Colorado Brewing Companies Embrace Cannabis Industry

Some Colorado brewing companies are partnering with cannabis companies to produce seltzers containing CBD or THC, according to The Colorado Sun.

The brewer perspective toward cannabis has shifted: cannabis is no longer seen as rival to the industry, and brewers such as Ska, Left Hand and Ceria are now producing beers and seltzers infused with CBD and THC, the publication said. 

“I think the beer industry is a little more open arms, it’s becoming that way,” Matt Vincent, a co-owner of Ska Brewing and Oh Hi Beverages, told the Colorado Sun.

“Being on both sides of the table, I see a lot of similarities. I see every reason why they should come together.”

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Oh Hi is a collaboration between Ska Brewing and Durango Organics, a marijuana dispensary and grower. The company produces four types of seltzers infused with 5 or 10 milligrams of water-soluble THC, and plans to distribute CBD seltzers as well, The Colorado Sun said. 

It will take time for this new trend to catch on, as joint ventures are still not “super common” Bart Watson, an economist at the Brewers Association, told the publication. 

"Moving into cannabis is a very different regulatory environment and one that brewers are cautious about as long it remains federally illegal," Watson said.

"The growth opportunity within craft beer has been more challenging in recent years, so we are seeing firms broaden the horizon to bring their company growth."

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