Hemp-Infused Beer A Hit In Europe

It is certainly a golden time to be alive. Why you might ask? Hemp-infused beer is picking up pace across Europe. Yep, you read that right, cannabis and beer brought together in holy union. Now before you set off home and try stuffing some cannabis leaves into a pint glass, dousing them in your favorite lager there is a little more to it.

Not actually containing any THC, the beer is made using hemp extracts that forgo the key component to getting high. Downing 8 pints and getting drunk, as well as high, is never going to end well, and by missing the THC it means that the illegal element of cannabis is also forgone. This means hemp-infused beer can be enjoyed by everyone without repercussions, opening the doors for brewers across Europe not just in Germany and the Czech where it made its initial steps into the mainstream.

Before now there have been various attempts at bringing this mighty combination together but most commercial attempts at success have fallen short. The initial attempt was 1996 in Berlin. Turn was the name of the brew and unfortunately, it did, in fact, take a turn for the worse, failing to pick up popularity. 2001 saw the first real success with Cannabis Club Suds. Produced by the Bavarian brewery Weissenohe it paved the way for the standard of hemp-infused beers availa today.

The great thing about hemp-infused beer is that despite the lack of THC you still get all the qualities that have become known and loved by marijuana users the world over. Retaining the aromas and taste of cannabis by adding the essential oils from hemp the prospects are certainly exciting. It is important to note there are THC-infused drinks available, although mainly in certain U.S states. Back on this side of the pond, it wasn't until 2005 when the Czech Republic decided to try their hand at brewing that we saw the first real mainstream hits. Since then they have become more and more popular, largely due to the jurisdictions in legal cannabis relaxing over the last few years. Seen as an ideal business opportunity it continues to grow amongst small and independent breweries all hoping to introduce their own spin and flavours.

Czech brews such as Hemp Valley Beer and KonoPi (cannabeer) have joined the previously mentioned Cannabis Club Suds in becoming the cornerstones of hemp-infused beers. Whilst these are largely enjoyed on the continent at cannabis fairs like Cannafest in Prague, their popularity is growing. Given the legality of these beers and the negative stereotype of cannabis being broken down further and further every day it may not be too long before you see some hemp-infused beers in a pub local to you. “I'll have one cold hempy brew please sir!”

			Written by: Luke Luke is a part-time writer and full-time visionary. An anonymous psychonaut blending into society with his suit and tie, he works to bring evidence-based rationality to the masses.
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