There are already a number of marijuana-infused beers on the market, including one made by Heineken-owned Lagunitas. But now Canadian researchers have taken the, well, entrancing concept a step further by brewing what is being hailed as the first beer brewed from cannabis.
Scientists used the stocks, stem, and roots of the cannabis plant as the base of the beer, replacing the barley traditionally used in the brewing process. Scientists said that early attempts at the special brew tasted like cotton broccoli—yikes—but thanks to a chemist and a lot of trial and error, they were able to develop the right combination of hops, water, yeast, and cannabis to make something palatable, according to a Guardian report.
The final result is a non-alcoholic, gluten-free beer that gives drinkers a bit of a high. Scientists describe its flavor as “dry, savory, less sweet than a typical beer flavor.” The psychoactive effects of the tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, also hits you quickly—unusual for an edible. (Er, drinkable?)
The group’s goal is to create a cannabis-based beer that has the same intoxicating effect—no more, no less—as consuming a single alcoholic one. In the long term, such a product could be used as an alternative to consuming alcohol.
The creation comes shortly after Canada decided to make marijuana recreationally legal across the country. That law goes into effect on October 17th.
