Coffee drinkers looking to get a different kind of buzz can try a new line of cannabis-infused cold brew made right here in Massachusetts.
The Drinkable Company has been making beverages for 35 years including smoothies, cocktail mixers, and alcoholic beverages. The company launched its cannabis-infused cold brew Zenith in April, quickly becaming its most popular product.
Mark Mohaney, CEO, founder and president of The Drinkable Company, told MassLive that the cannabis coffee is just the start of what is in the works.
“We’re working on different combinations of THC and CBD and isolates and shots,” Mahoney said. “We want to be one of those vendors that you trust, and our products are outstanding and consistent.”
The company is in the process of making THC-infused K-cups, THC simple syrups and a pumpkin spice-flavored cold brew. But fall fans might have to wait a bit for that flavor to roll out.
“We tried like heck with our flavor houses to do a pumpkin spice, or something for the fall, because everyone does pumpkin,” Mahoney explained. “We just could not get that flavor profile to where we wanted it. So, we said we’re not doing it.”
In the meantime, customers can try Zenith cold brew, made with coffee from Atomic Coffee Roasters of which Mahoney is also a co-founder.
The coffee is brewed at the company’s Peabody facility, then brought to another facility in Danvers where the cold brew is made by steeping it in industrial-size tanks for 18-24 hours.
The cold brew then goes to a 45,000 square-foot manufacturing facility in Gloucester where it is dosed with THC. The facility houses roughly 20 different strains of cannabis that are grown and then pressed into oil that is infused into the coffee. Most of the growers are based on the North Shore as well, according to staff.
All the THC is third-party tested and verified, so it’s safe to consume. Customers can also check the cannabis values and when it was made by looking at the product label.
Once combined, the cannabis coffee is shipped out in refrigerated trucks to dispensaries throughout Massachusetts and Maine. Mahoney said keeping the coffee refrigerated throughout the entire process ensures the best quality.
“All of our products on the Zenith Cold Brew brand are under refrigeration from start to finish,” he said. “The only way to do an authentic cold brew was to keep it cold chain refrigerated.”
Every can has 5mg of cannabis and 200mg of caffeine, according to Zenith’s website. Mahoney said this is equal to about two cups worth of caffeine.
“So, it’s got a good buzz and a good jolt to it,” he joked.
Drinking the coffee has a certain “synergistic effect,” according to the CEO. While adding cannabis can reduce the caffeine’s impact, the end buzz mostly depends on people’s tolerance.
“For me personally, the THC combined with the caffeine is too much,” Mahoney said, who prefers Drinkable’s line of cannabis-infused tea over the cold brew. “You’ve got some heritage users that just have a very high tolerance to THC.”
“I have a somewhat low tolerance. So, if I drink one tea, if I’m at a cookout or something, I’m fine,” Mahoney explained further. “But if I drink two, I’m definitely amped up. I can definitely feel it.”
Mahoney feels that the five milligrams is reasonable for those trying the drinks for the first time. He encourages people to take it slow and “figure out how it works on your body.”
Zenith is not only an alternative for regular coffee drinkers, it’s also a good alternative for alcoholic beverages. The benefits of drinking a cannabis-infused drink include not waking up with a hangover and that it’s easier to digest, according to Mahoney.
Cannabis drinks also provide longer-lasting effects compared to smoking or edibles, offer more hydration and have other wellness benefits like lowering anxiety and reducing pain, according to Napa Cannabis Collective.
Zenith is sold at 75 dispensaries in Massachusetts and 25 in Maine. The company is also looking to expand into New York, according to Mahoney.
In addition to the cold brew, the company sells cannabis-infused teas, sodas and seltzers. The tea brand, called Tiger Tea, comes in two flavors: Wildberry & Hibiscus and Strawberry.
Swivel, the company’s soda brand, offers a cola, diet cola and orange soda option. Then there’s Ocean Breeze Seltzers, which come in lemon and black cherry.
