The Best THC Drinks for a Happy Hour High
A new crop of cocktail-centric, THC-infused beverages is out to change the way you drink.
Suffer enough hangovers and drinking booze starts to lose some of its appeal quickly. It takes just one overzealous happy hour to make you swear you’ll never put a margarita to your lips again. There are alternatives, of course. You could take a break from drinking. You could drink less. Or you could consider a third option: cannabis beverages.
As legalized weed wafts across the country—dispensaries seem to be as ubiquitous as Starbucks in California and Colorado—new THC libations are sprouting fast. The global market for cannabis drinks is estimated to be worth $1 billion and is projected to reach nearly $4 billion by the end of the decade.
That’s a drop in the bucket compared with the amount spent on alcohol, but it’s significant in that, for the sober curious, the Cali sober (no booze, only weed), and those who just want a different kind of buzz, there’s now a viable alternative to the ancient tradition of raising a glass to celebrate (or forget) the day. For a while, THC-infused beverages all tasted like White Claw wannabes. These days, they’re more varied, with offerings that include wines, flavorful tonics, and even amaros. We’ve highlighted some of our picks below.
If you’ve ever tried marijuana in any form, then you know it’s not the same as a beer. There’s a fine line between being outgoing and buzzed and turning into the most introspective person in the room (who’s also desperate for a nap). Five milligrams is considered a full dose, and you will probably feel its effects in 15 to 30 minutes. Do yourself a favor and wait a while before popping another drink. It’s best to proceed into this world carefully, as with any unfamiliar drug. But once you find your rhythm, you just might open a new dimension to happy hour.
Artet makes sparkling THC beverages, like the chamomile-lemon spritz, but we prefer the aperitif, which drinks like an amaro. It contains 2.5mg of THC per 50ml (1.7 oz) pour—the perfect amount to get your appetite going.
Still don’t want to give up the taste of a proper cocktail? This fruity (but in a good way) no-alcohol cannabis spirit works well by itself over rocks or, even better, in an espresso martini or a spicy margarita.
These hydration powders are ideal for travel, the yuzu-and-turmeric lemonade flavor tastes downright healthy, and the nootropics and adaptogens give you a brainy, euphoric buzz.
CQ has a line of cannabis seltzers, including a cola sweetened with cane sugar. But we also like its old-fashioned lemonade, infused with sativa for a more uplifting high. You can drink it on its own or mixed into a cocktail.
For those times when you want a more celebratory high, this sparkling nonalcoholic wine has just the right amount of effervescence and notes of pear and melon to make you think you’re drinking the real thing.
A blend of THC and CBD makes this drink a good entry point for the THC curious.
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