Amid murky times for THC beverages in its home state of Ohio, the state’s largest craft brewery, Rhinegeist, is wading into the intoxicating hemp beverage category with Fuzzy Bones.
Fuzzy Bones is a line of non-alcoholic (NA) sparkling beverages made with real juice and infused with hemp-derived delta-9 THC.
The line will begin with three flavors – Blood Orange + Tangerine; Lemon Blueberry; and Blackberry Hibiscus – each 5 mg of THC and sold in 12 oz. slim can 4-packs. Each offering also contains 10 mg of either cannabinol (CBG) or cannabidiol (CBN), depending on the flavor.
“As the largest craft brewer in the state of Ohio, we recognize that there is some legitimacy, credibility and weight that we can offer by acknowledging that we want to participate in this category,” Rhinegeist CEO Adam Bankovich told Brewbound. “We’re also very appreciative of all the efforts that are ongoing to create regulation, which we are fully supportive of.”
Rhinegeist’s THC-infused beverage entry follows an executive order by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine to ban the products. A Franklin County judge subsequently issued a temporary restraining order blocking the ban, allowing intoxicating hemp beverage sales to resume.
On Wednesday, the Ohio House passed Senate Bill 56, which would allow bars and restaurants to sell intoxicating hemp drinks for onsite consumption and to-go sales of products up to 10 mg of THC, the Columbus Dispatch reported. The legislation would also impose a 10% tax on the sale of intoxicating hemp and a $1.20-per-gallon excise tax on retailers and distributors. The legislation now heads to the state Senate.
Bankovich said the state Legislature has moved quickly to advance a regulatory framework for the beverages in response to “consumer demand” and “outcry” following the temporary ban.
“That outcry was quick and loud, and the response in the House and Senate was quick and appropriate, and I’m grateful for all that work,” he said.
Fuzzy Bones is the product of two years of research and study. Packaging bears the Rhinegeist name and “skull drop” logo, trading on the brand equity that the craft brewery has built over the last 12 years.
THC-infused beverages present a “meaningful” opportunity for Rhinegeist’s overall business, Bankovich said.
“This is something we believe is going to be a very real, very materially contributing component of our business going forward,” he said. “Everything that we’ve read, everything we’ve studied, everything the industry is talking about, acknowledges that this product category is one that will be here to stay.
“This does solve a true need state and a different occasion for consumers,” he continued, adding that from “Cali sober” drinkers, to those looking to moderate consumption, THC beverages are becoming a “true every day presence in people’s lives.”
Fuzzy Bones is now available in Rhinegeist’s Cincinnati taproom for onsite consumption and to-go sales to 21+ consumers at an $18.99 price point, which will also be the suggested retail price in retailers, Bankovich said.
The brand will soon be available for direct-to-consumer shipping in states where legally permitted, with a $22.99 (plus shipping) price point per 4-pack. Rhinegeist is also exploring subscribe-and-save and bundling options, Bankovich added.
The company is in active negotiations with distributors to carry Fuzzy Bones, including in states where Rhinegeist’s beer is not yet distributed, Bankovich said. Rhinegeist’s existing nine-state footprint includes Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Michigan, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Illinois.
“I don’t believe we’ve talked to any distributor yet who doesn’t acknowledge the impact this category is having and that it is a category that is likely here to stay,” Bankovich said.
Although consumer research has pointed to consumers largely preferring 10 mg THC offerings, Bankovich explained that starting with a 5 mg THC product is a nice “entry point” for Rhinegeist.
“We’ve set ourselves up to be nimble and follow industry trends and understand where the market is and where it’s headed,” he said. “Taking two years to launch our first product line, we spent enough time researching that if and when we decide to launch a further product line, or different potency or different flavors, we’ll be able to do that at a much quicker pace, because of all the time we spent up front getting to know this industry.”
Rhinegeist is looking to support the line by adding new roles dedicated to this portion of the business, Bankovich said. He added that within Rhinegeist there is an overall excitement surrounding the brand that differs from previous launches.
“We believe we’ve got a very approachable, very fun, very consistent, very quality drink that people are going to love,” he said. “The flavors are amazing. They’re all 50 calories. There’s real fruit juice added to them. They drink lightly carbonated. They’re not completely still, but they’re certainly not overly effervescent. They’re beautiful to look at. There’s actual real color from real fruit juice in them. So they look great in a glass poured over ice, and the liquid, the flavor is phenomenal.”
Fuzzy Bones is Rhinegeist’s second NA beverage line launched this year, following Ghost Haze and Ghost Pils NA beers.