Photos courtesy of Ayrloom.
Last week I was looking to have a fun night with friends, without drinking alcohol. I came across cannabis-infused beverages from Ayrloom, a family-owned company with five generations of farming experience in upstate New York.
Ayrloom’s Lemonade and Honeycrisp Cannabis-Infused Beverages
5 mgs THC / 5 mgs CBD per 12 oz can
$18.08 Pack of 4
Each of these beverages is infused with a 1:1 ratio of 5 mg of THC to 5 mg of CBD. According to CannaMD, “this balance is thought to provide a harmonious effect, where the psychoactive properties of THC are moderated by the calming nature of CBD.”
This product contains nanoemulsion technology. This essentially means that the effects of the cannabis are felt more rapidly compared with typical edible cannabis products, which can sometimes take an hour or more to feel. Products that feature nanoemulsion technology, however, have an onset of roughly half that of a standard edible.
Also notable, these beverages are both vegan and gluten free.
The company offers several flavors of the cannabis-infused drinks; Black Cherry, Vanilla Cola, Honeycrisp, and Lemonade. Each also comes in an “Up” version with 10 mgs of THC and 5 mgs of CBD. They also have a selection of hemp-infused beverages, and cannabis-infused sparkling waters that have a few additional flavors.
Post from @ayrloom_ny on Instagram.
My Experience
My experiences with Ayrloom beverages was pleasant. I tried out the Lemonade flavor, while my friend tried the Honeycrisp flavor. We sipped on them while hanging out, watching a favorite show of ours. The Lemonade flavor tasted like a classic lemonade which was very refreshing. I could have had many of those in a row no problem. The Honeycrisp flavor was reminiscent of applesauce, or an apple juice.
Neither of us tasted the cannabis flavor at all initially, though there was a slight aftertaste in the Honeycrisp drink. Both flavors were very pleasant.
Ayrloom brands themselves as fast acting, and I felt that to be true. Within 20 minutes, I started feeling a bit more relaxed, and a bit more smiley without feeling high or intoxicated, just slightly buzzed.
It was nice to just sip on. For this reason it could be an alternative for people to bring to a party if they don’t want to drink alcohol, but still want to feel a little buzz. I could see maybe drinking two of these to feel a bit more high, three to feel truly intoxicated. But of course different people have different tolerance levels, and should test one at a time to see how it feels. My current tolerance level is pretty low, I don’t consume cannabis very often anymore, and I had a great time with these drinks. I think one can would be great for people who don’t consume or who consume very little. Someone with a higher tolerance might need to drink more before feeling the effects.
Post from @ayrloom_ny on Instagram.
Sugar Splurge
My one downside to these drinks is that they do have a rather high sugar content. As someone who has to watch their sugar levels, it’s always something I notice. These drinks have about 43 grams of sugar in each drink. I believe this is what is masking the cannabis flavor.
To compare, alcoholic alternatives like White Claws or Bud Light Seltzer have less than 5 grams of sugar per can versus Ayrloom’s 43. And just looking at calories alone, this drink has about 50 more calories than both of the above alcoholic drinks, which both round out at about 100 calories each. However, 150 calories may not be extremely high, especially on a night out when it’s all about having fun and splurging. I think as someone who has to watch their sugar intake, I always notice that number, but for most people it’s probably okay.
Clean, Tested Products
The lab test results indicated that there were no pesticides, heavy metals, mycotoxins, or microbials found in the drinks.
According to CBD research, cannabis-infused products should always contain a range of +/- 10% of the cannabinoids advertised on the product’s label. If a product falls within that range it gets an “A” rating, 20% earns a “B,” 30% earns a “C,” and 31% or more earns an “F” rating. This product’s lab test revealed that it had about 4.5 mgs of CBD and of THC each, which is still within the 10% range. Therefore it would get an “A” rating.
Final Thoughts
Overall, we truly enjoyed these drinks, and will be buying them again. We’re both not huge alcohol people, and sometimes it’s a lot to smoke a whole joint at a party, or eat an edible and wait for it to kick in. I think this is a great option to sip on, especially for those who aren’t interested in getting drunk or too high, but are after a nice buzz.
Compared to other cannabis-infused drinks on the market, these drinks are pretty averagely priced, and a decent deal for the amount of cannabis in each drink, the size of the can, and how many cans you get in one pack.
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