to check out the site, we greatly appreciate it. We have affiliates and sponsors with Pretzels.com and Beer Drop.com, which can save you money on their products if you are interested. Check out our articles on them. Make sure to check out our beer reviews, brewery reviews, Amy’s weekly column, book reviews, hike reviews, and so much more.

As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

We are working on a massive project here at The Beer Thrillers. We are creating a map of all of the breweries across the United States. State by state we are adding maps of all of the different states with every brewery in each state. (We will eventually get to the US Territories, as well as the Canadian Provinces, and possibly more countries; as well as doing some fun maps like a map of all the breweries we’ve been to, and other fun maps.) You can find the brewery maps here:

• MAPS OF BREWERIES

We are also working on a project of creating printable and downloadable PDFs and resources to be able to check and keep track of all of the breweries you’ve been to. So stay tuned for that project once we are finished with the Brewery Maps of the US States.

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

You can now find us on our Discord Server here: The Beer Thrillers (Discord Server). We’ve also joined LinkTree to keep track of all of our social media pages, as well as hot new articles we’ve written.

The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

We have partnered with an affiliateship with Beer Drop.com. You can check out that partnership and receive great discounts, coupons, and more here: Beer Drop. Going here and logging in and ordering will help you receive your discounts and coupons as well as help support our page. Thank you for helping to support The Beer Thrillers and to help us maintain the site and blog and to keep it running.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #7 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #8 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of January 2023.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

You can also check out our partnership and affiliation with Pretzels.com, where ordering pretzels and using our affiliate code – AFFILIATE CODE IS THEBEERTHRILLERS20 – will help you get wonderful pretzels and help us maintain and keep this blog running. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

(Thank you for reading. The opinions, thoughts, and expressions of each article posted on The Beer Thrillers represents the author of the content and only themselves. It does not express the opinions, beliefs, or ideas held by The Beer Thrillers or any company in which the author themselves work for. Each piece of written content is written by the creator(s) listed in the authorial section on each article unless otherwise noted. Their opinions, comments, and words on screen do not represent any company in which they work for and / or are affiliated with or any non – profits that they contribute to. Thank you.)