MOVE OVER GIN & TONIC - Here Comes Houndstooth & Soda!

The next shipment of Canada’s first THC-infused cannabis beverages will soon be on the shelves at Delta 9 and we’re looking forward to it as much as you are!

Our first round of Tweed’s Houndstooth & Soda from Canopy Growth Corp. sold out in one day and our customers are thirsty for more. The delay in getting more of these high-demand cannabis-infused beverages was somewhat foreseeable, with numerous new regulations and production challenges, but it won’t be long now.

Ready-To-Drink or Make Your Own

“Tweed Houndstooth & Soda is our first beverage to hit the market,” said Greg DiBiase, Innovation Manager at Canopy. “It is also Canada’s first THC-infused ready-to-drink (RTD) cannabis beverage. You can enjoy it chilled, straight from the can or poured over ice with a slice of lemon, lime or both... no mixing required.”

Along with Houndstooth & Soda, Canopy will also be rolling out two additional cannabis-infused RTD beverages under the Tweed brand including Bakerstreet & Ginger and Penelope & Tonic. They will all be available in 355 mL cans with 2 mg of THC. Penelope & Tonic will also contain 1.5 mg of CBD.

To complement the Tweed beverage portfolio, Canopy will also be releasing Distilled Cannabis as a stand-alone product which is the base ingredient in their ready-to-drink beverages. “We took three of our most popular Tweed strains and through our unique proprietary process, distilled them into great tasting botanical liquids unlike anything you have ever tried,” said DiBiase. “We have a range of strain types to choose from including Houndstooth sativa, Bakerstreet indica and Penelope hybrid - so there’s something for everybody.”

Tweed Distilled Cannabis will contain 10 mg of THC per 150 mL glass bottle. “There are five 30 mL (one ounce) servings per bottle and each ounce contains exactly 2 mg of THC,” said DiBiase. “We wanted to allow consumers to be able to control the potency and customize the drink with their own choice of mix.”

With one major exception.

“We do not want you to mix this with alcohol,” said Courtney Pratt, Canopy’s Territory Manager for Manitoba and Nunavut. “That wouldn’t be safe, always use a non-alcoholic mixer.”

Rapid Onset and New Kind of High

The products have been formulated for rapid onset; however each individual will experience the effects in their own unique manner. Anecdotal evidence suggests you could start feeling the effects of Canopy’s new cannabis-infused beverages in as little as 10-15 minutes, but it is always recommended to refer to the Health Canada guidelines for onset times regarding ingestible products and to start low, go slow.

Early consumer feedback also suggests that the high you get with something like Tweed’s new beverages is not like that from smoking flower or consuming an edible. It doesn’t have a sharp peak or valley and it doesn’t have a long and gradual curve, it’s that sweet spot in the middle.

“People who have tried it, describe it as very pleasant and enjoyable,” said DiBiase. “It is a great alternative in social settings, when you do not want to consume other types of beverages.”

Canopy will also be releasing Distilled Cannabis as a stand-alone product

Great Taste and Low Calories

“Our innovation team has a background in the beer and spirits industry,” said DiBiase. “So naturally we wanted to take a flavour-first approach with our beverages. It has to taste great, otherwise no one would ever buy it again - so we really put an emphasis on that during the development phase.” He goes on to say that “With Houndstooth & Soda, consumers will notice pleasant terpene notes and subtle hints of cannabis, and that is intentionally done.”

“In fact, the Tweed Distilled Cannabis products are sourced directly from their namesake strain, so we have designed them to capture the essence of the flower,” said DiBiase. “Some of the other beverages that we have coming out will have amazing flavour profiles of fresh grapefruit and lemon, with no cannabis taste at all.”

Another attractive feature of the new cannabis drinks is their low number of calories. One container of Houndstooth & Soda has only three. Compare that to the 100 calories or more you’d get from a glass of red wine or any alcoholic spirit with mix.

Dosage Limits Intentional. Start Low Go Slow.

Cannabis-infused beverages will affect people differently depending not only on their body chemistry, but also on the production processes and inputs used to make them.

“Unlike alcoholic spirits, there is no standard of identity that defines a specific category type, so each licensed producer will have the freedom to approach beverages in their own way, which is very exciting,” said DiBiase. He emphasizes that “Canopy has an incredible team that has been working on these formulations for several years leading up to launch.”

“We have also designed and built the largest dedicated cannabis-beverage production facility in Canada,” said DiBiase. “Because we believe in the long-term success of the category. I am very confident in the beverage portfolio that we have developed and very excited to share it with consumers and provide them with an incredible new way to enjoy cannabis.”

Houndstooth & Soda anyone?