Heineken Is Making Non-Alcoholic Marijuana Beer

Now that recreational marijuana is legal in nine states, including California, Oregon and Nevada, cannabis-infused foods and beverages have become a fast-growing market — and many mainstream companies are cashing in on the trend.

In fact, Heineken recently released a new beer that’s made with THC, the primary psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, instead of alcohol.

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Labeled as “hoppy sparkling water,” the Hi-Fi Hops from Lagunitas Brewing Company, a craft label owned by Heineken, supposedly tastes like “a La Croix frolicked in a hop field” and contains 10mg of THC and zero calories. (There is also a version that has only 5mg of THC and 5mg of CBD.)

However, you won’t be able to order this beer at any bar. So far, the adult drink is only available at a select number of dispensaries in California and is priced at $8 a can.

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In a press release, Jeremy Marshall, Lagunitas’ brewmaster, described the company’s idea behind their Hi-Fi Hops beer: “We have come to realize that our passion for hops is a big part of our passion for beer … We believe that it’s high time that good beer inspired a provocative yet refreshing-tasting non-alcoholic alternative — bubbly, aromatic, bitter, fruity and herbaceous with no gluten, no carbohydrates and a smidge of California sun-grown cannabis in every sip.”

Heineken may be the first company to commercially make a marijuana-infused beer, but the parent company of Corona recently made an investment of nearly $4 billion in a Canadian cannabis company. (In 2018, Canada became the second country in the world to legalize marijuana nationwide.)

This means that if marijuana’s popularity continues to spread and recreational use becomes legal across the U.S., there may be a demand for more marijuana-infused beers in the future.