After years of concern that cannabis and THC products could cut into bev-alc occasions, some of the bev-alc industry is starting to view THC-infused beverages as an opportunity. But not everyone is completely on board.
Even for an industry born out of risk and uncertainty, hemp beverages are now officially in uncharted waters. As part of the funding bill to reopen the government signed into law last night by President Donald Trump, hemp-derived products will be required to contain less than 0.4 mg THC per container, as of November 13, 2026. Swept away like a storm in the night, the multi-billion-dollar, hemp-derived THC industry is waking up this morning to the stark reality that, barring the creation of a legal federal framework, they will be virtually extinct within a year.
Bev-alc industry members have been more vocal than ever this week about their stances on intoxicating hemp beverages, and the Beer Institute (BI) was no exception at the trade group’s annual Membership Meeting held Wednesday in Washington, D.C. BI president and CEO Brian Crawford dedicated the majority of his remarks to intoxicating hemp, and the BI’s desire for regulation.
A coalition of 54 beer, wine and spirits distributors are asking U.S. House and Senate leaders to regulate and tax intoxicating hemp products similar to alcoholic beverages, according to a letter sent Wednesday.
The Beer Institute (BI), along with other bev-alc trade associations, has joined the call from Congressional members and attorneys general to ban the sale of intoxicating hemp-derived products.
After eight months in market, available through direct-to-consumer (DTC) shipping and at live music venues, JuneShine is ready to bring Willie’s Remedy+ and its lineup of THC-infused beverages to retailers.
As major retailers Target, Circle K, Total Wine & More and others add intoxicating hemp beverages to their shelves, attorneys general from 37 states and two U.S. territories are asking Congress to ban the sale of unregulated, intoxicating THC products and “shut down this industry before it metastasizes further.”
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.
THC seltzers, local sports partnerships and growing Boulevard’s new No. 1 brand are among the highlights of Duvel USA’s 2026 distribution convention, featuring skits mimicking popular movies and TV shows. The big news coming out of the meeting is Boulevard’s addition of THC-infused seltzers under its Quirk line.
Tilray Brands’ 2026 first quarter – covering the all-important summer selling season – was “flat” due to the cannabis and craft beer platform’s Project 420 cost-savings initiative, Tilray chairman and CEO Irwin Simon shared Thursday during a call with investors and analysts.
Hemp-derived THC seltzer brand Delta Beverages recently unveiled a new visual identity and a marketing campaign that seek to “humanize” the brand while eliminating the stigma often associated with cannabis use.