Intoxicating Hemp

New York may allow licensed alcohol retailers to sell THC-infused drinks if a new measure introduced in the State Legislature earlier this week gains passage.

As the distribution tier continues to shrink, what must brewers and bev-alc brands do to protect their routes to market? ArentFox Schiff partner Nichole Shustack and senior associate Isabelle Cunningham joined the Brewbound Podcast to discuss how suppliers can navigate the turbulence that comes with wholesaler consolidation.

The future of hemp beverages remains in flux as potential legislative bills circulate on Capitol Hill, but for suppliers and distributors in the space, keeping up with demand has been business as usual. Almost.

While some intoxicating hemp brands are positioning themselves as alcohol alternatives, one early adopter of alcohol-free spirits is joining the fray from the opposite direction.

The impending federal ban of hemp-derived THC products continues to loom over the emerging beverage category, but that isn’t deterring investors from capitalizing on the “generational opportunity” to get in, should the law change.

Monster Brewing is selling off the equipment assets of Deep Ellum Brewing (Dallas, Texas) at auction, after shuttering the brewery’s taproom and shifting production of the brand’s beers to other facilities last year. In other auction news, Trillium Brewing’s outdoor bathrooms have got to go. The Boston brewery is auctioning off the bathrooms from its former beer garden.

Hemp THC drink makers RYTHM and Señorita have each inked multi-year agreements with the United Center in Chicago.

An influential group of beverage-alcohol retailers and distributors are supporting legislative efforts to keep hemp-infused beverages alive despite their prohibition, slated to take effect in November 2026. 

Intoxicating hemp drinks are getting a lifeline in Chicago, despite the outlawing of other hemp-derived THC products.

Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth’s take on intoxicating hemp; non-alc Bero receives private equity investment; Otherlands Beer shares tariff impact; taproom closures; people moves; and more.

An Indiana congressman has proposed legislation to push back the upcoming hemp ban for three years, allowing more time to carve out a regulatory framework for hemp products.

Thanks to significant social media investments, the name of Willie’s Remedy+ often precedes it in new markets. “You can literally walk into a market with no POS, no nothing – we haven’t launched at all – and because of the investment that we made on social, people know about us before we even get there,” said Whitney Stevenson, president and CCO of Willie’s parent company JuneShine Brands.

New funding could be a sign of optimism from the investor class as hemp-derived THC drinks await regulatory clarity.

Amidst all the fast-growing beverage categories and trends, there’s only one that’s facing a ticking clock towards extinction. The future of the thriving cannabis beverage industry, specifically hemp-derived THC drinks that can be sold outside of adult-use regulated channels, is under intense pressure following November’s decision by Congress to effectively ban all hemp-derived products even… Read more »