BREWERS TO BEEKEEPERS LINE UP TO TAP APPETITE FOR EDIBLES

MOOSEHEAD GETS IN GAME WITH CANNABIS-INFUSED DRINK

Soon, you’ll be able to legally get your hands on a drink with a twist: cannabis.

Moosehead Breweries and Sproutly Canada Inc., partnered up in April to develop non-alcoholic cannabis-infused drinks.

“In the past five months, significant resources have been dedicated towards creating a portfolio of infused beverages that will be ready for consumers following legalization in Canada,” Matthew Oland, vice-president of supply chain at Moosehead Breweries based in Saint John, N.B., said.

The infused beverages will “target the casual and cannacurious consumer,” using Sproutly’s water soluble cannabinoids and Moosehead’s beverage background.

The beverage is to have little to no cannabis aroma or flavour impact and show cannabis effects in less than five minutes that last up to 90 minutes.

The products have completed several rounds of testing to determine flavour profiles, sweetness, colour and calorie targets, using both indica and sativa cannabis strains.

Keith Dolo, CEO of Sproutly, said the “legal framework” has taken longer than expected, but the companies look forward to completing the remaining legal documents and announce the name of the joint venture.

Dolo didn’t disclose an anticipated release date for the products. — By Nicole Munro

CORNER BROOK OUTFIT HAS RECIPE FOR TACKLING THC TREAT MARKET

Rita Hall has been a busy bee as the legalization of edibles in Canada approaches.

Producing edibles has been the plan for BeeHighve Inc., a cannabis production facility in Corner Brook, N.L., from the start. The company plans to create cannabis-infused treats, such as a bar made of honey, blueberries, chocolate and nuts called the “honey I need an adventure” bar, with product from local hives.

But BeeHighve has to wait until Oct. 17 when edibles are legal to get the ball rolling.

“All recipes have to be approved by Health Canada and the approval process takes two months after legalization,” Hall, CEO of BeeHighve, said, adding the company has a chef who is making honey-based recipes.

“Unfortunately, BeeHighve can’t make edibles because it’s not legal to make them commercially yet, so that has been challenging.”

Hall said cannabis dosage is one of the most important things in edibles, but the delay of products coming onto the market after legalization may cause some “unexpected or sometimes unwanted results” if consumers try to make their own edibles at home.

“I don’t think that the general population is educated enough on making and consuming edibles,” she said.

“Sometimes people consume too much because they don’t have immediate results.”

Hall said recipes approved by Health Canada with clear consumption messages should “help improve the experience of consuming edibles.”

The BeeHighve hopes to have edibles available in early 2020. — By Nicole Munro