Welcome to Weed Weviews, a verbal foible that’s become the very real name of this monthly column. Think of it like our Doin’ Beers series, but for weed.
About: Formed in 2016 by Alex Zweber, Minneapolis brand Sharab Shrub offers flavored vinegar syrup mix-ins, as well as Shrub n’ Bubs, a series of pre-made drinks, two of which are infused with 3mg of THC. Never heard of a shrub? These drinks, which can be alcoholic but are often booze-free, use vinegar syrup for a kombucha-style drink that’s light, sweet, and tart.
Where I got it/price: I found these at Lake Wine & Spirits for about $6.
Flavor: The can doesn’t lie: These are funky and fresh! This smells amazing, like real freshly chopped Thai basil. I poured it into my glass and people remarked that my drink smelled like a delicious herb garden. It also tastes great: herbaceous, bubbly, and mildly sweet, with a vinegar zing.
Blast-off time: 15-20 minutes.
Experience: This is a 3mg drink, so don’t expect to be blown away. With micro-doses I tend to get a mild body buzz, like what I wish a cup of camomile tea would do for me. The taste alone is great; I would drink this with or without mind-altering substances added.
High Honey’s Honey Sticks
About: High Honey is exactly what it sounds like: Midwestern honey infused with THC in Wisconsin. I picked up the regular flavor, but it looks like they also do a chocolate mint.
Where I got it/price: $12 for a pack of four at Flipside.
Flavor: Delightful. Are you someone who loves those little honey sticks they sell in the Ag-Hort Building at the State Fair? This might be the THC vehicle for you. It’s a stick of nice honey that tastes like honey, not weed. You can drizzle this on a slice of pizza, pour it into your tea, or, if you’re like me, you’ll just hoover the sweet stuff out of the plastic tube like it's a teeny tiny Fla-Vor-Ice.
Blast-off time: Probably 10-20 minutes? There’s 5 mg per straw, which is the standard single-serving amount here in Minnesota.
Experience: Buzzy like a bee! I went for a walk, organized part of my closet, and did some dusting before firing up the ol’ PS5 for some Spider-Man: Miles Morales.
Sun Dogs 22°’s Purple Lemonade
About: Hailing from Long Lake, MN, Sun Dogs makes a variety of candy-colored Delta-9 drinks and gummies. Also, according to their website, a sun dog is “a concentrated patch of sunlight occasionally seen about 22° to the left or right of the Sun.”
Where I got it/price: $7 for a single can or $26 for 4 pack at Flipside.
Flavor: OK, the Purple Lemonade contains butterfly pea flower, which gives it its beautiful lavender unicorn color (it’s the stuff they put in color-changing tea). That said, it doesn’t really taste like anything identifiable. If you asked me to describe the flavor or smell, I don’t know that I could get past “sweet” (though I should note that this is a sugar-free drink). You know what? It kinda reminds me of that super-watered down lemonade served at church functions in the ‘80s—it’s a real niche flavor, but I bet there are dozens of us out there that know what I am talking about.
Blast-off time: About 20 minutes.
Experience: There’s 10mg of THC, which is an ideal amount for me when I’m looking for a three-beer night. It kept me nice and toasty while I watched Bottoms on streaming (very cute movie). Then I had a nice sleep with no stoneover.
Moonlight’s Space Cadet
About: I'm finding very little info online about these guys but can confirm they're Minnesota-based.
Where I got it/price: $25 for a pack of 10at Flipside.
Flavor: When I crack open the bag, it legit smells like there's fresh bud in there. And while these are blackberry-flavored, I would say this gummy actually tastes like ganja. I don’t consider that a bad thing at all, and I know for some people it’s important that they're able to smell or taste the THC when they dabble. So, this one is definitely gonna be a hit if that’s you.
Blast-off time: These seem to take a little longer to hit. About 40 minutes later I realized I was overthinking whether or not to put socks on.
Experience: These were recommended to me by the folks at Flipside as more of a nighttime chill gummy, and I gotta agree. I definitely enjoyed it, but I feel real dumb on these. Use them on evenings in; this is not a party drug.