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. This month I revisited a few brands with new flavors, a beer company dabbling in THC, a super-can of weed, and a stoner cocktail. Alright, let's do this!
Earl Giles’s Ginger Bliss
About: This beverage is made by northeast Minneapolis restaurant/distillery Earl Giles.
Where I got it/price: I’m pretty sure this was sent to me in a review package, but I have seen these around town for $8-$12 a can and you can order it at Earl Giles too.
Flavor: Alright, this is nice. The ginger is bright, there’s just enough cane sugar to make this more soda and less seltzer, but it’s not going to give me diabetes. There’s also a cinnamon kick on the back end that gives a pleasant aftertaste. This is easy drinking, especially for someone like me who's burned out on artificial/chemical flavorings.
Blast-off time: About 20 minutes.
Experience: This is a 10 mg can, so it’s on the stronger side, but I’ve got no complaints. Also, this is a crowd-pleasing flavor so it’s easy to share.
Wandering Leaf Brewing Co.’s Micro Greens
About: This plant-friendly St. Paul brewery is now dabbling in fruit-forward THC drinks and gummies.
Where I got it/price: I found this at Marigold for around $8. You can also get it to go in a four-pack at the brewery.
Flavor: OK! Upon cracking this baby open I am immediately greeted with the smell of fruit juice—real fruit juice. So the little “made with real fruit!” claim on the can is no lie. If you like pineapple and mango you’ll like this. This is not a soda though, so don’t expect a big flavor. If you’re familiar with Spindrift sparkling waters, which have a spritz of real fruit juice, you’ll enjoy this.
Blast-off time: About 30 minutes.
Experience: This is a 10 mg can, and it hits like a 10 mg can. I drank mine while watching Blink Twice—which is a very stressful movie!—but Micro Greens got me pleasantly toasty and didn’t add to the anxiety.
Feels Factory’s Zen AF
About: The info on who or what is behind Feels Factory is very sparse, but my can says this was manufactured in Fargo, which makes this the first THC I’ve tried from the Dakotas. Nice!
Where I got it/price: Found this one at Flipside Dispensary & Music. I got it in a make-your-own four-pack deal but I'm finding cans of this online for about $8 each.
Flavor: This is artificial vanilla forward with a juicy lemon finish. I’m struggling to find the lavender—I can kind of smell it and maybe taste it a little, but you’re gonna have to squint real hard if you’re looking for it. That might be an asset to the flavor though, as too much lavender can really fuck up a vibe.
Blast-off time: About 20 minutes.
Experience: I find it funny that the can proclaims this is a “microdosed elixir” at 5 mg THC and 10 mg CBN, plus 500 mg ashwagandha, 100 mg L-theanine, and 300 mg valerian root. That’s a lotta stuff! It’s a nice combo of stuff to ride into a good night’s sleep, though.
Nothing But Hemp’s THC Tincture
About: These tinctures, which come in varieties that promote active, zen, focused, or sleepy highs are from Nothing But Hemp, a northeast Minneapolis maker of all kinds of THC products.
Where I got it/price: $30 at Flipside Dispensary & Music.
Flavor: Super bitter! If you squirt a dropper amount in your mouth it’s very herbal (thyme? oregano?) and sour. But if you add it to a regular pint-sized beverage you’re not really going to taste it, even in beer or iced tea.
Blast-off time: About 20 minutes.
Experience: The one I tried claims to be “fast acting” and to promote “active” highs. I’ve never found one type of THC product to be faster acting than others, really. I think it has more to do with body chemistry and other factors, but as a nice daytime tincture I have found that this gets me where I need to go and it’s easy to control the dosage.
