Over the past year, big brands like Molson Coors and Heineken have thrown their hats into the ring when it comes to creating cannabis beverages.
Now, Canada's oldest and largest independent beer company -- started by the Olands in New Brunswick -- is also putting pot on its product list.
After 152 years of making beer, the Maritime institution is now trying something brand new -- a cannabis-infused water called Infuz2O.
“Right now we're in the product development and brand development stage, and we’re going to be creating a company name and a brand name for this product, and we'll have more on those details in the coming months,” said Matthew Oland of Moosehead Breweries.
Partnering with licensed cannabis producer Sproutly, Moosehead plans to have the cannabis water product ready for shelves when cannabis consumables become legal for sale in Canada this October.
“A user will feel the effects of that cannabis beverage in around five minutes, as well as that effect dissipating out of their system in about 90 minutes,” said Keith Dolo of Sproutly.
And it's not just big beverage companies with their eyes on the marijuana prize.
“Coldstream from the beginning has always been about innovation, we're still small, we're still agile,” said Riley Giffin, the co-founder of Coldstream Clear Distillery in Stewiacke, N.S.
Right now, the distillery makes rum and vodka products and the company recently expanded into a new production facility, thanks in part to its line of flavored vodka sodas.
Now, Giffin says a cannabis beverage is on the horizon.
“You could have, you know, your typical pop-style drinks, anything really any kind of beverage eventually we'll be able to infuse cannabis into,” Giffin said.
Except alcohol. Right now, Health Canada is recommending the two not go together.
But while some companies are eager to jump into the fray, others are taking a more cautious approach.
“There's so much that goes into that that I’ll let the big guys jump in and get it right, hopefully,” said Brian Titus, who owns Garrison Brewing.
Titus says he has a few concerns and questions.
“For us to get into this, we would have to be super comfortable with the stability of the product, the effects that would come from it and what's the ability for it to become abused?” he said.
When cannabis beverages do become legal for sale this fall will anyone try them?
Some Maritimers are willing, while others are hesitant.
For its part, Moosehead says it’s working on exactly how the product will taste, but plans to have it ready to start selling as soon as it’s legal.
All this being said, it’s not known where the beverages will be sold or how they will be marketed, because all the federal government's regulations on cannabis edibles have not been finalized yet.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Heidi Petracek.
