The RTD cocktail market continues to experience significant growth, with reports showing a more than 100 percent increase in the last two years, projecting that its market value will hit $40 billion by 2027. The THC beverage sector, while smaller, is also expanding as more states legalize cannabis. A leading brand in THC beverages, Nowadays, has introduced a new canned cocktail aiming to mimic the success of RTD beverages, though it contains no alcohol and is inspired by other canned spirit products.
Founded just last year, Nowadays draws inspiration from the non-alcoholic (NA) spirits industry from the outset. Their initial offerings were 750-milliliter bottles of high-dose (10 mg per serving) and low-dose (five mg per serving) THC “spirits,” with a new 2 mg micro-dose version also now available. These products, containing cannabis extract, water, sugar, citric acid, and preservatives, are designed to be flavor-neutral and ideal for mixing in your preferred NA cocktail, sipping neat, or enjoying over ice.
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The new Nowadays THC Canned Cocktails, however, are literally “ready to drink,” with four new recipes available to consumers: Original, Spicy Lime, Citrus, and Berry. “Expanding into canned cocktails was a natural next step for us,” said Nowadays CEO and cofounder Justin Tidwell in a statement. “Our bottled spirits have been incredibly successful, and we wanted to build on that by taking everything consumers love about Nowadays and creating a canned version for an elevated ready-to-drink experience. With this innovation, we can reach even more people and continue growing the brand.”
The initial launch of these canned cocktails are considered to be low-dose, with just five milligrams of THC per drink. Of course, everyone reacts differently to THC, so you can start by drinking half a can at first if you’re uncertain about the effects, which are said to come on in about 15 minutes. But generally speaking, five milligrams of THC is considered to be a pretty small dose. The ingredients for these drinks are similar to the bottled spirits, although each has the vague term “natural flavors” listed—presumably that is what makes them taste like berry, citrus, or spicy lime. And each can has only 25 calories and about four grams of sugar, so don’t expect these to be a saccharine sipping experience (which sounds like a good thing).
THC-infused drinks come in various forms; some are similar to hard seltzer, like Wynk with its black cherry and mango flavors. Others, such as Cann, identify as “social tonics” with unique flavors like blood orange and cardamom. Nowadays appears to take inspiration from the non-alcoholic spirit category, setting it apart in the market. You can purchase the variety flavor six-pack from Nowadays on their website for $32. Soon, individual flavor packs will be available. Other online stores, including also stock them. Remember, you must be over 21 to buy these beverages.
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