TREND ALERT CANNABIS COCKTAIL

THE LAST few years have seen several new and interesting cocktail trends emerge, from bacon and maple to barrel aging. But this trend is in a category all its own . . . literally. Cannabis cocktails could soon be served at US bars as a growing number of states seek to legalize and decriminalize the Class C drug. Bloomberg reports that “bartenders and bud-tenders are coming together” to create cocktails featuring THC tinctures – the potent part of the herb. In addition, less potent cocktails are being made based on the green, herbal flavor of marijuana.

While predicted to take off, the trend is still very much an underground movement with public consumption currently banned even in states where the drug is legal, such as Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington. Jane West, owner of Denver-based cannabis event production company Edible Events, believes the liquid landscape will change over the next decade. “Alcohol companies will create low alcohol, THC-infused products that taste like a bourbon,” she told Bloomberg.

The American market for legal cannabis grew 74% last year to $2.7 billion, making it one of the fastest-growing industries in the US. An underground cannabis wine scene has been thriving in California for years, while last year American singer Melissa Etheridge launched a cannabis laced wine aimed at cancer sufferers. Last year a home-brewed ale made using cannabis leaves went on sale at a pub in Devon, while Chicago-based Earth Mama release a “marijuana-inspired” vodka infused with herbs and botanicals. Obviously, there are risks involved in combining marijuana and alcohol, including impairing your perception of time and distance, making driving a dangerous proposition. This budding trend promises to be nothing if not controversial.