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.
As I’ve explained a few times before, I am a casual but experienced weed traveler who’s familiar and comfortable with the effects of THC, whether I’m just feeling a whisper of the sweet bud or a full-on hurricane.
Also important: These are just my experiences. As we all know, time and place can impact reactions. So can mindset, experience levels, overall sensitivity to chemicals, and energy level. Everyone’s body and brain is different. So stay safe and be careful out there, folks.
All right! On to the sampling!
Happi
About: These THC-infused bevvies come in little mini cans reminiscent of baby Pepsis and those cute Sofia champagne cans. Happi is a midwestern joint, making weed bubbly out of Birmingham, Michigan. All varieties come with 2.5-5 mg of THC, as well as a few powerups. For example, Happi Glow flavors also have CBD, CBG, CBN, and lion’s mane, while Happi Nightcap has THC and CBN. I have no idea what those things are, but google tells me CBN has sedation/sleep benefits, CBG is good for inflammation, and lion’s mane is a mushroom believed to have brain-power benefits kinda like reishi 'shrooms.
Flavor: I like these. While they’re low calorie, they’re not artificially sweetened, so the flavor is sweeter than a LaCroix, but not as intense as a soda pop. Think sparkling water with a splash of juice. The Nightcap flavor tastes like applesauce and Turkish tea (in a good way), the raspberry honeysuckle is fruity and floral, the lemon elderflower is pleasantly perfumey, and the blood orange ginger tastes like a nice cocktail.
Blast-off time: Mostly these hit at about 20-ish minutes.
Experience: The 2.5 mg varieties don’t always do much for me, at least, so they might be a good one for people looking for a “less is more” party experience. I like the portion size, which encourages sipping a la a tumbler of whiskey rather than slamming a light beer. The Nightcap definitely got me ready for bed.
Stoneover? Nope!
Kite Soda’s THC Soda
About: Burning Brothers Brewing and Solid Gold Hemp have teamed up to bring us these award-winning Minnesota-made sodas created with Minnesota-grown THC. (Shouldn’t it be called “pop” then?) Also good to know? These cans are technically two servings each, topping out at 10 mg total.
Flavor: A quote from the can: “Prohibition days are over! Have fun and enjoy the taste of freedom.” What does freedom taste like? Super sweet! These are cans of pop, so expect a little syrupy-ness compared to the super-adult “whisper of fruit” you get with most THC drinks. That said, I liked this as a dessert treat. Though I got a weird, salty aftertaste the first couple of sips, by the end of the glass it just tasted like pure soda. I could see this being easy to share, since it's so sugary, but um, I drank the whole thing. Sorry, government regulators!
Blast-off time: About 20 minutes, and it lasts for a couple of hours so don’t plan to get anything important done. (I was very productive playing sandbox video games while drinking this, however.)
Experience: This stuff hit me harder, mostly because I drank more than “recommended.” But it was also a good time. I don’t know how good these would be for social outings unless you’re sharing, but I suspect they’d be fun during a movie or board game night at home.
Stoneover? A little, but nothing a shower and a coffee couldn’t fix.
Moscow Moose Cannabis Cocktail
About: This hyperlocal weed company is all about MN: “The Minny Grown story starts in the small farming community of Cannon Falls, Minnesota where our family has been cultivating the land for over 100 years.”
Flavor: The Moscow Moose bubbly is meant to mimic a Moscow mule, a delicious cocktail typically made with vodka and ginger beer. I’m already a fan of Minny Grown stuff, and I gotta say they really have some of the best packaging out there right now. This can is adorable, the drink legit tastes like a Moscow mule, and it’s fun to bring these guys to a party since the can art is so eye-catching. As for flavor, there’s sugar in this stuff, but it still tastes like something that was made for grown-ups.
Blast-off time: About 30-ish minutes.
Experience: Nice and light! This is a can with 5mg of THC, so it shouldn’t knock you on your ass. This could be a good backyard BBQ, music in the park option.
Stoneover? Naw.
Wooden Ship's Abyss
About: Abyss fruited seltzer is made by Wooden Ship, an absolutely adorable neighborhood brewery on the southwest side of Lake Harriet that also serves up a nice variety of beers.
Flavor: The can was highly drinkable, and basically tastes like a classic lemon-lime seltzer, so it's great for folks who love gin and tonics or vodka sodas with lime.
Blast-off time: About 20-ish minutes.
Experience: Here’s the thing to know: One can contains 20 mg of Delta-9 THC. So, you’re supposed to split it four ways, which is kinda like being the one who shows up at a party with a bag of weed: instant popularity. That said, I’m not sure how well the markers on the side of the can works for serving estimates:
And, I gotta be real here: I drank half the can by myself. Shhhhh, weed police! But yeah, it got me high, and I was still conversational and not overwhelmed. I would not recommend doing what I did if you’re a beginner or prone to anxiety though.
Stoneover? I woke up feeling remnants of toasty relaxed-ness, but still ready for the day.
